Matt The List

Wednesday 24th February - The term popup has been stretched pretty thin in London of late. We've currently got Bone Daddies' Shackfuyu popping up for a year in Soho, whilst the worst offender is still the Jamie Oliver "Popup Diner" eyesore near Piccadilly Circus which is halfway through its temporary three year stint. Ridiculous.

Hats (and Tuns) off then to Morty & Bob's (aka Charlie and Jesse) who are opting for a more conservative 11 day stay in The Hat and Tun pub in Clerkenwell, doing their bit to make Grilled Cheese Sandwiches more than a student hangover snack.

You may already have clocked them on Maltby Street, at Netil Market, or at Night Tales, but you can never have too many Morty & Bob's cheese toasties. I pushed that statement to the limit on Wednesday, working through tasters of the menu at a preview event. The popup itself is running from 18th March-27th March, so you can plan ahead.

The purists amongst you might want to go for the Straight Up (£5) with their special three-cheese blend, M&B cheese sauce and mixed onions, but you'd be a fool to miss out on The Hock (£7) - Grilled cheese with smoked ham hock, M&B relish and English Mustard. Delicious. Gourmet? Why not. Portions are hearty with pickles and fresh salad slaw on the side - you won't leave hungry. But to make absolutely certain, you should probably chuck some M&B Cheese Tots in there for good measure, and perhaps a Bloody Mary or two. Sorted.

If you can't make it to the popup, you can find them every Saturday from 11am-5pm at the wonderful Netil Market. Read more here.

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Saturday 28th February - Now for a quick look at Angela Hartnett's popular Northern Italian restaurant, Café Murano. I dropped in with Dad The List for an indulgent Saturday lunch - a well timed visit as Angela has just announced that a second Café Murano will be opening soon in Covent Garden. Read more on Hot Dinners.

We started off with the delightful house bread and some serious Planeta D.O.P. Val di Mazara Extra Virgin Olive Oil (available to buy on site). If the meal got stuck on a loop right there and then, there wouldn't be many complaints. We washed this down with, well more olive oil, but also a fine Cafe Murano Spritz and a reasonably priced Analcolico 33 mocktail (raspberry, apple & lime combo).

Booze is no afterthought here. There's a concise but appealing cocktail list, fine wines, and a strong selection of vermouths, bitters and amaro including the outstanding Vergano Chinato Americano which I only recently discovered at Original Sin. On top of that, there's an intriguing Italian beer list, including Fellini-inspired brews from Birra Amarcord, and larger 75cl sharing bottles from Baladin.

The daunting list of Cicheti, Antipasti, Primi and Secondi plates lay before us. We opted (sensibly) for a selection from the first three, including a large Primi pasta portion each, leaving just enough room for a dessert or two.

- Fritto Misto (Calamari, Whitebait, Seabass)

- Pasta Fritta with Culatello

- Halibut Crudo, Blood Orange, Hazelnuts

- Pickled Sardines, Golden Raisins, Sourdough

- Sausage Ragu, Radicchio, Hazelnuts, Tagliatelle (x2)

The first four all arrived at a similar time, allowing the ceviche-style Halibut & Blood Orange to cut through the deep fried goodies. I seem to be eating Blood Oranges and Hazelnuts on a daily basis at the moment (John Doe do an excellent salad), and I couldn't be happier. The former are only in season for a very short time, so make the most of them!

After a short pause, the much lauded Sausage Ragu arrived. More hazelnuts! Still not complaining. They raise the (already magnificent) dish to another level. Order the large portion - you'll mourn the loss of every mouthful.

Pasta Fritta, Culatello

Halibut Crudo, Blood Orange, Hazelnuts

Sausage Ragu, Radicchio & Hazelnuts, Tagliatelle

To finish:

- Pistachio Meringue, Cherries, Prunes, Apricots
- Apple Torta, Marsala Ice Cream

When I'm dining with Dad The List, desserts usually get rated on how they compare to Mum The List's examples of the genre. Crumbles never fare well. In this case, the Meringue was subject to scrutiny as it was harder to deconstruct than we are used to. Once we got over that though, DTL proclaimed it a success. My seemingly simple Apple Torta was also a winner, perfectly paired with unusual but joyous Marsala Wine Ice Cream. The Tart is in your court, Mum.

Pistachio Meringue, Cherries, Prunes, Apricots

Apple Torta, Marsala Ice Cream

A superb lunch, helped on its way by charming staff, well-chosen booze and some of the finest Olive Oil I have ever mopped up. Bring on Cafe Murano Covent Garden.

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Tuesday 17th March - To finish, I must briefly mention The Glenmorangie Unseen Bar popup which is only around (16 Batemen Street in Soho) until March 21st!

The popup is in town to highlight the unseen efforts that go in to creating their fine range of whiskies. Once you've made your way past the playful "Unseen" window installation, you'll arrive at the cocktail bar where Glenmorangie twists on classics are the way to go.

The Tain-Fashioned (their take on an Old Fashioned) and Blood Related (inspired by Blood & Sand, Rob Roy, Bobby Burns) make great use of Glenmorangie Lasanta and Quinta Ruban expressions, with some clever touches that go the extra mile. Top bartenders are on hand to talk you through the drinks.

After a cocktail or two, make your way through to the Vault at the back - a quiet, intimate room ideal for working your way through The Glenmorangie range, either dram by dram, in a tasting flight, or paired with well chosen food. We sampled the impressive Lasanta and Nectar D'Or 12yo expressions, before moving on to their 25yo paired with Devonshire Blue Cheese and Signet paired with bespoke William Curley chocolates. We were expertly guided through our tasting by informative bartenders who knew when to sit down for a chat and when to step back to let the whisky speak for itself.

As I said, it's only open until March 21st, so cancel your plans and head over to Bateman Street in Soho!

More photos from The Glenmorangie Unseen Bar : Tumblr Set 1 / Tumblr Set 2 / Facebook

Friday 13th March - Everyone in my flat is a Pisces through and through, so March is always a ludicrously busy month. With April in sight, it's time for me to catch up on many an outing, and what better evening to start with than Matt The Birthday?

The Bottle Shop arrived in Bermondsey last year, a few arches down from the Anspach & Hobday brewery on Druid Street. At first, they opened up only on Saturday afternoons with their weird and wonderful range of bottles and a couple of taps on offer. Now they have 12 wonderful beers on tap every weekend, with frequent tap takeovers and special events, and they have seriously extended their opening hours:

The Bottle Shop in Bermondsey : 11am-7pm every Saturday // 12pm-6pm every Sunday

But that's not all. Bottle Shop Ben and Bullfinch Ryan have now started The Bottle Shop Popup, taking over London's underused coffee shop spaces in the evenings. After a successful trial stint at Love & Scandal, they have settled down in Leather Lane's Department of Coffee and Social Affairs, opening up every Friday night from 5pm.

We dropped in for a few post-work birthday beers, working our way through four interesting brews on tap including To Øl's 15% Yule Maelk and Ryan's own Bullfinch Rascal Pale Ale, before moving on to cans of Beavertown Bloody 'Ell Blood Orange IPA and bottles of the glorious Drie Fonteinen Oude Geuze.

It's a lovely, relaxed space to drink and chat after work, providing a great alternative to heaving Friday night pubs. London is in dire need of this kind of establishment, ideally open past midnight, for those of us capable of staying awake without resorting to binge drinking. Surely it's time for something inbetween Vingt Quatre and Duck and Waffle? Coffee shops are the key I feel, with sites all over the city sitting idle after 6pm. Hopefully The Bottle Shop Popup is just the beginning...

Also on my beer radar...

- UBrew - open brewery and taproom in Bermondsey round the corner from The Bottle Shop

- Beer Hive - cooperative brewery and taproom in Brixton from London Beer Lab & Clarkshaws

- The Beer Shop- a small, friendly micro-pub in Nunhead with great beers on rotation

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After a couple of hours with The Bottle Shop gents, we made our way over to Soho to check out Milroy's whisky shop which has recently reopened under new independent ownership. This is no ordinary shop though. The ground floor is now home to Milroy's Bar, a twelve seater bar with 250 whiskies from all over the world at its disposal. Leave your inebriated friends at the door, this is a whisky library that needs to be treated with respect.

An academic, fresh faced music grad kept the drinks coming inbetween attempts at stapling together a new menu. Affordable drams from Lagavulin, Arran, Auchentoshan and more made their way around the table. A generous pour of Ardbeg Uigedail (£53.45 for 70cl at Whisky Exchange) was miraculously under £5! Tasting flights are available, and regulars can store a bottle away in a whisky locker. What's not to love?

But wait - there's more. What's this at the end of the room? Since when do bookshelves have door handles? Assuming it's not already open (which "secret entrances" so often are), give it a push, and make your way down to The Vault, a sexy subterranean "speakeasy" from Martyn "Simo" Simpson (previously at Coal Vaults).

It gets busy down there, so I would pop your head in early to make yourselves known, before going back upstairs for a dram or two. Once you are in though, try and get yourself a seat at the bar, it's always more fun. £9.50 boozy cocktails are not too pricey given the location and the atmosphere. Four in a row on the menu got our attention straight away:

Estilo Viejo -Anejo Tequila, Tomato Water, Creole shrub, Chamomile & Chocolate Bitters

Mezcalito - Mezcal, Reposado, Grapefruit, Lime, Maraschino, Agave, Black Sea Salt with Blood Orange Ice Cube

The Smoking Gun - Straight Corn Whisky, Oloroso Sherry, Earl Grey, Brown Sugar, Smoked

Di Barrel - Cherry Wood Infused Bourbon, Dry Vermouth, Amer Picon, Maraschino, Barrels Bitters, with Chartreuse Sugar Shard

And there's plenty else of interest on the menu too featuring in-house infusions such as Volcano Flower-infused Vodka, Blueberry-infused Gin and House Spiced Rum. The strong cocktails hit the spot, the service was entertaining and the atmosphere was buzzier than most Soho bars manage. What they really need though is a slightly later license, as the party was just getting started when we had to move on at 11.30. In the meantime, get in early and make the most of it!

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Last and definitely least, on account of The Vault closing far too early, we crawled the short distance to New Evaristo Club, a wonderfully terrible Soho dive bar down a shabby white corridor at 57 Greek Street. Sweet talk Nabil on the door to enter this "member's club" or chuck a couple of quid his way, get a round of Peronis in, and you're away. You'll be dancing with Nabil in a hour or two, so be friendly.

Photo from Design My Night

I could say more, but there's no need really. Instead, enjoy this extract from Cool Bars for Uncool People:

"The bars on this blog often have this sort of cultivated illicit charm, they’re hidden, but being hidden was always sort of part of the plan for them. All of them feature reasonably secluded entrances, a lack of fanfare and yet surprisingly superlative settings. Not so the New Evaristo Club, which looks like a particularly terrifying brothel in an Eastern European country that’s only just getting Westlife.

"All the other bars seem to have the ‘hidden entrance’ vibe so that Time Out will gush praise upon this ‘hidden nook’ seven years after it opened. The New Evaristo Club, however, seems to have done it because customers are nothing more than a real hindrance to the business of getting melted in a basement.

...

"Anyway, the New Evaristo Club is grotty, hilarious, dark (in all senses of the word) and is thoroughly difficult to find. It's a bit like spending Christmas with your Grandad; once you get past the right-wing tendencies and gruffness, it's actually alright. (Plus there’s a constant sort of unpleasant smell to it)."

Click here for the amusing full article.

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Snap The List - I may be a bit behind on the writing but I'm thankfully on top of all the photo editing. For all the latest photos from my adventures, head to www.mattthelist.tumblr.com to see pics from all sorts of trips and hangouts including The Glenrothes Distillery, Flour To The People, Queenswood, Ceviche, Mr.Fogg's Tipsy Tea Party, 5CC at The Singer Tavern, and LCC Islington. In general, my Tumblr, Facebook and Instagram are your best bets for getting the very latest London news before lengthier accounts appear here.

- A Peruvian Pisco Disco at the new Ceviche

- Tipsy Tea at Mr.Fogg's Mayfair residence

- Street food and live jazz at Voltaire

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Thursday 26th March - I was fortunate enough to be invited along to the launch party of Martin Morales' second Ceviche restaurant, which has just opened in Old Street on the historic former site of the Alexandra Trust Dining Rooms.

They've paid homage to the old layout with similar signage and bustling open kitchens, but Martin Morales' love of art and music is also evident with the space doubling as a contemporary Peruvian art gallery (see some works here). Space was made for DJ sets from Mr.Scruff and Natty Bo, a sign of Pisco Discos to come featuring music from Tiger's Milk Records, Martin Morales' Peruvian record label which you may have come across in Andina's Music Room on Shoreditch High Street.

The Music Room at Andina - showcase for Martin Morales' Tiger Milk Records

A return trip for a thorough test of the menu is in order, but after eating a tonne of tasters and sampling more than one drink from the dedicated Pisco bar, I've got enough to work with for now. The chefs weren't hiding, sweating away in front of our eyes with smiles on their faces, mixing up fresh ceviche, grilling chickens, and setting fire to various edible treats.

We grabbed at Torreja de Sesos (Lamb’s brain fritters, tomato and rocoto chilli jam),Tequeños de Ají de Gallina (Wonton fritters filled with traditional chicken recipe, onion, parmesan, single cream, amarillo chilli dip), Don Ceviche Seabass (amarillo chilli tigers milk, sweet potato, red onions, limo chilli), Corazón de la Tía (Panca marinated beef heart skewers, rocoto chilli sauce) and boxes of rotisserie chicken. All delicious.

Pastel del Choclo (Corn and feta cheese savoury cake, Huancaina sauce, avocado, salsa criolla) were a revelation. I ate at least 15 of them...

To finish, we stuffed ourselves with sticky Picarones Old St (Pumpkin doughnuts with chancaca honey). Odd but moreish.

