This is, in my experience, the best gastropub in London.

Once upon a time it was (I’m told) a particularly dodgy place called The Penny Flyer. I don’t know about that, but I know that right now it’s the dining experience that my friends and I lust for the most.

The pub side of the building is really large and nice, with plenty of tables, lots of beers, tons of great wines by the glass or bottle, and the most delicious bar snacks. There’s a huge area of concrete tables outside, great for summer time.

The dining area has about a dozen tables, and usually books up over a week in advance. More than once we’ve had to settle for very early or late sittings to fit in.

On my second visit, for instance, our dinner reservation was for late, so we had a pint in the beer garden first. The outdoor tables are long concrete benches, but they kindly supply colourful woolen blankets to sit on. The meal was excellent: a friend had some sort of tuna thingy, I had hamhock terrine. More pig followed for the main, with a roast pork belly that was - no lie - the best pork I’ve ever had in my life. I think someone had some duck that was good, too, but I didn’t really notice, I was enraptured.

Another standout meal I had there: monkfish wrapped in pancetta with brie. One other time I had guinea fowl on haggis and barley risotto (the Scottish theme due to the day prior being Saint Andrew’s Day): delicious. Afterwards, the table shared a plate of British cheeses, which our French visitors had to grudgingly admit were delicious. It’s always freakishly tasty.

The service is impeccable, too. After one spell where we went several times in a row, they were getting to know us.