Canteen Baker Street

Good, no frills, best of British place to go for breakfast, or a quick snack, but not really a place that is going to challenge the many epicurean delights in Marylebone as top dog. The food (and beer and cider) majors on good, fresh British food, and they even have the wonderful British sparker, Nyetimber, at a mere £39 a bottle. Forget the house champagne (at twice the price), this is a steal.

Breakfasts are very good; just the right amount of bacon in good fresh bread for the bacon sarnie (although it's a shame that they don't run to crusty rolls), marmite toasts, kippers etc. These are available throughout the day, and come with fresh fruit juices and good coffee.

For more substantial offerings, there is always a daily roast and a pie of the day, but the star is the properly roasted chicken, either leg or breast, served with chips and a lovely garlicy mayonnaise. A good roast chicken and chips is hard to beat: too many soggy “chicken in a basket” affairs at dodgy pubs offering “good food and fine wine” (for which read pre-prepared garbage and Australian shiraz) have done the humble roast chicken a huge diservice. Canteen's offering is remenisent of what I remember (probably way too fondly for what they actually were) of poulet et frites, found at some tiny relais routiers after five hours in the back of dad's cortina on the way down to the south of France; a welcome break from arguing with my two siblings.

Service is fine, if a little slow, and the atmosphere is never really buzzing, but the food is good, the drinks too, and none of it is expensive.

Very simple and a very nicely presented philosophy behind what their intentions are. All the food was very fresh, beautifully cooked and presented and a perfect example of simple food done well. Our only minus that was lacking was a bit of atmosphere, but to be fair we did go on a Sunday evening…I would expect it to buzz midweek.