But it's not all about the food. There's a serious cocktail bar here too with Peruvian Pisco naturally at the centre of it all. In a nice twist on the classics, they have infused Pisco with various botanicals to create "Impostors" masquerading as whisky, gin, rum and tequila in Old Fashioneds, Negronis, Mai Tais and Sunrises.

You may find it hard to look past their classic Pisco Sours, which they batch make to meet demand, but Duncan's Pisco Punch is worth a go, made with Pisco Italia, Pineapple Syrup, Sweet Vermouth and Bitters, and you can take home a pre-bottled version if you so wish.

There's plenty to enjoy on the bottled beer menu too including the Somos Libres Pale Ale brewed exclusively for Ceviche by Hammerton Brewery, plus beers from Wild Beer Co. and Siren. It is a shame though that there's no sign of Peruvian craft beers. Perhaps they will turn up in the future.

Shot of Duncan's Pisco Punch taken from Ceviche's Instagram account

There's plenty to enjoy at Ceviche Old Street, there's space for everyone, and it won't break the bank. It's a welcome addition to the area, and I look forward to returning for a full meal soon.

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Friday 27th March - "There ain't no party like my nana's tea party" - Flight of the Conchords.

Whether you agree with this or not, you might like to venture over to Mr.Fogg's residence for his boozy twist on Afternoon Tea.

Alongside the usual spread of sandwiches, cakes, pastries and petit-fours, Phileas Fogg, Esq. also offers a selection of alcoholic teapots:

1840 - Earl Great infused Tanqueray No,TEN, Cointreau, Creme de Peche and Orange Marmalade

Woburn Abbey - English Breakfast infused Tanqueray No.TEN, Creme de Bergamot, Lemon Juice, Bee Pollen Sugar, and Milk on the side

Catherine of Braganza - Green Tea infused Tanqueray No.TEN, Cointreau, Creme de Apricot and Orange Marmalade

Anna Maria Russell - Tatratea Liqueur, Sloe Gin, Lemon Bitters, Ruinart Champagne

Belvoir Castle - Jasmine Tea infused Tanqueray No,TEN, Rose Liqueur, Pomegranatae Juice, Cherry Purée, Ruinart Champagne, Harry Brompton's London Iced Tea

Isabella Mary Beeton - Rooibos Tea infused Tanqueray No.TEN, Muddled Ginger, Ruinart Champagne

5th Duke of Rutland - Tatratea Liqueur, Cognac, Angostura Bitters, Absinthe, Ruinart Champagne

The Champagne Teas are smartly served with the Ruinart Champagne on the side for you to add, whilst the Gin Teas are ready to go. They wouldn't be my first tipple of choice, but they suit the occasion well. Each teapot has its own little garnish to set them apart, but we lost track pretty early on. Perhaps some delightful labels wouldn't go amiss?

Elsewhere, the attention to detail at Mr.Fogg's is overwhelming - the magnificent décor; the immaculately dressed staff; the classical soundtrack; "The Illustrated London News" with upcoming events. This is clearly the Mayfair branch of the Inception Group (Bunga Bunga, Maggie's, Barts).

Check out their new 1940s Underground Station themed bar - Cahoots

If you don't fancy stopping in for tea, the bar is just as delightful on a regular evening, or you could turn up for their Monday night talks - David Harper from BBC antiques shows is up next on 27th April.

Mr.Fogg's Tipsy Tea is currently running every Friday at 3.01pm til 6.01pm and every Saturday at 2.01pm-4.01pm and 4.16pm-6.16pm. Mr.Fogg's is also gearing up for summer - a Hendricks Botanical Garden is currently being constructed outside.

Tipsy Tea Prices: £38/person for Tipsy Tea with Single Teapot // £58/person for Tipsy Tea with Bottomless Gin Teapot // £68/person for Tipsy Tea with Bottomless Champagne Teapot

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Tuesday 24th March - Haven't you always wanted to eat street food in a private vault whilst listening to some jazz from Mitch Winehouse and his band? Well NOW YOU CAN!

Voltaire in Blackfriars has invited three of London's best street food traders to take over their kitchens until late May, as they also launch as a music venue in partnership with the Amy Winehouse Foundation. Here are your food options:

1. The Cheese Truck - 25th March-10th April - Wednesday-Friday evenings, 5.30pm-10pm

Grilled cheese sandwiches. Simple. Gooey. Delicious. What the #foodporn hashtag was created for.

Cheese toasties are a big deal. Along with The Cheese Truck, we've got Grill My Cheese and Morty & Bob's slinging sandwiches on the streets, and The Melt Room setting up shop soon in Soho. Get down to Voltaire to feast on this:

- Classic Keen's Cheddar, Ogleshield and Mixed Onion (£6.50)

- Cropwell Bishop Stilton, Sweet Cure Bacon and Pear Chutney (£7)

- Rosary Goat's Cheese, Honey and Walnuts with Rosemary Butter (£7)

- Queso Chihuahua Cheese, Chorizo and Rocket (£7.50)

Plus fondue fries, triple cheese croquettes with chilli and chorizo jam, and sweet stilton, dark chocolate and walnut brownies. Yes please. Read more about The Cheese Truck here.

2. Bill or Beak- 15th April-22nd May - Wednesday-Friday evenings, 5.30pm-10pm

Mega burgers built around duck (bill) and chicken (beak) - good luck with the first bite.

Some of the friendliest traders on the circuit, Bill or Beak made waves at Wapping Market in 2014, and ended the year in style running their own Turntables popup in Hackney Wick (along with The Cheese Truck and a few others). Here's what you're having:

- Bill - shredded duck and pork, spring onions, coriander, mint, and a Vietnamese dressing with tempura shallots (£5)

- Beak - grilled, corn-fed chicken, Caesar anchovy dressing, tempura capers, rosemary croutons, and fresh parmesan (£5 - or both for £9)

Plus fries topped with house hoisin, pickled cucumber mayo, topped with chicken scratchings (£4.50)

Award-winning shot of the Beak burger by @annixontong

Bill AND Beak - captured by the mighty Gaztronome

The Bill or Beak brunch special - occasionally spotted at Wapping Market

3. Randy's Wing Bar - 6th-22nd May - Wednesday-Friday evenings, 5.30pm-10pm

No, not Randy Swing Bar. Careful on Google now... and don't ask which one of them is Randy.

Richard and Andy (get it now?) burst on to the street food scene with their signature Buffalo Wings after an extensive wing tasting pilgrimage to USA (it's a tough life), and are now working towards a permanent location. If you don't catch them at Voltaire, try and get tickets for London Wing Fest before they're all gone. Here's what to expect:

- Randy's Buffalo Wings with blue cheese and celery (£4.50 for 4)

- Randy's Asian Wings sprinkled with crushed fried peanuts and toasted sesame seeds (£4.50 for 4)

- Randy's Buffalo Shrimp with Lemon & Dill Dip (£5)

Plus Chicken Scratchings with Rosemary Salt or Asian 7 Spice (£3.50)

If you miss out at Voltaire, there will always be another chance to catch these fine foodies at work elsewhere. Both The Cheese Truck and Bill or Beak are popping up at The Job Centre's Kitchen Hijack in Deptford throughout April for example.

For more street food fun, keep tabs on the likes of Southbank Centre Food Market, Kerb and Street Feast. The latter is gearing up to relaunch the brilliant Model Market in Lewisham on 17/18 April, with Dalston Yard and a brand new Shoreditch Yard site following soon after. It's going to be a great Summer!

Every few months, enough stacks up around me in Battersea to justify a local round-up.

Let's start with Queenswood - a neighbourhood restaurant and bar from the same folk as Damson & Co., officially opening today in quaint Battersea Square.

It's a stunning site, full of thoughtful interior design touches from Eloisa Cuturi including a playful drawing, spread over wall-mounted literature, a faux-Cocteau sketch, and numerous eye-catching lights.

An airy coffee table destined for Royal College of Art students and their Macbooks welcomes you before you make it to a stylish cocktail bar and spacious counter for dining that The Palomar can only dream of. Two record-players lie in wait for relaxed Sunday sessions with a BYOLP system.

Let's talk cocktails. The bar is not an afterthought - in fact, it's just what Battersea Square needs. Apart from Zocalo next door (a lively agave joint - get the Mezcal Negroni), we've not got a lot to work with (London House, Bunga Bunga, Doodle Bar). Luckily, Queenswood's affordable £8 cocktail list includes some real winners:

Negroni - Rosemary-infused gin, Campari, Barolo Chinato, dash of Balsamic

Champ Honey - Sochu, Suze, Cocchi Torino & Cherry Heering

Hemp Old-Fashioned - Unaged Rye Spirit, Hemp Syrup, Bitters

Filbert's Treat - Monkey Shoulder, Cocchi Americano, Frangelico

Abstract Infusion - Mezcal, Fernet Branca, Creme de Apricot, Byrrh

Left : Negroni & Hemp Old Fashioned // Right : Elephant Fizz & Rocotos Pisco Sour

Queenswood Negroni - Rosemary-infused Gin, Campari, Barolo Chinato, Balsamic

Moving on to food, Queenswood have called on Parisian Aude Plocktor who has devised a menu that calls on many cuisines. From Galician Octopus to Israeli Couscous via Squid Tempura and Thai Beef Slad, it's an odd collection of dishes!

Here's what we went for:

Octopus Nicoise - Green Beans, Saffron Boiled Potato, Cherry Tomato, Peppers, Olives Lettuce

Smoked Duck Salad - Bamboo Shoots, Green Beans, Orange & Grapefruit, Coriander, Sesame Seeds

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Ginger Pig Bavette Steak (x2) - served with Chips

Roasted Root Vegetables

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Baked Apple (x2) - Coconut Yoghurt, French Toast

The starters made a decent impression, but the glorious Ginger Pig meat stole the show. Check the blackboard when you arrive to see how many steaks are left, and reserve a couple without hesitation. The Baked Apple was also a real treat, beautifully presented, and much more interesting than the name suggests. Alternative desserts of African Cacao Chocolate Souffle and Caramelised Pineapple with Mint & Ajowan Seed Syrup also deserve a go.

Smoked Duck, Bamboo Shoots, Green Beans, Orange & Grapefruit, Coriander, Sesame Seeds

Ginger Pig Bavette Steak & Chips

Baked Apple, Coconut Yoghurt, French Toast

A Digestif : Filbert's Treat - Monkey Shoulder, Cocchi Americano, Frangelico

All in all, it was a very pleasant lunch, and Queenswood shows a lot of promise. I'll be back again soon for more of Igor's cocktails, and to check out the weekend brunch menu. Locals are bound to flock to it, especially in Summer when Battersea Square comes in to its own.

One of many delightful design touches from Eloisa Cuturi

Even closer to my flat is brand new Flour To The People, a sourdough bakery and brunch spot with evening plans in the works, located opposite my regular haunt, Park Road Kitchen.

I'm already addicted to their Olive Sourdough Loaf, which you'll want to pick up from them as soon as it comes out of the oven.

It's a small place, so a short wait for a table at weekends is likely, at which point you should go for a wander through the magical Battersea Flower Station garden centre opposite and drop in to cute La Moka Café for a pre-brunch Allpress coffee and some Kooky Bakes treats.

Battersea Flower Station

La Moka Café

Back at Flour To The People, Nude Espresso is the order of the day, brewed on a beautiful La Marzocco machine. Next up, you'll want to get involved with Toast The People - unlimited freshly baked bread, homemade jams and their own hazelnut spread, plus an excuse to use the SEE-THROUGH TOASTERS which sit centre stage on every table.

Follow this up with Eggs Benedict-ish, so called as the perfectly poached (or however you want them) eggs sit on top of sourdough crumpets rather than the customary muffins - Note to self: start a band called The Customary Muffins.

Alternatively, go for some Sourdough French Toast with sweet and savoury toppings, or The Slamwich - sausage, bacon, and grilled cheese omelette slammed together between slices of sourdough bread. Yes please.

Fresh bread at Flour To The People

See Through Toasters!

Eggs Benedict-ish with Sourdough Crumpets

Perfectly Poached Eggs on Sourdough Crumpets at Flour To The People

Avocados ready to be slammed

The breakfast and brunch menu runs all week, so locals may be able to skip the weekend crowds and squeeze in a visit before work. In the near future, they hope to open in the evenings, ideally with sourdough pizzas and local beers. I'll be first through the door when that happens. Until then, you'll find me in the corner messing around with the aforementioned see-through toasters.

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On the other side of Clapham Junction Station from me, foodies head for Northcote Road and Battersea Rise where the likes of Brewdog, Franco Manca, Brew and Lola Rojo hold court. Those in the know will also make a slightly longer journey up St.John's Hill for Powder Keg Diplomacy, Kaosarn, Story Coffee and Birdhouse.

Another popular hangout in this neighbourhood cluster is Ben's Canteen, and I popped in recently to sample dishes from a new food menu. They have also just launched a premium G&T list, so I naturally started there.

Mediterranean Gin Mare is always worth a go, and cardamom-heavy Opihr is rather interesting (if a little overpowering). All of the Ben's Canteen G&Ts are smartly presented with a range of carefully chosen garnishes in photogenic glassware, but I find £9 a little hard to swallow for such a simple drink, especially in the suburbs.

Moving on to dinner, my eyes never made it past Ben's Epic Scotch Egg on the starters. It's a great example of the genre - don't miss it.

For mains, we kept things meaty with 38 Day Aged Shorthorn Ribeye Steak topped with Café de Paris Butter and a magnificent Ben's Canteen Crunchy Chicken Burger with buttermilk spiced chicken, bacon and slaw. Both dishes were accompanied by enormous portions of delicious sweet potato fries, and I'm ashamed to say we struggled to eat them all.

