The Crown

You’ll need sunnies at The Crown, the gussied-up boozer by Vicky Park. Not only if you’re lucky enough to get a seat on the balcony in fine weather, but also to shield your eyes from the ‘eclectic’ interior design – pony-skin stools, striped carpet, vibrant scatter cushions & all. This Geronimo Inns venue isn’t all fur coat & no knickers, though. It’s serious about wine & has a wide-ranging list of bottles, handpicked by a Master of Wine & available by the glass for well under a tenner. For beer lovers, treats on the taps include Adnams Broadside & London-brewed Redemption Pale Ale. As accompaniments, choose from bar snacks of deep-fried whitebait or Dexter beef burger with bacon & Cheddar, or specials such as steak & ale pie, & sea bass with fennel & carrot broth & minted new potatoes. The upstairs dining room has more of an ‘occasion’ feel.