A Hampstead institution, Jin Kichi is one of only a few real izakaya-style restaurants in London. And though the sushi is good, regulars are here for the yakitori counter where chefs dish out pork and shiso-leaf skewers straight from the fiery grill. Tiny, but always fun.

The Neapolitan pizzas here are named after well-known Italians: the vegetarian Sofia Loren, for example, and the somewhat spicy Caravaggio. The team is adamant that the traditional Caputo flour is what makes the difference in their slow-fermented dough. Whatever it is, they’re churning out the best pizzas in north London. 

This ancient heath is filled with woodlands and meadows, and surrounded by houses worth daydreaming about. But perhaps most lovely are its swimming ponds. The Ladies’ Pond is the UK’s only exclusively female wild swimming spot. There’s also a mixed pool open in summer, but the gender- specific ones are for the truly dedicated cold-water plungers. There’s a wonderful camaraderie at both, and even Christmas Day draws a crowd. A slightly eccentric slice of the city that doesn’t feel like London at all.