Ben's Canteen Crunchy Chicken Burger

38 Day Aged Shorthorn Ribeye Steak with Cafe de Paris Butter

To finish, Smashed Biscuits & Honeycomb with rich honeyed yoghurt and salted pistachio went over my almond tolerance line, but it should appeal to most. And you can't go wrong with Chocolate & Peanut Butter Brownie with peanut butter ice cream.

Smashed Biscuits & Honeycomb

Ben's Canteen is a lovely, local establishment that really rewards loyal customers and neighbours with frequent offers and loyalty clubs. P.S There's another branch in Earlsfield if that's any closer to home!

Ben's Canteen

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A couple of days after Battersea Arts Centre went up in flames (donate here), we dropped in for dinner at neighbouring café and catering company, Social Pantry, who have only just started serving food in the evenings (Wed-Sat only currently).

It's a charming little space, with room for a few small tables. Folding chairs are efficiently stacked on the wall, with an array of cushions ready to go nearby. When we arrived at 8pm they were doing good business, so you may want to ring ahead - 0207 924 4066

A locally brewed Belleville Commonside Pale Ale and a Social Pantry Vintage Spritz kept us company as we worked through a bunch of tasty small plates:

- Scotch Egg with peppered sausage meat

- Shredded Ham Hock & Cheddar Croquettes with Minted Pea Puree

- Homemade Cumin & Fennel Seed Flat Breads with Honey Glazed Shallots

- Slow Braised Ox Cheek with Roasted Carrot

- Sweet Potato Fries

Everything was delectable, particularly the generous portion of Ox Cheek, and the shallow fried Sweet Potato Fries.

Before we knew it, it was time for dessert. Head to the counter at your peril, where an enticing array of cheese and cakes awaits, including a Union Hand Roasted Coffee and Dark Valrhona Chocolate Cheese Cake. I stuck to my guns and ordered the Pain Au Chocolat Bread and Butter Pudding with Cinnamon Ice Cream which was simply outstanding - melt in your mouth heaven in a bowl.

Pain Au Chocolat Bread & Butter Pudding w/ Cinnamon Ice Cream at Social Pantry

Go for the buzzy, friendly atmosphere. Stay for that pudding.

That's all for now folks. East Londoners - you can open your eyes again.

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Other things I've been eating and drinking recently:

- The entire menu at Smokehouse Chiswick

- Roast Brixham Monkfish at The Botanist

- Everything from Park Road Kitchen

- Katsu Curry Donuts from The Hole

- Craft Beers at The Hop Locker

- Smoked Cocktails (new toy)

- Craigellachie 19yo

- Lindt Bunnies

Matt The Trips - A small team is off to Paris this weekend, and I've just booked flights to LA for a two-week West Coast America road trip in August. If you known any places that I should check out, leave a comment or send me an email at matt@mattthelist.com.

Today's post features an exclusive sneak preview of Experimental Group's brand new late night London bar which launched this week in EC2.

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Joyeux Bordel - Translation :Happy Mess (or brothel - take your pick)

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The Experimental Group is much more than just a clandestine Chinatown cocktail bar with a hard-to-please doorman. Since opening up the original Experimental Cocktail Club (ECC) in Paris in 2007, the group have rapidly expanded and now operate 13 sites including ECC New York, Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels in Paris, NY and London, Beef Club and Fish Club restaurants in Paris, and even an Experimental Beach in Ibiza.

On top of that, last month they added Le Grand Pigalle Paris to that list - their first foray in to the hotel business. Quite by chance, I was in the City of Light at the weekend and squeezed in a visit to Le Grand Pigalle hotel bar, but that's a long story...

Anyway, back in London, their 14th site has just opened at 147 Curtain Road in Old Street, and it's a boozy basement number called Joyeux Bordel.

Now what can I tell you about it? Oh, well you can make reservations. Just send an email to reservation@joyeuxbordel.com - the desk is open Mon-Sat until 5pm.

Opening times might help too:

Monday - Wednesday: 6pm - 2am

Thursday - Saturday: 6pm - 3am

Sunday: 6pm – midnight

Hooray for late night opening hours, there aren't nearly enough places of worth open after midnight.

Once you've made it past the doorman, you'll make your way down to a spacious but cosy candlelit cocktail bar. I'd always opt for a seat at the bar myself - this is where you'll find Adrien Russotto, Joshua Esposito and Florian Dubois working their magic, along with some ECC alumni most probably. If you do go for table service, Berliner Sabrina or Finnish/Egyptian Rameses from Helsinki will look after you.

The full menu has just been released:

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Bric-A-Brac - Yellow Chartreuse, Lillet Blanc, Elderflower Cordial, Pepper Mix, Sage, Lemon & Champagne - £10

Picotin - Lemon, Aquavit OP Anderson, Suze, Cocchi Americano, Luxardo Maraschino - £10

Black Beard - Appleton 7, Smith & Cross Rum, Homemade Falernum, Aperol, Fernet Branca, Grapefruit Zest - £11

É Nossa - Cachaca Yaguara, Lime, Sugar, Peychauds & Peach Bitters, Ginger Ale - £11

Saint Germain Des Prés - Hendricks Gin, St.Germain, Lime Juice, Elderflower Cordial, Egg White, Spiced Tincture, Cucumber Juice - £10.50

Tommy's Cut - Vida Mezcal, Agave, Lime, Sweet Vermouth, Pink Grapefruit - £10.50

Jolly Mess - Vulson White Rhino Rye, Eaux de vie de Poire, Antica Formula, Cardamom Syrup, Mozart Dark Chocolate Liqueur - £10.50

Softly Softly - Suze, Dolin Dry, Hendricks Gin, Chilli Thai Tincture, Olive - £9.50

Sparrows Can't Sing - Madras-infused Vodka, Applejack, Strega, Lemon, Vanilla Syrup, Simple Syrup, Coriander - £9.50

Something Italian - Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Cynar, Amaro Ciociaro, Lime, Ginger, Soda - £10

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Picotin was the pic'o'the'bunch (new low for me there), bringing complex flavours together to form a satisfying thirst quencher. Second place goes to Tommy's Cut, a subtle twist on a Tommy's Margarita that you'll finish in a few gulps. Jolly Mess is another winner if you like your cocktails boozy.

Of course, you can always go off menu, and I unsurprisingly went in an agave direction with a superb Mezcal Negroni (Vida, Calle 23 Tequila, Barolo Chinato, Rabarbaro) and an equally excellent Mezcal Highball creation with ginger ale. I also highly recommend Fabiano's classy Americano twist with Belsazar Red and a touch of sea salt - apparently a splash of bourbon doesn't hurt either.

Mezcal Negroni - Del Maguey Vida, Calle 23 Tequila, Barolo Chinato, Rabarbaro

Picotin - Lemon, Aquavit OP Anderson, Suze, Cocchi Americano, Maraschino Luxardo

To soak up the booze, they have sensibly put together a few small plate options including some delicious Rillette, Roasted Ham and Cooked Ham from local butchers and restaurant Hill & Szrok, plus an Androuet Three Cheeses Selection. London has been slow to pick up on the high end and late night bar snacks trade - hopefully more will follow suit soon.

If you've had your fill of cocktails, cheese, and charcuterie, you might want to investigate Joyeux Bordel's back bar. Start off with a taste of ECC partner Xavier Padovani's Vulson White Rhino Rye which was only released in January - read more here. In the early part of the week, you might find Xavier & co. pouring £5 tasters of extremely rare spirits from his vintage selection which they've decided to stop hoarding and start sharing. A late 1950s Grand Marnier was cracked open this week.

On top of all of the fine food and drink, Joyeux Bordel is also going to be a hotspot for DJs, with Daniel Willis from The Clove Club heading up the music. The inoffensive DJ booth is part of the furniture rather than a garish corner feature, which is always a good sign.

Sound good? I thought so. Go and say hello from 6pm tonight. Happy Brothel everyone!

www.joyeuxbordel.com

Email - reservation@joyeuxbordel.com

Today on the blog - two of London's street food heroes Bao& Bleecker Burger settle down in Soho and Spitalfields respectively, and One Mile End brewery brings a Whitechapel boozer back to life.

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Wednesday April 8th - I made my way over to Bao about 30 minutes after it opened - beat the crowds and all that; stay ahead of the game. No such luck. I joined the back of the (admittedly fast moving) queue, got me some water from Pret, and stared longingly at Clerkenwell Boy's food both through the window and on his Instagram feed.

The foodie world was out in force, and Instagram was overrun by Baos and Blood Cakes for the rest of the day. One of London's finest food writers Ed Smith (Rocket & Squash) was also one of the first through the door, and he put up another of his reliably witty and informative posts the next day, rendering this irrelevant. Read up on all things Bao on Rocket & Squash here.

I'll soldier on. Bao built up a loyal following whilst trading at Kerb, Netil Market and the like, and their tiny Soho site is surely the first of many. Like Yum Bun and Beer & Buns, they focus on gua bao - super squishy steamed buns of joy filled with all manner of delights. Take along a pair of googly eyes and you'll soon have something resembling Pacman stuffing his face.

But that's not all. It seems they had a few Taiwanese tricks up their sleeve that they were saving for a permanent site. I'm talking Trotter Nuggets (£4), Scallops with Yellow Bean & Garlic Sauce (a little small for £3.50), and the room-dividing Century Egg with Eryngii Mushroom (£4).

The two non-bao dishes you absolutely must get are the 40 Day Aged Rump Cap with Aged White Soy Sauce (£6) and the much-photographed Pig Blood Cake (£3.50) - see #eggporn collage below. How we managed to share these two without trading blows, I'll never know.

Scallop, Yellow Bean & Garlic Sauce

Trotter Nuggets

Pig Blood Cake

Of course, you need to get some gua bao down you too. The Classic (Braised Pork, Peanut Powder, Fermented Greens, Coriander) is already an essential Soho snack at £3.75. Be sure also to get the stunning Fried Chicken Bao, presented in burger form in a soft Sesame Bao, with Soy Milk Marinated Chicken, Sichuan Mayo and Golden Kimchi. Confit Pork, Lamb Bao and veggie Crumbed Daikon Bao are ready on the subs bench.

Don't leave without ordering the Fried Horlicks Ice Cream Bao (Horlicks Ice Cream, Condensed Milk, Fried Bao) for £4, and eat it AS SOON AS IT ARRIVES. By the time I'd done my offensive blogger photography, we had a sticky, gooey mess on our hands. Delicious but disastrous.

Lamb Bao - Lamb Shoulder, Coriander Sauce, Garlic Mayo, Soy Pickled Chilli

Fried Chicken Bao - Soy Milk Marinated Chicken, Sichuan Mayo, Golden Kimchi, Sesame Bao

Fried Horlicks Ice Cream Bao - devour before it melts!

So the food is incredible. What about the drinks? I went for some BaoZhong Foam Tea which I didn't agree with at all. I would instead opt for the 10 year Aged Coal Baked Oolong which sounds magnificent. Elsewhere, three types of Sake, Cider and Beer should be enough to see you through since Bao dining is a speedy affair.

How Bao? Go Now.

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Tuesday April 7th - Bleecker Burger, street food veterans and winners of London Burger Bash 2014, recently opened a burger hatch in Old Spitalfields Market. I say hatch rather than restaurant or diner, as it is literally a hole-in-the-wall kitchen with a few benches outside.

Is it any different to them parking their food truck behind a brick wall with a window? Not really, but who cares? Now we know where to go for a fix of angry fries and Bleecker meat every day of the week (from 11.30am-9pm).

The slightly bigger space allows them to produce some rather fine milkshakes (including Caravan coffee) which you might turn to after they stop serving craft beers at 7pm. But you are really here for a burger; an award-winning Bleeckerblack burger to be precise. Two medium-rare aged-beef patties, melted cheese, and a showstopping slab of black pudding, at your service. Sure, you could get a Bacon Cheeseburger, or the Blue Burger, both superb, but I wouldn't. What a burger.

What else? I can never say no to Sweet Potato Fries, but the Angry Fries with blue cheese and more than a bit of a kick put up quite a fight.

And that's all I need to say about that. Just be wary of the 9pm closing time (which could change of course - check here).

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After all that food, you might fancy a drink somewhere nearby. You've got Discount Suit Company, 46 & Mercy, Brewdog, Underdog, Ten Belles and many more worthwhile establishments within easy reach. We decided to go slightly further afield to The White Hart in Whitechapel which recently had a refurb and has re-established itself as a brewpub with One Mile End Brewery in their basement.

Brewpub beer can often be rather bland and unadventurous, but that is not the case here. One Mile End mean business, as a recent tap takeover of Brewdog Camden proves. Alongside exemplary core beers such as Salvation Pale Ale, Snake Charmer IPA and Hospital Porter, you'll also find the likes of Rye Whisky Sour, Blood Orange Barrel Aged Saison, Farmhouse Pilsner and a Pale Ale infused with Pomelo and Chilli. The winner for me though was a dark and dangerous 7% Barrel Aged Black Sour (pictured below).

You will be able to find One Mile End beers in boozers all over London, but it's well worth a wee pilgrimage to their lively public house in Whitechapel. With the District Line and the Overground a stone's throw away, it's actually pretty convenient. Plus they've got Dirty Burger and Chicken Shop as neighbours.

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New photos on Matt The Tumblr this week - www.mattthelist.tumblr.com

A weekend in Paris // Joyeux Bordel // Street Feast Model Market // Peg + Patriot // Joe's Southern Kitchen // That Hungry Chef's Goan Thali Supperclub

Friday 17th April - Street Feast should need no introduction, but just in case: it's your one stop shop for street food, booze, music, people, and a party atmosphere. London's calling card after 5pm.

The doors to their three-storey Hawker House popup closed recently, but fear not - Model Market has just launched in Lewisham, and two more sites in Dalston and Shoreditch are on the way.

