The Prince Albert

A decent gastropub that retains enough of the 'pub' aspect to ensure a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere. Leather sofas are well worn, despite a recent change of ownership in 2007. Food in the dining room upstairs is top quality and surprisingly reasonable with lighter options in the bar downstairs. The main man in the kitchen is David Gill has worked with Marco Pierre White at the Michelin-starred Canteen in Chelsea harbour and for Terrence Conran at the Butlers Wharf Chophouse. Ingredients include non-farmed, sustainably sourced fish, meat sourced only from British farms and producers and cheese from La Fromagerie. Just what a good gastro pub should be; many others could take a lesson from The Prince Albert.

Whatever your views on The Prince Albert's foray into what its detractors say is overly complicated gastropub cooking, there can be no denying that the delightful adjoining beer garden, although small, is one of North London's most appealing - and just about secures the historic Camden establishment's 'pub' status. In fact, it's best to see the upstairs restaurant and the ground level's Boho-style drinking den as two entirely distinct ventures. Separated from the pavement by an iron fence and a sparse bush, the decked outside area is a favourite with the local cool Camdenite crowd, who come in their swathes, skinny jeans and all, to drink Bulmers and smoke rollies.