The Princess

It’s worth making the climb up a spiral staircase to reach the The Princess’s upstairs dining room, as this Old Street gastropub draws appreciative comments for both its distinctive decor & its food. There’s been some retreat from the forthright inventiveness that has in the past been the menu’s signature, but there’s still gutsy stuff to try alongside the steaks: opt for a hot-smoked mackerel salad with crisp jamon, avocado, new potatoes & horseradish & creme fraiche dressing or a fish stew with rosemary almond aioli & you’re unlikely to accuse the kitchen of timidity. The wine list is not especially long but it is interesting, with the likes of a 2002 Condrieu Chailles d’Enfer from the Domaine Georges Vernay at £48.