Model Market was one of the highlights of 2014. I have fond memories of an evening spent eating Smokestak ribs and Breddos tacos in their converted 1950s market with the World Cup on in the background. It's started a little earlier this year, so the sun might not always have his hat on, but there's plenty of covered space in their eight unique "micro-diners" plus the customary Street Feast fire pits to keep you warm.

What's new?Most of the traders are familiar faces these days, though this is a first Street Feast outing for Kerb regulars Bill or Beak. There are five bars this time around, including the new "Lewisham High Line" rooftop space. More exciting though is a well-stocked craft beer can bar featuring the likes of Oskar Blues, Ska Modus and Sly Fox from the States.

What to eat?Ideally, everything. Go with a big group of friends, and get a taste of as much as you can. Here are some highlights from our recent visit:

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#1 - Rola Wala - Twisted Indian street food from Mark Wright & co.

You can't have just one of Rola Wala's naan sliders - get all 3 for £9. Kashmiri Chicken with coriander, red onion pickle, fresh lemon, and sweet mango chutney; 12 Hour Goan Pork Roast with fresh curry leaves, telecherry pepper, and pear and tamarind chutney; Keralan Daal - beetroot, paneer and coconut channa dal, coriander, lemon raita, and mint and lime chutney. Wash them all down with one of their Mango, Turmeric and Lime sodas that they have created with Square Root London.

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#2 - Bill or Beak- Mighty duck, pork & chicken burgers from Josh & Lucy

Bill or Beak? Bill AND Beak. You're going to want both of their overflowing burgers, and a side of Hoisin fries to boot. The Bill involves a mountain of shredded duck and pork, spring onions, coriander, mint, vietnamese dressing and tempura shallots. The Beak is even harder to eat - a tonne of grilled, corn-fed chicken, Caesar anchovy dressing, tempura capers, rosemary croutons, and fresh parmesan. Awesome.

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#3 - Yum Bun - Super soft steamed gua bao buns from Lisa and friends

You can't go wrong with Yum Bun. Edible pillows filled with all the delicious things. Choose from:

- Roast duck, cucumbers, spring onions, spiced plum and duck scratchings

- Slowly roasted pork belly, cucumbers, spring onions and hoi sin sauce

- Japanese fried chicken, chilli dressing, lettuce, tarutaru sauce

- Panko fried pollack, spicy gochujang mayo, lettuce & pickles

- Crispy prawns, green chilli sambal, kewpi mayo, lettuce

- Portobello mushroom, miso glaze, toasted walnuts

Finish off with one of their deep fried dessert buns if they have them - Coconut Ice Cream with Miso Butterscotch and Praline Ice Cream, or Coffee Ice Cream drizzled with Condensed Milk. Glorious.

Once you've worked your way through those, start ticking off the rest. Mama's Jerk, Smokestak, Cheeky Italian, Spit & Roast, The Beefsteaks and Mother Flipper are all deserving of your savoury attention, whilst SE Cakery and the Meringue Girls are covering the sweet side of things. Head to the latter for your fix of sparkly unicorn poo. Sorted.

Model Market is running all the way through to 24/25 September, every Friday and Saturday from 5pm, with £3 entry after 7pm. Lewisham is a short train journey from Charing Cross, Waterloo East or London Bridge. Don't miss it.

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In other news, two consonant cocktail club chains have opened new branches around the Capital.

First up, Barworks have opened 5cc at Singer Tavern, the fifth in a series of cocktail bars hidden inside their excellent pubs. You can find the rest at Well & Bucket, Exmouth Arms, Electricity Showrooms, and Harrild & Sons.

The Singer Tavern itself has only just opened, making use of a Grade II listed building dating back to 1929 that was originally conceived to house the HQ of the iconic Singer Sewing Machine Company.

Both the pub and the clandestine bar have an enormous selection of bottles at their disposal including 16 types of Amaro and Fernet, and a boat load of gins to help with their nine strong Martini list. The House Martini makes use of a gin from Barworks' own East London Liquor Company distillery & bar that also produces vodka, rum and (eventually) whisky.

There are 20 more signature cocktails on a fairly epic list including Loosie D'Ouro (Glen Moray Port Cask, P.F.Curacao, Tio Pepe, vanilla, chocolate & chilli betters) served with a Paul A. Young truffle, and Dolce Far Niente (Mount Gay Black Barrel, Nardini Rabarbaro, Cocchi di Torino, Pecan Bitters & Blackcurrant Jam).

The bar staff impressively stay on top of things banging out great drinks at high speed in what could have ended up as another average high-volume bar. Get down to 5cc at Singer Tavern with a big group rather than a date and make the most of that spirits selection.

More photos on Matt The Tumblr here

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From 5cc to LCC - J.J.Goodman has opened up his fifth London Cocktail Club, not counting Covent Garden Cocktail Club and Craft Cocktail Co. in Bethnal Green which he's also responsible for.

The latest site is a “cocktail pharmacy” in Islington on Essex Road. An “Apothecary Off-License” shop and masterclass space at the front is just a cover - head through the “Staff Only” door to find the main bar, plus some extra hidden spaces including “A&E” (Alcohol & Entertainment) out the back.

Make no mistake - this is a party bar. On Mondays you can get 2 cocktails for £10 all night, or Tuesday-Saturday from 5pm-8pm. Hanging lights will be swung, bartenders will be set on fire, drinks will be smoked. Order your way through their section dedicated to great bartenders, or warm up with a few boilermakers, and enjoy the carnage.

"1, 2, 3.... L C C!"

More photos on Matt The Tumblr - Set 1 / Set 2

Friday 1st May - Only two weeks after opening the gates to Model Market in Lewisham, Street Feast have launched their second summer site, Dalston Yard. It's open every Friday and Saturday from 5pm to midnight until 25/26 September. Their third site, Shoreditch Yard, is due to open in a few weeks' time.

Much like at Model Market, you've got a tonne of superb street food traders to choose from, some of whom have built "micro-diners" to make your stay even more photogenic. On top of that, there are eight bars around the sprawling site, including a standout Kamm & Sons cocktail shed away from the crowds that can't be missed. Order The Grosvenor (Kamm & Sons, Punt E Mes, Laphroaig) and settle in.

Kamm & Sons Cocktail Shed & #BritSpritz Garden

As usual, the street food is of the highest quality. You really can't wrong wherever you go - we certainly didn't. Yum Bun and Breddos Tacos impressed again, but the highlight this time around was surprisingly meat-free...

Oli Baba's was doing a roaring trade dishing out veggie-friendly Levantine cuisine. You should probably just order one of everything:

- Sabich - Pitta Sandwich with Hummus, Grilled Aubergine, Spiced Egg, Sautéed Potato, Garlic & Dill Kraut, Tabbouleh, Tahini, Green Chilli Schug

- Saganaki - Halloumi Fries with Za'atar Yoghurt, Pomegranate Molasses, Mint, Sumac, Pomegranate Seeds

- Fries with Za'at Salt and Schug

Oli Baba's Pitta

Oli Baba's Halloumi Fries & Pitta Sabich

Le Bun

Twisted Indian Street Food from Rola Wala

Naan Sliders from Rola Wala

Classic Pork from Yum Bun

Crunchy Nut Fried Chicken from Breddos Tacos

Gold Singha Bar

Smokestak

More Street Feast photos up on Matt The Tumblr

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In other Dalston news, Bootstrap Company have relaunched Dalston Roof Park for the Summer. It might be a little chilly at the moment, but it's open until September so you've got plenty of time to check it out. Read on to discover what food and drink is in store at DRP this year, including beers from the brand new in-house 40 Ft Brewery.

We Walk The Line

Monday-Friday 9am-3pm

In the morning the Bootstrap Shed will house We Walk The Line, a social enterprise which empowers young entrepreneurs by selling delicious artisanal coffee.

Employing those who really need a chance, WWTL’s employees are trained to run their own coffee franchise, eventually becoming self-employed with the use of their own coffee stall. Expect expertly brewed coffees, alongside fellow local social enterprise the Dusty Knuckle Bakery who will be providing delicious baked treats.

Photo by Rebwar

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Merci Marie

Monday-Friday 12pm-3pm

Once one of Dalston’s hidden gems, Provence-born chef Marie Gonford will be running a daytime café serving up her ‘beautifully simple’ French-inspired menu. Placing a huge emphasis on the quality and locality of all her ingredients, Marie only uses organic eggs, free-range meat and sustainable fish in her dishes. Sourcing the ingredients in Dalston makes for experimental cooking in an evolving seasonal menu, always served with a smile.

Photo from Merci Marie

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Tom's Feast

Monday-Friday 6pm-close

Saturday & Sunday 3pm-close

Superstar eco-chef Tom Hunt is bringing a bespoke range of dishes and cocktails to the DRP this summer. His menu is 100% seasonal, mostly sourced from local community farms in and around London. Author of The Natural Cook, Tom will be serving up a selection of recipes from the book.

Centred around the DRP’s very own ethical charcoal barbecue, dishes will range from fresh oysters and prosecco, to Tom’s own-recipe incredible burgers – ranging from Chorizo & Merguez kofta burgers to an evolving list of fresh fish patties, all served in brioche buns with all the trimmings. Plus lots of options for vegetarians, including Bermondsey Frier halloumi from London’s own Kappacasein Dairy. Alongside a mezze feast of koftas, salads and homemade sauces, the changing menu promises to keep you deliciously satisfied through the long summer nights.

Tom Hunt - photo from Tom's Feast

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40 Ft Brewery

London's latest brewery has been founded by two of Bootstraps long-term tenants Andreas and Steve, along with their two other brothers. The shipping container micro-brewery will serve up craft beer and ales specially brewed for the DRP. Expect beer tastings, brewing master classes and a revolving menu of beers throughout the Summer.

The first two beers to be released are Larger and Pale Ale. The former (on tap) is a 4.8% unfiltered hoppy twist on a German Kolsch brewed with Lemon Drop, a new American hop. The latter (served in 330ml cans) is a 4.1% American style pale ale brewed with a mix of American and British hops.

Opening times for the roof park are Monday – Thursday 9am-11pm, Friday 9am-Midnight, Saturdays 3pm-Midnight & Sundays 3pm-10pm. The Dalston Roof Park bar is open from 6pm every day. N.B. You need to pay a one off £5 membership fee for an annual pass.

Today on the blog, a round up of some recent eats including a Goan supper club, a Ghanaian popup, and second sites in the suburbs for two reliable restaurants.

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First up, it's That Hungry Chef. I've somehow managed to avoid attending any supper clubs over the last two years of Matt The Listing, perhaps due to the overwhelming number of new eateries that roar in to town on a weekly basis. This year I will be balancing the scales.

Pratap Chahal, a.k.a That Hungry Chef, and his wife Nikhat welcomed us in to their stunning Holloway home on a sunny Thursday evening, along with 12 or so other charming randomers, for a Traditional Goan Thali. We arrived early to take a tour of their magical garden that is used for outdoor dinners, brunches and BBQs in the summer months. Keep an eye out for that hippo.

As Pratap calmly applied the finishing touches in his tiny kitchen, we made friends around the room, bonding over our BYOB choices whilst glancing enviously towards Pratap & Nikhat's booze chest. A chilli sitting on each place setting threatened to become a supper club hazing dare, but thankfully the glorious home-cooked food started arriving before anyone caved.

That Hungry Chef formally introduced himself, discussing the evening ahead and his one rule, nailed above the kitchen door - "Kiss The Chef". He then produced the simply magnificent Sannas & pork ‘vinha d’alhos’ - Fermented rice pancakes with a mild pork vindaloo, 6,000 or so miles away from the hideous British version. No cutlery was needed and it was gone in seconds. More please.

Soon after, the all-in-one thali platters were laid out, and those in the know put their desserts to one side for later. In no particular order, we all got stuck in to our little bowls of Nishtyachi Kodii (Traditional Goan fish curry), Temperado (green beans & carrots in spiced coconut milk) and Foogath (curried spring cabbage stir fry) and mopped everything up with Red Rice & Peanut Pulao and Crispy Plantain Wafers. Delicious.

After polishing off the savoury selection, I went fishing for some Pickled Walnut and Doce (chickpea and cardamom fudge) in my delectable Sago & Coconut Pudding (similar in texture to tapioca).

Due to the thali-style presentation, dinner was over rather quicker than I had expected, but our hosts kept us all happy with some bonus Bebinca (a 16 layered pancake cake! - recipe here) and some sneaky tasters of East London Liquor Company Gin and Bunnahabhain 12.

A few drams later, (and after some bonding with Pratap over smoked beer and obscure Eddie Izzard skits), we proposed that they open up a B&B service. Denied. Fingers crossed it will be an option next time. In a nice touch, we were sent home with one of That Hungry Chef's artisanal food products. I came away with a jar of dangerously hot Mojo Risin' green relish salsa which I'm ever so slightly afraid of.

It was an unfortgettable evening of fine food and fun in great company, possibly setting the bar a little too high for my future supper club escapades. There are no more Goan Thali evenings coming up, but you might want to grab some tickets to either the Secret Garden Barbecue or the intriguing Perfume : The Edible Scent events before they sell out. You won't regret it.

More supper clubs worth investigating:

Uyen Luu - A Vietnamese Feast in Uyen's airy London Fields home

The Adobros - Traditional Filipino food from two brothers in New Cross

Disappearing Dining Club - All manner of dinner parties in fun locations

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From Goa to Ghana, Zoe Adjonyoh's Ghana Kitchen is half way through a two month residency at The King & Co. in Clapham Common. In other words, you've got until 31st May to sample Zoe's signature peanut butter & mutton stew in cosy pub surroundings.

Zoe serves up her modern twist on traditional Ghanaian food in small plate form.. We went along last month for an evening of sharing plates and African beer.

