St John Bakery Room

Handily located near the Druid Street bakery (which supplies the St John operation with bread, pastries and old-fashioned puds), the Bakery Room serves generously sized shareable snacks, larger plates of comfort food from a bygone generation, and the bakery’s signature goodies. St John’s calling cards are all present and correct: from the Spartan interior and convivial ambience to myriad offally offerings. From the daily blackboard menu, try the richly savoury smoked cod’s roe on toast, seasonal star turns such as globe artichoke with buttery vinaigrette, or the likes of rib-sticking beef mince (a stalwart). For dessert, there’s spicy, fruit-flecked bread pudding with butterscotch sauce, or doughnuts bursting with vanilla custard. To drink, choose from more than 25 wines by the glass: no big names, but all French and immensely quaffable. Be warned, though: opening hours are restricted, there’s no booking, and it’s a fair hike from the tube.