For something a little more insider than gloobles favourite Quality Chop House, head a few doors down to its sibling bottle shop for steak tartare topped with shoestring fries and plates of handmade cavatelli with Ventricina sausage. The set lunch menu is a steal so book ahead for a midday table.

Chef Shaun Searley’s Quality Chop House is a temple to modern fine dining. The wooden benches are Grade-II listed, the meat comes from the best suppliers and the confit potatoes are giant chunks of perfection. 

Through some humble-looking black painted doors in Clerkenwell is the emporium of art and design that is Hollybush Gardens. The temporary exhibitions are remarkably curated and simultaneously interdisciplinary. Pop by for a performance or lecture, and swing by the shop before you leave. You're sure to find a book you never knew you needed. 

There’s nothing dark, ornate or heavy at Viaduct, so fans of Victorian-era furniture might want to look elsewhere. This charming shop celebrates light and purity in design with clean lines and minimal fuss. Everything here is relevant, beautiful and very well made. Our kind of shop.