Highlights included moreish Okra Tempura with shito hot pepper sauce, hearty Red Red beans with Kelewele chunky plantain chips and Jollof Chicken Skewers with jollof rice; the latter carrying quite a kick which caught me off guard more than once.

Okra Tempura with shito hot pepper sauce

Red Red Beans with Kelewele chunky plantain chips

Jollof Chicken Skewers

Jollof Rice

The pick of the mains is indeed her homespun adaptation of West African peanut butter stew which first starred at Hackney Wick Arts Festival four years ago, launching Zoe's street food & popup career. In an exciting development, she has just confirmed that Zoe's Ghana Kitchen will be opening a permanent restaurant later this month in a shipping container in the hotly anticipated Pop Brixton campus. Here's what Zoe had to say:

“I'm so excited to be opening our first fixed dining space in Brixton, south of the river and close to where I grew up. We hope to become part of Brixton’s natural buzz and vibrancy, and to build upon this in coming years while spreading the love for modern Ghanaian cuisine!”

Artists representation of Pop Brixton's shipping container campus

But before that launches, you should head to Clapham for a taste; and why not do it in style on 13th May when Zoe is teaming up with A Grape Night In for "It's Ghana Be Grape" - 5 collaborative courses of wine and food.

Zoe’s current two month residency at The King & Co pub in Clapham ends on Sunday 31st May.

Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen at POP Brixton will aim to open in late May.

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Now for a quick round up of second sites for existing eateries. First up, Neil Rankin & Noble Inns have converted Chiswick's Hole In The Wall gastropub in to another meaty Smokehouse, following on from success with the concept in Islington.

The North London branch has an enviable beer selection that the W4 outpost doesn't quite match, but there is a marvellous whisky bar out West instead with 100+ bottles from all over the world. Arrive early and splash out on a pre-dinner Yamazaki 18yo dram.

On the food front, Neil Rankin's influence is clear as several Korean flavours (also prominent at Bad Egg) make their way into the smoky, meaty menu. A table of 6 is what you need if you want to order everything on the menu, and that's exactly what we did. It was all rather wonderful, but I've highlighted a winner from each section in case you are dining solo.

Starters

Somerset goat tacos with chipotle & green salsa 6.00

Burnt leeks, Portobello, truffle oil, parmesan & Cackleberry Farm egg 6.50

Chopped brisket roll & gochujang 7.00

Deep fried rock oyster, beef dripping toast, smoked bone marrow 7.50

Fresh picked Cornish crab on sourdough toast 8.00

Foie gras, apple pie & Cackleberry Farm egg 10.00

Mains

Blackened delica pumpkin, tahini, dill & flat bread 13.50

“The Sphere”; smoked ham hock, pigs cheek & squid romesco 16.00

Coal baked salmon with a warm Thai salad 16.50

Smoked Elwy Valley lamb shoulder, polenta, raclette & sambal 16.50

Shortrib bourguignon, creamy mash, bacon & Essex Portobello mushrooms 17.50

Smoked Telfarm duck breast, kimchi & potato cake 17.50

Sides

Grilled Romaine lettuce 3.00

Caramel roast potatoes 3.00

Chilli kale 4.00

Korean pulled pork 4.00

Desserts

Double D tart 6.50

Apple crumble & bourbon prunes 6.50

Poached rhubarb, cream cheese & almond praline 6.50

Rum & raisin rice pudding, blackberry jam & almond 6.50

Burnt leeks, Portobello, truffle oil, parmesan & Cackleberry Farm egg

Deep fried rock oyster, beef dripping toast, smoked bone marrow

Chopped brisket roll & gochujang

Apple crumble & bourbon prunes

Smokehouse Chiswick is ever so slightly in the middle of nowhere, so you might want to make the most of it by ticking off the Dragonfly Brewery (at The George and Dragon pub), Charlotte's W4 (for food and gin), The Italian Job (for Italian craft beer), and Outsider Tart (for American baked treats). And if you are really keen, return another time for American soul food at Blue Plate, and Wednesday night "Supper Clubs" at The Griffin from a former Waldorf Astoria chef. Or just save up all of your pennies and go to Hedone. Sorted.

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Joe's Southern Kitchen and Bar have opened up a second site in Kentish Town where Kentish Canteen and Shebeen used to be, complete with a Jailbird basement bar making use of old police cells, much like Knowhere Special next door.

Make no mistake, you need to come hungry and you should probably bring a bib. 24 hour sweet tea brined free range chicken with lemon dust is the order of the day, but there are plenty of other dishes to get stuck in to. Turn up with 10 or more people and you can opt for the "Feed Me" feast menu which is served family style for sharing to avoid having to make difficult choices.

24 Hour Sweet Tea Brined Free Range Chicken with Lemon Dust - Photo by Gaztronome

We had quite a feast ourselves, tucking in to enjoyable portions of Devilled Eggs, Mac'N'Cheese, Shrimp'N'Grits and Collard Greens. alongside buckets of Fried Chicken and Buckwheat Waffles with Bourbon Maple Syrup and Chicken Gravy, but two small plates stood out in particular.

Demand a pan of their Gooey Corn Spoon Bread with Clotted Cream and Red Leicester Cheese, followed swiflty by the Deep Fried Short Rib Meat Loaf with Red Onion Jam, Poached Egg and Dijonnaise. I didn't want to share the latter, at all. Both are worthy of the #foodporn hashtag. I can also recommend the Artichoke, Spinach & Cheddar Dip which I remember devouring in their Covent Garden outpost. Larger plates of 8 Hour Slow Roast Beef Short Rib and Blackened Catfish Fillet will surely not disappoint either.

Unsurprisingly, Joe's Southern is also well set up for Breakfast and Brunch, opening from 8am-11.45am Monday-Friday with bottomless filter coffee, and 9am-4pm on Saturday & Sunday for Breakfast Muffins and Gravy'N'Biscuits.

But you must pay Joe's a visit when desserts are up for grabs, and order them all. Southern Pecan Pie with Jim Beam Honey Cream, Peanut Butter Fudge Pie, and Iced Honeycomb & Chocolate Parfait Sandwich are all stonking, and only £4.00 each?! Get involved.

Gooey Corn Spoon Bread with Clotted Cream and Red Leicester Cheese

Deep Fried Short Rib Meat Loaf with Red Onion Jam, Poached Egg and Dijonnaise

Mac'N'Cheese with Four Cheeses and a Biscuit Crust

Iced Honeycomb & Chocolate Parfait Sandwich

Kentish Town is on a bit of a roll at the moment with new openings aplenty, so you might want to make a day of it. Be sure to spend a penny in Ladies & Gentlemen, a cocktail bar in a converted public toilet from William Borrell of Vestal Vodka. You might also want to check out Patron Cave A Manger for French food & wine, Caps & Taps for craft beer to takeaway, and soon a new Camden Town Brewery pub on the site of O'Reilly's.

There are plenty of older spots worth a look too, such as Shoe Shop, Anima E Cuoré, and The Southampton Arms. As ever, Kentish Towner is your best bet for up to date North London food & drink news.

Saturday 25th March - Don't be fooled by the first shot of Eggs Benedict, this a post about beer. If you aren't of a beery disposition, why not try Matt The Pissed, Matt Le Tiss, or perhaps Cat The List instead?

Still with me? I'll crack on. My to-do list was starting to get a tad South London beer heavy, so I signed up 2014-15 List Leader Tim "I'm actuary an actuary" Henshaw and his unwitting cousin Dan (on loan from Birmingham) for a day of discovery.

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It all started in Earlsfield at Bean & Hop (formerly The Earlsfield Deli) with a rather excellent breakfast and some caffeine. They specialise in coffee and local craft beer, with some top notch food thrown in for good measure. We enjoyed some beautifully cooked eggs and bargain bacon butties from their brunch menu with Nude espresso brews on the side. It's worth noting that they stay open late for Italian flatbread pizzas and beers on Fridays & Saturdays. Keep your eyes peeled for special popup food events too from the likes of The Pickled Fork.

We weren't quite ready for a beer (did I just write that?), but they had an impressive 50+ bottle selection on show, and two local rotating beers on tap. You don't see a lot of Southfields-based Rocky Head beers on tap so grab some while you can.

Big shout out to the apologetic woman who shared a desk with us in return for a sticker of an onion.

Highlight : 21 year old Dan loudly exclaiming in a coffee-obsessed joint that he "doesn't get coffee".

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A 10 minute walk down Garratt Lane took us to a small industrial state opposite the Wimbledon Greyhound & Stock Car Racing Stadium where By The Horns Brewery lay in wait. If you want to enjoy this stunning view, a homely white picket fence and some fake turf complete with tables sits outside their lot for your enjoyment.

By The Horns open up their taproom on Thursday & Friday evenings from 5pm-10pm and Saturdays from 12pm-6pm, and the bottle shop is open throughout the week when the bar is closed. It's a brilliant little hangout with foosball, a big HD projector and several screens for those of a sporting persuasion - we caught the lacklustre first half of Saints vs Spurs before moving on.

More importantly though, they have up to 9 beers on tap (6 keg, 3 cask) including the occasional guest ale, and prices are very reasonable for London. Samba King Rye Blonde, Mick The Miller Amber, and Stiff Upper Lip Pale all went down a treat. Many more of their beers like Sour To The People and Flapper Double IPA are available in bottle form. Beer sticks and chorizo bombs are behind the bar if you get peckish.

Brewery tours are an option, and there are often events such as comedy nights and seasonal beer launches, so keep an eye on their website - www.bythehorns.co.uk

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We strolled over to Tooting Broadway and caught a bus to Balham to reach our third stop, We Brought Beer. It's a wonderful, compact "beer and homebrew general store" with a few seats for drinking in, either from the bottle range or the four growler refill taps on offer, much like at Hop, Burns & Black in East Dulwich (but without the hot sauce and vinyl!). See opening times here.

We enjoyed schooners of Stone Go To IPA and The Kent Gipsy Yuzu from their taps over a friendly game of cards whilst a mix of beer geeks and Balham yuppies dropped in, presumably after brunch at M1lk over the road. Special mention must go to one mother who said to her children aged 4-8, "Just let me know if you see anything you want".

And I thought trips to Sainsbury's with Dad were fun...

Keep an eye on We Brought Beer's website for Meet The Brewer interviews, news on events, and updated beer lists. And don't be surprised if a couple more branches have popped up before the end of the year - I heard mutterings about a move to Battersea Rise...

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3 down, 2 to go. We jumped on the tube to Clapham Common where we parted ways with Dan the man before continuing on the 35 to Loughborough Junction. Some form of protest in Brixton hindered our progress, so we continued on foot down a sunny Coldharbour Lane. The oddest moment of the day was most certainly when a full-sized remote controlled wheelie bin appeared in front of us spraying water on unsuspecting members of the public. I'm about 99% certain that actually happened.

Eventually we found our way to The Beer Hive, a co-operative brewery and taproom tucked away in a railway arch on Belinda Road. It was set up recently by Clarskshaws Brewery and London Beer Lab, and more breweries will hopefully join the cooperative over the next few months.

The brewery is currently open for boozing on Saturdays from 12-6pm. It's a fairly basic space at the moment, similar to how several of the Bermondsey breweries started out, but what more do you need than a few tables and chairs (including some ripped out car seats) when there's fresh beer around? Vegan Lauren joined Tim and I to appreciate the vegetarian Clarkshaws brews.

If you have time, you might want to pop in to Brixton Brewery, London Beer Lab, Craft Beer Co. or Crown & Anchor in the Brixton / Stockwell area, and of course there is superb food on offer all over Brixton.

We pressed on, walking towards Camberwell before getting the 42 to Bermondsey. Stormbird in Camberwell and Orbit Brewery off Walworth Road are two more top beer stops en route.

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Bermondsey is the beer mecca of South London, with six breweries (at the time of writing!) and The Bottle Shop taproom dotted around railways arches from Tower Bridge to Millwall ("South Bermondsey" if you like).

The newest addition is UBREW, an open brewery and taproom near The Bottle Shop and Anspach & Hobday Brewery where paying members can come and brew their own beer, making use of professional equipment and a community of brewers on site. There are various membership options, starting with a 3 month pass at £75 per month, and plenty of courses to get you up to speed.

The taproom is currently open on Saturdays from 11pm-7pm though that's set to expand soon. They are currently serving a range of guest beers and bottles, but they will hopefully offer beer brewed by members in the future, including a few from the UBREW team themselves. That said, we weren't complaining with kegs from Magic Rock & Tiny Rebel, though rowdy Northerner & List Leader 2013/14 Natalie (raised in a pub) gave the staff quite a talking to on their pint pouring technique.

We sipped our drinks in the open air as closing time approached, bonding with some friendly Spaniards on our table over the use of the conditional perfect tense in a GCSE sentence that I've still got memorised. Si hubria hecho mis deberes, habria ido al cerveceria con mis amigos. A*s and high fives all round.

Expect to see several nano / micro / gypsy / contract / cuckoo (what are we calling them?) breweries coming out of UBREW soon. It looks like Beatnikz Republic might be the first to go commercial with their Farmhouse Hitchhiker NZ Farmhouse Ale amongst other beers as soon as HMRC signs off on the paperwork.

Wonderful for Beatnikz Republic Generation IPA by Liam Brazier

THAT'S ALL FOLKS.

5 points to Tim. 3 to Dan. 1 to Lauren. 1 to Natalie.

Thanks to Jezza at London Beer Guide for keeping me informed.

Today on the blog: TAPAS TWO TIMES.

Portugal vs Spain - Nuno vs Cristina - Spitalfields vs Battersea - Ronaldo vs Messi... no wait - that's not right. Casillas? Alonso? Nadal? Bloody talented sporting Spaniards. Well except Nadal; I hear he's pretty crap on clay these days. Anyway, focus Matt.

