The Duke

If it’s peace & quiet you’re after, The Duke could be just the ticket. On the corner of a mews & an equally tranquil Bloomsbury backstreet, it rarely gets overrun by passing trade; instead it plays host to a genial bunch of civilised regulars. The good-value, one-page menu offers the simplest of dishes – perhaps deep-fried, herb-crusted goats’ cheese served with cranberry sauce ahead of battered cod & chips, a homemade Duke’s burger, or char-grilled sirloin steak with pan-fried new potatoes. But the real hits are on the blackboard – a weekly roster of pies, sausages & fish, bolstered by a daily line-up of puds to keep the regulars guessing. Agreeable staff positively encourage lingering, & it’s easy to while away a few hours in one of the cosy booths.