The Crown

This used to be an excellent gastro pub overlooking Victoria Park - one where all the food and drink was certified organic. That was before it became a less successful Spainish tapas place. Thankfully, now the gastro has been put back into the pub and, with the Geronimo Inns group behind the re-launch, things are looking up. Rupert Clevely and his wife Joanna certainly know how to give a pub the casually lived-in look that encourages laid-back lounging and long lunches. For the food they've brought in Ben Maschler (formerly Soho House UK) to steer the menu towards the British classics. So you'll find things like pea & ham soup, toad-in-the-hole and beer battered pollock, chips & mushy peas on the tempting menu. Shared dishes are something substantial to get your teeth stuck into such as slow roast shoulder of lamb with flageolet beans or whole rib of beef, chips with bearnaise sauce. Upstairs, the dining room has a light and airy feel with a balcony offering views over Victoria Park.