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Saturday 9th May - I've been waiting a while now to taste Nuno Mendes' cooking. I missed him at Viajante (now Lee Westcott's highly rated Typing Room), and then there was the whole Chiltern Firehouse, shall we say, phenomenon?

Thankfully, he has just opened a relaxed Portuguese restaurant called Taberna do Mercado in Old Spitalfields Market that will hopefully remain celebrity free for the time being. Currently you can book a table for lunch from 12-2pm (lunch@tabernamercado.co.uk). Between 3-6pm you can walk in for drinks, cured meats, cheeses and other cold snacks, and dinner is from 6-9.30pm (also walk in only). They will soon be open in the mornings from 8am for coffee and a simple Portuguese breakfast. Check their website for up to date info - www.tabernamercado.co.uk

It's a simple, airy space with 40 or so covers and a small bar, though there is apparently also a secret Chef's Table with room for four in the back of the basement kitchen. You'll have to fight your way past Nuno and co. to have a peek though. On that note, a trip to the lone basement toilet is essential, especially if there's a queue, as you literally sit in the kitchen whilst Nuno makes you (and these are his words) "Bathroom Break Snacks".

Tapas menus designed to hang off the edge of the table

We settled in with refreshing glasses of Clip do Monte Da Vaia and bottles of Square Root. Cocktails are on their way soon, most probably of the aperitivo variety, and beers are limited to 20cl pours of Super Bock at present. It would be nice to see some craft Portuguese beers in London - perhaps some Sovina or Mediaevalis?

Between four we ordered eleven dishes (and all the puddings) which was just about right. We didn't delve in to the cheese or cured meat sections, but we covered pretty much everything else. First to arrive was Scallops with Brown Butter and Walnuts - a no brainer from their House Tinned Fish section, unsurprisingly presented in a tin, with plenty of bread to mop up the buttery leftovers. Then came Prawn Rissóis (fried croquettes) which are often eaten cold in Portugal. These were hot half-moon humdingers - order several.

Prawn Rissóis

Two vegetarian dishes came next - a colourful plate of Chicory, Massa de Pimentao with Pear & Almonds and Wild Garlic, Asparagus & Fennel Migas. In the former, the peppery sauce kept the pear mostly at bay, and almonds passed me by, but you couldn't miss the chicory. Meanwhile, migas is a traditional Portuguese (or Spanish) bread pudding, usually made with leftovers. Here it was soaked in fennel and topped with the rest - very enjoyable, though a stretch to share between four!

Chicory, Massa de Pimentao, Pear, and Almonds

Ask nicely and you might get some off-menu Cuttlefish Rice in a rich broth - one of the highlights of the meal. And then go and order the delicious Cuttlefish & Pigs Trotters Coentrada so that it doesn't feel left out. Both are fine examples of the cuttlefish genre. Yes, that's a genre.

Cuttlefish & Pigs Trotters Coentrada

Moving on, Corvina and Picadito Algarvio is a stunning plate of white fish, "similar to seabass, but much tastier" according to one of several charming waiting staff that keep us informed, fed and watered throughout. Apparently, the corvina is caught around 6am in Portugal, and it makes its way to London for 6pm, so it's pretty fresh. And he's right, it is tastier than seabass, or at least our one was.

The last of the small plates was Bisaro Pork Tartare, Cozido Broth and Cabbage, another rich and moreish dish. Google tells me that Bisaro is a Central and Northern Portuguese pig, part-boar, of Celtic origins. Supposedly they originated in Gaul. All I can tell you is that it goes well with cabbage.

Bísaro Pork Tartare, Cozido Broth and Cabbage

According to Nuno, you've got to finish off with a sandwich. Or two. Pork Bifana with Yeast Mayo and Fennel had great flavours but some pretty gristly meat, so Beef Prego with Prawn Paste and Wild Garlic came out on top. Both benefitted from glorious bread, divided up with fancy knives that Nuno has a stake in (sorry). They are going to start selling them soon hopefully. Nuno Knives? NuNives? I'll stop.

Beef Prego, Prawn Paste, and Wild Garlic Sandwich

Naturally we ordered all of the desserts. Bolacha Maria Cake with Butter Cream & Coffee was lovely but forgettable. It's a cookie based cake that caught on during the Spanish Civil War, but apparently it was created in 1874 by an English baker. Feel free to dispel that. In the absence of some classic Portuguese Nata tarts, Tigelada, Rice Milk & Orange filled the custard void in style. It was served in rectangular slabs, presumably having been cut from ceramic bowls (cooked crème brulée style).

Even better was the Abade de Priscos and Port Caramel, a Portuguese BACON PUDDING named after Abbot Joaquim Manuel Rebelo from Priscos in Braga - recipe here. It's presented as a bright orange bar floating in a boozy bath - I'd rather see both the Abade de Priscos and the Tigelada in their traditional shape and form, but I can imagine that's of less interest to those who have been eating them all their lives.

That brings me to the showstopper, the Olive Oil Pao de Ló - a gooey, eggy, oily sponge cake, undercooked to perfection and comically plonked on the table in a paper bag. Grab your spoons and dive in - there's plenty to go around.

Olive Oil Pao de Ló

Gooey Olive Oil Pao de Ló

Eggy, Gooey Olive Oil Pao de Ló

What a damn fine lunch.

I make that about 15-0 to Portugal sem vinho. What have you got Spain? Over to flatmate Ali...

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Tuesday 5th May - The evening started with a tequila tasting session in Clerkenwell which we sadly had to leave before getting to the really good stuff (añejo), but dinner and drinks at Rosita & The Sherry Bar on Northcote Road in Battersea more than made up for it.

Cristina who, with her husband, runs both Rosita and Lola Rojo (a few doors down) welcomed us and explained the concept behind Rosita: introducing patrons to sherry by pairing their impressive range with the finest tapas. There aren’t many places offering us Londoners sherry (see also Drakes Tabanco), and when Cristina presented us with a booklet showing us the varieties, my ignorance was confirmed. Who knew there were so many types?

They range from the almost savoury Fino, which is the colour of white wine – this was the only one I’d had before – right the way through to the very dark and sweet Pedro Ximénez, which reminded me of malt loaf (in a good way).

Sherry bluffing time. Fino & Manzanilla are aged under a thin film of natural yeast called flor that prevents oxidisation, leading to the tangy, rancio, quality. Manzanilla is the saltier as it is cellared near to the sea. An aged Fino eventually becomes an Amontillado once the flor dies and the sherry begins to oxidise.

Amontillado La Cigarrera

Oloroso meanwhile is matured sin flor so it has contact with the air throughout the maturation process leading to fuller-bodied but still dry sherry. They are often sweetened to become Oloroso Dulce or Creams. The Pedro Ximénez & Moscatel sherries are made from the sun-dried grapes of the same name and, as such, are pretty indulgent. But that's enough technical stuff - we can discuss the Solera system another time (N.B. not to be confused with the Sun & planets and stuff).

All the oxidised sherry - Oloroso, Oloroso Dulce, Cream and PX x2

In true tapas style, we settled ourselves at the bar, and Cristina and her staff brought us glass after different glass of sherry, each paired with a couple of outstanding tapas plates. By the end of the evening, we’d tasted eight: a Fino, a Manzanilla, an Amontillado (La Cigarrera), an Oloroso (Maestro Sierra), an Oloroso Dulce (Cristina), a Cream (Solera 1847) and two types of Pedro Ximénez (Emilio Hidalgo and Maestro Sierra). We'll be back for the Mozcatel and Palo Cortado to complete the set.

We were narrowly divided on favourites. I enjoyed the salty Manzanilla (a bottle called I THINK, “En Rama”, La Guita), and Matt settled on the Fino (Maestro Sierra). Although, stiff competition from maltloafy PX at the other end of the spectrum.

Manzanilla I THINK "La Rama", La Guita

So far, I’ve focused on sherry at the expense of the superb food, which is equally deserving of attention, especially as we ate eleven plates of the stuff. Don’t leave without trying the Leche Frita (literally fried milk, but here an awesome custard and cinnamon flavoured dessert from the Basque region of Spain). Or the Iberian Chorizo. Or the Crispy Aubergine. Or the Josper grilled Octopus. Or the White Anchovies, the Chicken Croquetas and the Sherry & Oxtail Empanadillas. Oh, you get the picture. In fact, look at the pictures...they’re below. And then pay Cristina and Rosita a visit to see, and taste, for yourself.

Crispy Aubergine, Sweet Tomato and Balsamic

Roast Chicken Croquetas with Vegetables and Tomato Sauce

Octopus with Potatoes and Mojo Canario

Roast Pumpkin, Beetroot, Carrot and Blue Cheese "Cabrales"

Oloroso Sherry & Oxtail Empanadillas

FRIED CUSTARD! Leche Frita, Vanilla Ice Cream and White Chocolate Sauce

Go for one of their very affordable set menus and chuck in a sherry flight or two. And if you are feeling brave, head down on a Sunday night for Flamenco with your tapas.

If we're counting booze, I make that Spain 19-18 Portugal. Back to you Matt.

Thanks Ali - Only one winner here: London.

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P.S. If you are a Battersea local like myself, you might want to check out St.John's Hill Fabulous Feast - a week-long celebration of food and drink from 18th – 24th May. Special £15 menus will be served at participating venues on the Hill including Powder Keg Diplomacy, Ben's Canteen and Fish Club.

The Fabulous Feast ends with a massive street party and food festival on Saturday 23rd May from 11am – 5pm with local traders of the Hill running food & drink activities such as cooking lessons, tastings and demonstrations. The Great Battersea Bake Off will once again return after the success of last year's event. Get involved!

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Today on the blog, more recent eats around London, from Crouch Hill to Maida Vale via Marylebone.

Sunday May 3rd - First up, a trip to leafy Warwick Avenue for lunch at The Truscott Arms. Chef Aidan McGee has recently launched a new bar menu at Maida Vale's much loved gastropub, and the summer terrace is set to open any day now, but we were in the market for Britain's Best Roast 2014.

Ella (The Little Brown Book) and I made ourselves at home in their quirky first floor dining room that was once part of the Shirland Hotel. Two glasses of Chateau des Graves D'Ardonneau Bordeaux (an utter gem) kept us company as we perused the menu and the nutty décor.

We kicked off with a generous Truscott Meat Board (£7) and a colourful plate of Maple Cured Salmon with Compressed Cucumber, Pickled Beetroot and Sourdough Toast. Both delicious but possibly unnecessary when followed by one of their ridiculous roasts!

The Truscott Arms roast is truly enormous. Our epic board of meat & veg would have provided a stern test for Adam Richman if he hadn't thrown in the towel and turned vegan. As it all comes piled up on one slab of wood, you might as well get more than one type of meat and share it all around.

Choose from 35 day aged beef rump cap with red wine gravy, Free-Range English rare breed pork (pulled shoulder & roast loin) with mustard sauce, and Smoked English lamb leg & braised shoulder with garlic & rosemary infused lamb sauce served with honey roast root veg, roast potatoes, Yorkshire pudding & seasonal greens. Having been to one too many BBQ joints, the pulled pork shoulder seemed a bit out of place, but the beef rump cap and the roast pork loin were sublime. A very nice man kindly packaged up our 7th and 8th portions to take home - phew.

Obviously, we still had room for dessert though - separate stomach and all that. I kept things light with a fresh pot of Strawberries with Lemon Cream and Mint Granita whilst Ella committed to an indulgent Dark Chocolate & Pecan Brownie with Chocolate Sauce & Vanilla Ice Cream.

Three hours later, after a quick tour of the garden and function rooms cutely named after streets that the owners used to live on, we rolled ourselves outside and attempted to walk it all off in Little Venice.

Is it the best roast in London? I have NO IDEA! But it's a good place to start, and I'll definitely be back for the full dinner menu soon, or perhaps a pub quiz or two. There's plenty else going on too including film nights, wine clubs, art exhibitions and an exciting event called "Eating Sound" where dishes are matched with live music composed for the evening by Sam Bailey - the next one is on Tuesday 23rd September.

Not content with the one site, this June sees the opening of The Truscott Cellar in Belsize Park, a 60 cover wine bar with small British plates from Aidan McGee and design by Michel Schranz set over two floors. I'll be in the corner stuffing my face with their Cellar Skins filled with the likes of Blackened Lancashire Bacon, Wensleydale & Truffle Oil, Creamed Haddock & Spring Onion, and Wookey Hole Cheddar & Fried Leek.

Roasts in my sights : The Colonel Fawcett / Jones and Sons

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Saturday May 2nd - HOT SANDWICHES AND BOOZE TIL LATE - MUST BE WILLING TO GO TO N4.

That's pretty much all you need to know about Max's Sandwich Shop run by former Salt Yard FOH and Le Coq GM Max Halley. He's opened a lively little joint in Crouch Hill that slings out hot sandwiches with a healthy side order of alcohol to a funky soundtrack. Whilst in the neighbourhood (which I never thought would happen), we popped in for a couple of sarnies.

Beware - these are big sandwiches. After a couple of arancini balls, we were defeated by Chris' Infamous Robocoq (there's a sentence) - Confit Chicken, Chicken Liver Parfait, Chicory, Sweet Potato Fries and Wild Garlic Salsa falling out of two chunks of focaccia. What's Your Beef All About? was a tad too rich and salty for me, but a third team member arrived in the nick of time and polished it off, slutty gravy mayo and all. Gin & tonics and beers from Beavertown & Kernel went down a treat, and the music was right up our street.

Chris' Infamous Robocoq - Confit Chicken, Chicken Liver Parfait, Chicory, Sweet Potato Fries, Wild Garlic Salsa

If I lived slightly closer, I would be in here on a weekly basis. Great fun, highly recommended.

Check out the Faltering Fullback's sprawling treehouse garden whilst in town too.

