Hix Oyster & Chop House

It's only right that Mark Hix's traditional British restaurant should be so close to historic Smithfield meat market given all the fabulous cuts of meat on the menu. But as the name suggests, there's plenty of fishy delights to choose from too. The columnist and erstwhile TV star has quite the restaurant empire now, from Soho down to Lyme Regis, and here in Clerkenwell. This informal and rather masculine space, with its bistro-like darkwood panelled interior, tiled walls and marble-topped oyster bar, is the perfect setting for what's essentially a roll call of seasonal, impeccable British produce treated intelligently and simply. There's a good selection of oysters, of course, or start with spring leek and nettle soup with goats' curd, before moving on to hanger steak with baked bone marrow, or chargrilled Torbay monkfish tail with sea purslane. Cornish saffron custard tart with wild strawberries shows puddings are not just an afterthought.