Brasserie Gerard Belsize Park

Where Chez Gerard is a city slicker, Brasserie Gerard is its country cousin, with branches in London’s neighbourhoods & across the UK. Fans of the Gerard classics – from moules-frites to fillet steak – will find them all present & correct, but there’s plenty for local workers, yummy mummies, & swift weekday suppers, too. Breakfast on oeufs Benedict or croissants with butter & Bonne Maman preserve, or pop in later for one of the so-called ‘snacks rapides’: filled baguettes, savoury crêpes or a fail-safe croque monsieur. Bargain-hunters should opt for one of the daily set menus, a steal at £6.95/9.95/12.95 (one/two/three courses) – or £12.95/16.95 (two/three courses) either side of a 5pm watershed: expect the likes of deep-fried whitebait with a caper mayonnaise ahead of parmesan-breaded chicken & frites, then crème brûlée to finish. All of which goes nicely with one of eminently quaffable, good-value wines.