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Thursday 7th May - Last but not least on this round-up, a lovely lunch at Carousel in Marylebone - a rotating residencies restaurant & events space run by the multi-talented Templeton cousins.

Whilst everyone has been making a fuss about Clove Club changing to an advanced bookings ticketed system of payment (popular in Chicago at Alinea, Next & co.), Carousel have been successfully doing it under the radar for a while now in a bid to avoid food wastage.

After curating the line-up for a few months, ex-Moro Chef Ollie Templeton is finally taking the reins himself (until 30th May) with his modern twist on traditional Spanish cuisine.

There's one sitting for dinner at 7.30pm which is a £35 4-course affair that starts optimistically in the Carousel garden with snacks a la plancha and fino sherry before moving inside. Lunch is a more casual affair and three classy courses will only set you back £21.50, or you can just grab a main for £9.50.

After some pretty fantastic bread and oil, we got stuck in to a light salad of Smoked Trout with Pickled Chicory and Chegworth Leaves and a moreish plate of Cuttlefish with Wet Rice, Preserved Lemon and Aioli that came with a little kick. I've been dreaming of the latter ever since, even after some of Nuno Mendes' tasty off-menu cuttlefish rice at Taberna do Mercado. Wet Rice, in case you were wondering, is effectively a risotto prepared without butter (gasp) - it's delicious, I promise.

Smoked Trout, Pickled Chicory, Chegworth Leaves

Cuttlefish, Wet Rice, Preserved Lemon, Aioli

The starters were followed by a comforting plate of Confit Pork Belly with White Beans and Romesco - beautifully cooked and just the right amount for a leisurely lunch, washed down with some fine wines and Kernel table beer. In the evening, you would also get a plate of Swaledale Lamb with Grilled Onions, Garlic and Herbs.

Confit Pork Belly, White Beans, Romesco

To finish, we shared a delightful little bowl of Rice Pudding with Rhubarb Jam and Pistachios - not something I would usually order myself, but thankfully we didn't have a choice! It's a smartly restrained way to end a perfectly balanced lunch.

Rice Pudding, Rhubarb Jam, Pistachios

Get down to Carousel before 30th May if you can to catch Ollie Templeton in action. Otherwise you'll be stuck with Leo Carreira (2nd-13th June), and wouldn't that be a disaster?

This post comes to you from California! Or at least that's where I was headed when I started this post. I wrote most of it on the plane in between showings of Interstellar & Birdman, both of which included far too much dodgy aviation for in-flight entertainment. Anyway, rather than transport you to Venice Beach (expensive), let me introduce you to Doodle Beach.

Unbeknownst to most East Londoners, the closest our fine city gets to Williamsburg warehouse fun is Testbed1 in SW11 - a slice of Brooklyn in Battersea. Turn left out of Bunga Bunga and never look back. Inside the sprawling space lies Doodle Bar, a hangout for hip RCA students and in-the-know locals.

As you may know, you can draw (or doodle) all over the walls with chalk, but there's so much more to it than that. Let's start with the beach.

OK, it's not the sandiest, but beggars can't be choosers (and it's preferable to hanging out on top of the Roundhouse with the rest of London). It's more of an "industrial beach", but there is real water (Ransome's Dock) and it's a mighty fine sun trap. Two out of three ain't bad. Arrive early to grab a table, but be prepared to move inside at a moment's notice around 10pm (security staff need a lighter touch).

Live music on Doodle Beach

This Summer, the Doodle Beach is the setting for several Saturday supperclubs, the details of which can be found here. But the real trick is to go on a Friday night when two of London's finest street food traders, Street Kitchen and Well Kneaded, can be found slinging out next-level burgers and delicious firebreads respectively. Street Kitchen's Foghorn Leghorn is right up there with Patty & Bun's Smokey Robinson and Boom Burger's... Boom Burger; and Well Kneaded's Carl is a living legend - seek them out. Street Kitchen are also on site for lunch Monday-Friday with a lighter menu.

Read about Street Kitchen's permanent home in Broadgate Circle here

Street Kitchen burgers at Doodle Bar

Well Kneaded firebreads at Doodle Bar

Louisiana Crawfish Boil - Saturday Supperclubs at Doodle Beach

Louisiana Crawfish at Doodle Beach

Live art on the Doodle Beach

What about the booze? Well, most bars don't live directly opposite a gin & whisky distillery. The latter of the two spirits is still resting inside The London Distillery Company, but their Dodd's Gin is ready to go. Unsurprisingly Dodd's features in several of Doodle Bar's cocktails, including a barrel-aged Negroni, but a simple G&T is an excellent plan B. Beers aren't too shabby either with the likes of Paulaner & Affligem on tap, and some fine bottles in the fridge. Worried #craftbeerwankers can waddle over to Draft House Westbridge round the corner for a wider selection.

When you inevitably have to move inside, swing by the free table tennis tables (are you reading Bounce & Ping?) before sneaking through to the overflow Testbed1 events warehouse. It's pretty basic (who need's chairs?) but the lighting is incredible and the atmosphere is electric.

Great food, top shelf booze, free games, loads of space, and a sprawling sun trap? Sounds awful.

Mon-Thurs 10am-11pm / Fri 10am-midnight

Sat 12pm-midnight / Sun 12pm-11pm

Doodle Bar - www.thedoodlebar.com

33 Parkgate Road, London SW11 4NP

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Neal's Yard in Seven Dials is one of those magical London spots that I'm always recommending but rarely visit myself. Homeslice is a smart pre-theatre option, but to best appreciate the space in all its green glory, go al fresco at Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels - a Parisian wine bar and restaurant from Experimental Group (Experimental Cocktail Club, Joyeux Bordel).

You can easily lose a few hours here working your way through their wine list whilst stuffing your face with charcuterie and cheese. I dropped in recently to have a look at some new Summer dishes over a few glasses of vino in the sunshine.

I'm no wine expert myself (yet) but we particularly enjoyed Clos Saint Fiacre Orleans L'Excellence Chardonnay, Loire, France 2013 and Thierry Germain Saumur l'Insolite, Loire, France 2013.

On the food front, we ordered Handmade Spinach Gnocchi with Ricotta & Almonds, Tuna Tatiki & Courgette with Sesame, and a Soy & Ginger Dressing and Fassona Beef Tartare with Spring Onions, Pine Nuts and a Quail's Egg.

The generous gnocchi was borderline dessert (in a good way) and indulgent in the extreme. The beef tartare had the right intentions but needed a touch more seasoning, whilst tasty tuna tatiki & courgette was subtle in its use of soy & ginger (enjoyably so).

Handmade Spinach Gnocchi with Ricotta & Almonds

Fassona Beef Tartare, Spring Onions, Pine Nuts, Quail's Egg

Tuna Tatiki & Courgette, Sesame, Soy & Ginger Dressing

Other new plates include a Summer salad with rocket, feta, peach and avocado, and Japanese aubergine rolls with dorset (?) and balsamic. However, you may find it hard to look past their ever present Posh Madame with Truffle Ham & Quail Egg. Either way, you'll be alright.

If the weather isn't holding, their dark, sexy interior space isn't a bad backup. Alternatively, hop on the Eurostar and pay the original Paris branch a visit. Santé!

Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels - www.cvssevendials.com

Mon-Sat: 12pm-12am / Sun: 12pm-11pm

8-10 Neal's Yard WC2H 9DP

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I'm going to finish off with a few bits of Food & Booze News which might become a regular feature. Let's start with some clickbait:

- Immerse yourself in alcohol at Bompass & Parr's breathable cocktail / booze cloud installation

- Kernel Brewery will no longer serve beer to drink in the brewery from 5th September

- Street Feast's Dinerama was forced to shut after a major fire but has since reopened

- London wins big at Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards

- Hotel launches dedicated water menu and "Water Butlers"

- Felicity Spector investigates the tee-total bar scene

- Town Hall Yard is the place to be at the weekend

- Feast launches 11pm-5am food delivery service

What am I drinking at home?

Well it's been the year of the Negroni so far for me (and many others) which has led me to seriously up my Vermouth game. Cocchi di Torino, Antica Formula and Lillet Rouge are all regulars in my fridge, but the winner has to be Belsazar Vermouth - a new German vermouth range crafted near the Black Forest that has exploded on to the bar scene. The secret ingredient is a mystery blend of Schladerer fruit brandies that is only known to a handful of people. Go and get yourself a bottle of Belsazar Red right now.

Looking up Belsazar led me to find Axiom Brands who represent the whole range here in the UK. Naturally, I nosed around and tried a few of their other brands that appealed. Here are my recommendations:

- WhistlePig 10 Year Straight Rye Whiskey - A 100-proof straight rye whiskey, aged for at least 10 years through a unique double barrel process. The Wall Street Journal called it "the essence of rye whiskey". Try it in a Manhattan with Belsazar Red and a dash of Axiom's Ratafia cherry liqueur. Buy WhistlePig 10 for £69.96 at The Whisky Exchange.

- Mondino Amaro - Once you've sorted out your vermouth, amaro is the next home bar essential. Mondino Amaro is handcrafted in the foothills of the Bavarian Alps using rhubarb, yellow gentian, and arancia amara (bitter orange) amongst other locally sourced botanicals. It's wonderful neat, but I would get out the Belsazar Red again and make some next-level Negronis and Americanos using a shot of each plus one more of gin or a splash of soda respectively. Buy Mondino Amaro for £23.45 at The Whisky Exchange.

- Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. - It's not all booze behind the bar; Meet Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. - a family-run company with roots in Charleston, South Carolina and Lexington, Kentucky. They have got you covered with a visually appealing range of bar staples including Aromatic Bitters from Colorado, Small Batch Grenadinefrom Napa Valley, and Bourbon Cocktail Cherries featuring Oregon cherries. Their Small Batch Tonicstars in one of W&P Design's magnificent Carry-On Cocktail Kits - guaranteed to brighten up your next EasyJet flight.

To further showcase my favourite back bar items and cocktails, I've recently added a little booze-box to the blog beneath the Instagram stream. Go on - scroll up and take a look. Nothing else to see here.

P.S. If you are a brand looking to feature in my world-renowned booze window, all you have to do is send me, let's say, 4 cases of premium spirits, liqueurs or beers so that I can really put it through its paces.

Soho's food scene has gone from strength-to-strength in recent years and Londoners now have a long list of outstanding, affordable eateries to choose from right in the centre of town. However, you do have to be careful where you go as the trend for no reservations, championed by the likes of Polpo, Burger & Lobster and Barrafina, is still going strong. Queuing is what we English do best though. Here are ten restaurants worth getting in line for:

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1) Bao - one of the hottest restaurants in London right now. Street food heroes Bao have settled down in a tiny space in Soho serving up their signature steamed buns and Taiwanese dishes. Queues start building before it opens at 12 for lunch and 5.30 in the evening, but it's worth the wait. Don't miss the Pig Blood Cake or the Fried Chicken Bao.

53 Lexington St, Soho, W1F 9AS - Mon-Sat: 12-3, 5.30-10

Bao on Matt The List // www.baolondon.com

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2) Pizza Pilgrims - another street food team turned permanent, Pizza Pilgrims quickly took over Franco Manca as the sourdough pizza darlings of London. There are two Soho sites (Dean St. & Kingly Court) so there's never much of a wait for a table. I rarely make it past the Salsiccia e Friarielli on the menu, with some deep fried mac'n'cheese ragu balls and a shot of their very own Pococello on the side. Oh, and there's table football in the basement of the Kingly Court site. The Dean Street site does allow two bookings per night for groups of 8 or more in "The Crypt".

11 Kingly St, London, W1B 5PW - Mon–Sat: 11.30–10.30 / Sun: 12–9.30

11 Dean St, Soho W1D 3RP - Mon–Sat: 11.30-10.30 / Sun: 12–9.30

Pizza Pilgrims on Matt The List // pizzapilgrims.co.uk

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3) Smoking Goat - take a bib and night vision goggles. Smoking Goat is a smoky, messy affair, and you'll most likely come out covered in crab or some other fantastic modern Thai twist plus plenty of eau de BBQ. The menu changes regularly but Fish Sauce Wings are usually there to start you off. You can book the "Lazy Susan Feasting Room" apparently, but otherwise it's time for another wait.

7 Denmark St, Soho, WC2H 8LZ - Mon-Sat: 12-3, 5-12 / Sun: 12-9

Smoking Goat on Matt The List // smokinggoatsoho.com

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4) Blacklock - one stop shop for all the chops. Blacklock from ex-Hawksmoor folk has quickly built up a large fan base who get in line for chops cooked over charcoal with Blacklock irons. Go all in for £20 to get pre-chop bites, and a huge plate of the day's skinny chops piled on top of chargrilled flatbread. You can reserve for lunch or for tables of 6 or more in the evening - huzzah!

The Basement, 24 Great Windmill St, Soho, W1D 7LG - Mon-Fri: 12-3, 5-11.30 / Sat: 12-11.30

Blacklock on Matt The List // theblacklock.com

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5) Flat Iron - Flat Iron in Beak Street has been around longer the most on this list but the queues are still there. A second site in Denmark Street has helped to alleviate the crowds. A beautiful £10 flat-iron steak is the reward for the wait (a lively basement bar with St John doughnuts in Beak St. makes time fly). Keep an eye out for Flat Iron burger specials.

Photo taken from Flat Iron Facebook page

9 Denmark St, Soho, WC2H 8LS - Mon-Sun: 12-11

17 Beak St, Soho, W1F 9RW - Mon-Sun: 12-11

flatironsteak.co.uk

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6) Barrafina - The most serious restaurant on the list, Barrafina in Frith Street was recently awarded a Michelin-star for their outstanding tapas. Once you are in, it's relaxed and fun counter dining, and the food is phenomenal. There are two more sites in Adelaide St and Drury Lane, but I suggest starting with the original.

