Wine Gallery

Walk into this popular neighbourhood restaurant on a busy night & you’ll feel like you’ve stumbled upon a raucous dinner party. This jovial atmosphere is fuelled by an abundance of retail-priced wines (a 2002 Mersault will only set you back £30), with the simple, home-style cooking playing second fiddle. Avoid over-ambitious pan-Asian offerings & go for the more dependable likes of prawn cocktail, cottage pie & chocolate brownies. Choose between relaxed bistro-style seating upstairs, a rabbit-warren basement of alcoves & private rooms, & a pretty walled garden for alfresco dining in summer months.

Wine List: Although this is a small list, wine lovers should still make a beeline for any of the Brinkley’s establishments, as the mark-ups are positively charitable. Laurent-Perrier Rose is at retail price & that theme is carried through the list. This policy is a breath of fresh air & proof that you don’t have to mark up excessively to run a successful business. Best Buy White 2005 Hamilton Russell Chardonnay, Walker Bay, South Africa, £21. Best Buy Red 2005 St Cosme Cotes du Rhone, Rhone Valley, France, £12.50.