There has been an inn on the corner of Castle Court and St Michael's Alley since time immemorial, but it's the association with Dickens – who mentions it in The Pickwick Papers – that has kept the George & Vulture on London's must-visit list. As one of the City's few surviving chop houses, it's a trip down memory lane – and first impressions don't disappoint, from the sepia-tint interior, wainscot panelling and white napery to the straightforward British fare on the menu. Yet this maverick old stager isn't entirely set in aspic, offering the likes of seared scallops with black pudding and pea purée or warm goats' cheese and carrot salad alongside its Barnsley chops, meaty pies, Cumberland sausages and mixed grills. Wines are limited to one of each colour, while fellow diners are a mixed bunch of curiosity-seeking tourists and City gents who wouldn't countenance eating anywhere else.