For over half a century, this coaching house – a fixture in sedate Barnes since the reign of James II – has encouraged swingin’ kats in its live music room. High-calibre jazz from regulars such as Alan Price and Zoot Money is a nightly draw. The pub itself is a casually handsome looker, with a charming island bar dispensing draught Euro lagers, Bombardier and other Young’s beers plus a range of wines peaking at £30. Lunches in the bar have an Anglo-European flavour, with sandwiches and filled bagels (from £3.50) as well as a £10 three-course deal touting homemade soup, tuna niçoise, superior sausage and mash (£7), crumbles and bread-and-butter pud; on Sundays, old-school roasts are the thing. Come evening, Nuay’s restaurant in the former stables behind this trad riverside boozer offers authentic, fresh Thai food at extremely pocket-friendly prices.