Tucked on a Georgian terrace neatly between two cathedrals and two universities, this small gleaming space is an obvious choice for academics hosting visiting lecturers, or informal business meetings. The venue incorporates a first-floor gallery and basement bar, as well as the street-level bistro where a regularly changing modern British menu is juxtaposed with a slight gentlemen’s club atmosphere: ham and oxtail fritters might be pepped up by homemade piccalilli to start, while duck rillette could arrive with rosemary crostini and an intriguing rhubarb marmalade. Mains can also give tradition a tweak – ox cheek teamed with sweet roasted baby carrots, pearl onions, mash and red wine jus arrives with a tantalisingly tiny beef and dolcelatte pie – though line-caught haddock keeps its long-term partners of stolid mushy peas and tartare sauce (albeit in batter made with Liverpool craft beer). Downstairs, the 23 Club bar majors in beers, bourbon and burgers.