Almeida Restaurant & Bar

Tucked away in a leafy Islington side street, Almeida is worth seeking out for its heartfelt French cooking which steers clear of clichés. The light and airy restaurant is dressed in contemporary shades of brown and white with a wine bar at the front and more formal dining area with crisp white tablecloths to the rear. Some on-street dining brings a continental spring to its step. The mainly French waiting staff do a good job, while a semi-open-plan kitchen adds to the atmosphere. Alan Jones' kitchen team successfully adds British elements to honest French cooking and shows respect for seasonal ingredients presented without over embellishment. Chilled English lettuce soup topped with crispy bacon and tomato croûtons is just the ticket on a summer's day and poached halibut with crushed sweet peas, broad beans and sorrel velouté overflows with natural sweetness. Desserts can be as British as rhubarb crumble with crème anglaise or as bold as Guanaja chocolate soufflé with chilli ice cream.