EDINBORO CASTLE

The Edinboro Castle might look like your typical modern local – it has the prerequisite gastropub leather sofas, blackboard menus and wooden floorboards – but the owners have an eccentric streak. Check out the jewelled curtains, red and white beaded waterfall lampshades, furry zebra pattered wallpaper and feather boa frames straight out of Bettie Page’s boudoir. The whole ensemble is illuminated by huge windows that draw in light from the beer garden without detracting from the pub’s general cosiness.

Speaking of beer gardens, the sprawling, grassy outdoor space must be one of the best in London. There are loads of heated booths, an outdoor bar and barbeque area, a football table, twinkly fairy lights and a dog-friendly policy (quite a few punters bring their furry friends along for a round of water and dog biscuits). Drinks here are excellent, though there’s more here for fans of that continental thang than for CAMRA ale-hounds. As well as a varied wine list, you’ll find several respectable ales, plus Belgian fruit beers such as Früli and Appleboq, and an interesting range of lagers on tap. The chinking racks of bottles in the fridge include Chimay, Cruzcampo and Timmerman’s Peche.

Food is solid English with a whiff of the Mediterranean and North Africa, so there are tagines and kofte on the menu alongside the usual steaks and Sunday roasts. Throw in a laid-back crowd and this is a great place to kick back and while away an evening or a sunny afternoon.