The Camden Arms

If the Camden swarms get too much, take yourself off to this enjoyably relaxed yet effortlessly hip pub inhabiting the area’s backwaters. There are alfresco tables at the front & back, but when the sun’s not shining, the bar is a perfectly groovy place to bed-in for the afternoon. Funky furnishings & quirky decorative details distinguish the ground-floor room, which centres around a large bar dispensing a giddily impressive selection of cocktails – try the Jack Daniels-spiked Lynchburg Lemonade, or a Melograno punchy with vermouth, pomegranate juice & fresh lime. Wines are a modest bunch, peaking with a £28 New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, though these easy-drinking bottles match well with the inexpensive but tasty batch of curries & stir-fries from the Thai kitchen.