The Canton Arms

For anyone with misgivings about pubs with restaurant inclinations, this ‘characterful’ urban hostelry should set you straight. As befits a sibling of Southwark’s Anchor & Hope and others, the Canton Arms is fully committed to its role as an old-fashioned city boozer. ‘Buzzy and unpretentious’, there’s pretty much a 50/50 split between drinkers knocking back pints of real ale and nibbling toasties in the front bar, and those who come for the consistently delicious food served in the dining area at the back. Ingredients are seasonally spot-on, while the daily changing menu ‘makes you want to come back and try something else’ – perhaps celeriac and potato pithivier ahead of East Coast skate grenobloise or slow-cooked Provençal-style lamb shank with white beans and parsley. After that, you might fancy steamed blackberry jam sponge pudding or a little custard pot with raspberry compôte. It’s all considered good value – and that includes a line-up of drinks ranging from a terrific selection of regularly rotated real ales and an impressive selection of classic cocktails to a perfectly judged European wine list.