St John

Three decades on, St John appears to have changed not one jot. Still the same whitewashed walls, the same squat wine glasses, the same paper tablecloths and the same commitment to ‘nose-to-tail’ cookery – although eating here can sometimes test your faith. While some dishes such as the signature bone marrow and parsley salad still resemble exhibits in an edgy east London gallery, others look like they’ve emerged from the kitchen of an old Parisian bistro. A serving of wild boar terrine (with cornichons and excellent sourdough) and a plate of mallard (with parsnips and pickled walnut) both successfully combine sharp looks and keen flavour. Likewise, a dish of mandolined kohlrabi, pure and simple, with lemon, capers and chervil for company. And there are more than half a dozen unashamedly patriotic English puddings to choose from – perhaps ginger loaf with butterscotch sauce, buttermilk and quince jelly or an Eccles cake served with a hunk of Lancashire cheese. The wine list is the type you'd find in a Parisian bistro, with tip-top house pours ushering in a glorious selection from the French regions.