The Gun

At the height of the industrial era, the Docklands were a hive of iron-smelting activity, producing cannon for the 18th- and 19th-century fleets. There has been a hostelry of one sort or another on this site for 250 years, and the place incorporates a secret staircase with spy hole, where smugglers could watch out for the dreaded Revenue officers. That's the history. Today, it's a vibrant gastro-pub with terrace seating looking towards the O2 Arena and, in 2012, some of the Olympic goings-on. An efficient front-of-house team delivers vivacious contemporary dishes such as crisp pork belly with garlic snails and peppered chicory, and mains such as Brixham plaice, samphire, Jersey Royals and nut-brown butter jus. Finish with apple charlotte and custard.