Aubaine

On warm days, this Gallic all-rounder is pure fantasy – so relax under a shady awning at a pavement table, listen to the chatter of French voices, & dream of Paris as the big plate-glass windows are folded back. Come winter, bag a seat among the country-kitchen artefacts in the deliberately woody interior. Aubaine’s menu also buys into the illusion: croissants & croque monsieurs feature early in the day, tartines & salads at lunchtime, while dinner brings heavier, more intricately worked dishes – perhaps free-range pork chop with spinach & apples or wild sea bass with steamed mussels, artichoke & tomato. Spot-on salads, breads & cakes also do duty, & excellent Thienot Champagne does its bubbly best to keep spirits high – ‘even my French friends loving coming here with me’, admits one convert.