54 Frith Street, Soho, London W1D 4SL - Mon-Sat: 12-3, 5-11 / Sun: 1-3.30, 5.30-10

Barrafina Drury Lane on Matt The List // barrafina.co.uk

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7) Bone Daddies - Bone Daddies arrived early to the London ramen scene before it exploded, and their rock'n'roll Peter Street joint still draws the crowds. Multiple visits are required to work through their range of ramens. Their late night menu 10.30-11.30 Thu-Sat might be a clever way to avoid queuing. They have recently opened a second site in High Street Kensington and also run Flesh & Buns in Covent Garden and Soho popup Shackfuyu. A third outpost in Old Street should be open by the end of 2015.

Photo from Bone Daddies Facebook page

Mon-Wed 12-3, 5.30-11 (Mon-10) / Thu-Sat: 12-11.30 / Sun: 12-9.30

31 Peter St, London W1F 0AR

www.bonedaddies.com

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8) Pitt Cue Co - another oldie in relative terms, Pitt Cue Co is an outstanding, 30-seater BBQ joint that started life on the street food scene under Hungerford Bridge. Get a drink in the bar while you wait before heading downstairs for all the meat and bone marrow mash. Exclusive hire is available on a Sunday night.

Photo Credit : Paul Winch-Furness

1 Newburgh St, Soho, London W1F 7RB - Mon-Sat: 12-3, 5.30-11 / Sun 12-4

www.pittcue.co.uk

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9) Balls & Company - the newest addition to the list is a meatballs focused joint from Australian Masterchef 2012 finalist Bonny Porter. It's been an instant hit with its simple but superbly executed menu, and the basement bar is a great spot for a drink whilst waiting for a table. Groups of 8+ can reserve tables, but there's not a lot of space! Don't miss the Wagyu meatballs or the Brownie with Persian Fairy Floss.

58 Greek St, Soho, London, W1D 3DY - Mon-Sat: 12-11

Balls & Company on Matt The List // ballsandcompany.london

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10) Polpo - Restaurateur Russell Norman's original Venetian bacaro in Soho was an early proponent of the no reservations theory, and Londoners continue to flock to Beak Street for ciccheti and spritzes in a stylish space. There are now six Polpo sites in London, and chef director & founder Tom Oldroyd recently left the company to open his own neighbourhood restaurant Oldroyd in Islington which has been earning him rave reviews.

41 Beak Street, Soho, W1F 9SB - Mon-Sat: 12-11 / Sun: 12-10

Polpo Notting Hill on Matt The List // www.polpo.co.uk

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Notable omissions:

10 Greek Street, Duck Soup, Burger & Lobster, Koya Bar, Honest Burgers, Spuntino

I'll see if I can scramble together a Yes Reservations post soon...

For this guest post on London's increasingly beery South Bank, I've turned to the well-informed Jezza from www.beerguideldn.com (@BeerGuideLondon.) He is one of a select group of London heroes that keep me in the know in their respective fields, and his guide to pubs and breweries in London is second-to-none. Over to you, Jezza...

Choosing where to drink good beer in and around Waterloo or on the South Bank used to be a simple task: you went to the ever reliable Kings Arms on Roupell Street:

This traditional pub in a gorgeous 'olde worlde' back street near Waterloo Station has long offered excellent Thai food (or roasts on Sundays) and more recently its beer range has gone from strength to strength. 8 cask ales sit alongside a keg range of growing quality and a small but well chosen bottled range from breweries such as Kernel and Fourpure.

But recently, and out of virtually nowhere, London's South Bank has become a beer destination oozing with potential for a great day out. Here are some of the new places to check out:

The Hop Locker - Owner Joel loves good beer, and this is reflected in the outstanding selection in this busy market stall in the bustling Southbank Centre Market, directly behind the Royal Festival Hall. This bottle shop cum bar provides such a great range of beers you'll always find something of the very highest quality.

Now offering 8 drafts and around 30 bottles, you can choose either to drink in the tiny bar area or at a table in the general market area. Breweries such as Magic Rock, Kernel, Moor, Siren, Fourpure, Beavertown, Burning Sky and Arbor feature regularly, so you can see it's very much the best of British brewing. The market is open Friday 12 -9pm, Saturday 11am - 9pm and 12 - 6 on Sundays and Bank Holidays, and you're sure to find some excellent food from one of the other market stalls.

N.B. The Southbank Centre Market (and therefore The Hop Locker) is not open this weekend (11th-13th September), but it will return on 18th September.

At the front of the Royal Festival Hall there are now three additional stalls offering good beer. Firstly, Beany Green - of Broadgate Circle coffee fame - is at the top of the steps leading down to the river, just beside the main front entrance to the Royal Festival Hall. Usually offering several beers from Bermondsey favourites Fourpure, they also offer guest beers from the likes of Partizan Brewing Co. & Pressure Drop.

At the bottom of the steps nestling under The Golden Jubilee Bridge you'll find Look Mum No Hands - again a South Bank offshoot - their permanent location is on Old Street - and then perhaps most prominently, Bleecker Street's burger and beer van - the third of the triumvirate who also have a permanent location elsewhere (in the case of Bleecker Street their regular venue is Old Spitalfields Market - read more here).

Look Mum No Hands offer up to 10 draft beers, including some outstanding selections from breweries like Beavertown, Moor and Magic Rock. Bleecker Street meanwhile currently offer 6 draft lines, often from standout American breweries such as Flying Dog and Brooklyn. However there's a great additional reason to come here: to eat their superb burgers, such as the award-winning Bleecker Black, which contains black pudding as well as their stand out 40 - 50 day aged beef.

Both Look Mum No Hands and Bleecker Street are likely to be summer only venues on the South Bank, so visit by the end of September to be sure to catch them in full swing.

Walking along the river towards Waterloo Bridge you'll soon come to the National Theatre, and here you'll find the rather excellent Understudy.

Don't be put off by the rather grey and foreboding concrete exterior: this super relaxed and comfortable venue offers a great selection of around 12 draft and 35 bottled beers, including many from excellent breweries such as London's Brew by Numbers and Siren Craft Brew from Berkshire.

Photo credit : Philip Vile

As you can see, the South Bank is now an excellent beer destination in its own right and a visit is highly recommended.

Guest post written by Jezza, SW London, with photos (mostly) from Matt The List. Jezza's guide to pubs and breweries in London can be found online at www.beerguideldn.com

The site contains full details of The Hop Locker, The Understudy and The Kings Arms– including opening times, which you should check carefully while planning any visits. You can also follow Jezza on Twitter @beerguidelondon or @bonsvoeux1 for frequent updates.

Three relatively new openings to take a look at today - Morden and Lea / Lobos Meat & Tapas / The Fire Station

Translation: I actually went along a couple of months ago to all three when they were brand new, but then I skipped town for most of July & August. In my defence, I've since been to 200+ food and drink places in 60 days across West Coast USA, Edinburgh, Berlin and London, though I haven't written up any of those either. Search for #MattTheTrips on Instagram or Twitter for proof. Anyway, better late than never, right?

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First up, Mark Sargeant's two-floor modern brasserie Morden & Lea on Wardour Street, "named after cartographers Morden and Lea, who were the first to map Soho in the 17th century".

Morden & Lea has a colourful, eye-catching frontage that's best approached from Lisle Street. Upstairs you'll find a dining room for refined brasserie food (£29 for 2 courses or £35 for 3) and people watching views if you are lucky, whilst downstairs is a more relaxed space for a lighter, less spenny meal and a drink or two - that's where you'll find me!

We wasted no time and ordered some tartines (French open sandwiches) and small plates to share. Smoked Cod Roe with Bottarga was scooped up with fresh sourdough before several tartines were demolished. There are usually nine or so on the menu to pick from, mostly around the £5 mark. Broad Bean, Pea and Pecorino was much more thrilling than it sounds, and Lyonnaise Onion, Olives and Anchovy instantly converted an anchovy-abstainer.

We restrained ourselves on the tartines though as there was still Mark's Crab Sausage Roll (£8.50) to come. That's right, crab meat wrapped in puff pastry, served with a bowl of brown crab meat ketchup for good measure. Yes please.

Broad bean, pea and pecorino tartine

Lyonnaise onions, olives and anchovy tartine

The Crab Sausage Roll doing the rounds on Instagram

Before dessert, it was time to check out the eclectic cocktail menu. I kept things boozy with The Calvados Cocktail (Somerset Cider Brandy, Caol Ila 12yo, French Triple Sec, Orange & Pink Grapefruit Cordial) and a James E. Pepper - "Jamaican Rum meets Scottish Lowlands & Louisiana's finest tobacco with touches of Peruvian bitters, served with South American crisp". Translation: Appleton Estate VX, Auchentoshan 3 Wood, Jade Perique Tobacco Liqueur, and Bitters. Put a fair amount of time aside for this all-booze concoction.

I also returned on another occasion for a couple more. The Boulevardier with Redemption Rye and an olive twist went down very nicely, and then there was the bonkers Velvet Revolver Punch, Morden & Lea's Mezcal Monopoly number in an upturned shiny & chrome hat for £30. A third visit is required for a Rough Sketch - Del Maguey Vida, Diplomatico Blanco Reserva, Poppy Seed Milk and Charcoal Sugar. Their creative concoctions are mostly priced around £9-11.

The Calvados Cocktail - Somerset Cider Brandy, Caol Ila 12yo, Orange & Pink Grapefruit

James E. Pepper - Appleton Estate VX, Auchentoshan 3 Wood, Jade Perique Tobacco Liqueur, Bitters

James E. Pepper - Rum, Scotch, Bitters. Boozy.

Now - dessert. There are some great £5 options on the downstairs menu (e.g. Set Dark Chocolate with Mocha Sherbert and Buttermilk Pudding), but if you ask nicely you might also get your hands on one of the fancy puddings from upstairs. I'm talking Warm Sugared Doughnuts with Plum Jam and Hazelnut Ice Cream and their signature Gypsy Tart. The latter is a typical Kentish pudding that is basically pastry, muscovado sugar and evaporated milk - simple and sinful. Here's the recipe:

Mark Sargeant's Gypsy Tart

For the pastry (makes 500g):

125g unsalted butter

90g caster sugar

1 large egg

250g plain flour

For the tart:

300g pastry

400g evaporated milk

330g muscovado sugar

Combine the butter and caster sugar in a food processor. Add the egg; process for 30 seconds. Tip in the flour and process for a few seconds until the dough just comes together. Add 1 tbsp cold water if the dough seems dry. Knead on a floured surface then shape into a flat disc and chill for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 170C/gas mark 3.

Roll out 300g of the pastry and use to line a 21cm tart tin. Line the pastry case with greaseproof paper; fill with baking beans and bake for 15 minutes, then remove the baking beans. Return to the oven for 5-10 minutes until the base is a pale golden brown.

Whisk the milk and sugar together until light and fluffy (it takes about 15 minutes). Pour the milk mixture into the pre-baked pastry case then cook for 5-10 minutes until risen and the surface is tacky.

Remove from oven and leave to cool and set before serving. Done.

If you like the look of the Gypsy Tart, you should probably read this Telegraph article, before heading to The Marksman and Café Murano for similar puddings.

Mark Sargeant's outstanding Gypsy Tart - recipe above

Upstairs - Mon-Sat: 12pm-3pm & 5:30pm-11pm // Downstairs - Mon-Sat: 11.30am-1am

17 Wardour Street, Soho, London W1D 6PJ

Morden & Lea - mordenandlea.com

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You might also like this post - No Reservations : Soho

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Next - a trip to the hidden caves of Lobos Meat & Tapas in Borough Market.

Tucked underneath the railway bridge on Borough High Street are the doors to this meaty den from former Brindisa boys, Roberto, Joel, Cortés and Ruben. It's a funny old space, a little tight in places, but there are pleasing décor and lighting touches all around.

Feeling indecisive, we left most of the decision making up to our outstanding server who chose some fino sherries and tapas plates to get us going.

- Martini Olives - £4

- Octopus Vinaigrette - £5.50

- Croquetas - Ham, Chorizo & Smoked Bacon - £7

- Cazón en Adobo - Deep-fried Marinated Dogfish - £7.50

- Baked Tetilla Cheese - With Toasted Vegetables and Brandy - £9

- Arroz Con Costra - Chicken, Chorizo & Saffron Rice with Egg Crust & Morcilla - £8.50

The Martini Olives, though nicely presented didn't quite come off, and the Octopus Vinaigrette was pleasant but not particularly exciting. The rest however were winners. Croquetas and deep-fried marinated dogfish disappeared in no time before two eye-catching pots and pans arrived.

Baked Tetilla Cheese came soaked in brandy and was promptly set on fire, briefly illuminating our shadowy alcove - toasted vegetables might not be everyone's first choice to chuck in with molten cheese, but it worked well. Arroz Con Costra ("Rice with crust") was presented in its clay pot with chicken, chorizo and morcilla to keep the meat eaters happy. The cities of Elche and Orihuela both claim to the origin of the dish - either way, I'm glad it's made its way to London.

Croquetas - Ham, Chorizo and Smoked Bacon // Photo from Lobos website

Baked Tetilla Cheese with Toasted Vegetables and Brandy

We didn't leave a whole lot of room for one of their signature meat plates, but we soldiered on anyway. It was a tough call passing on the Chuleton (sirloin on the bone) and the Roasted Leg of Lamb (pictured below) but we opted for variety with the Iberico Pork Selection - Pork Fillet, Secreto and Presa to share with sides - £26.50

- Marinated Iberico Pork Fillet with Trintxat Potatoes
- Hidden, fatty Secreto cut of Iberico Pork with Mojo Chips
- Pan-fried Presa Iberica shoulder with Roasted Peppers

What's not to like? The matched sides are a nice touch, and it's perfect for sharing. Alternatively, you can order any of the cuts individually if you need something smaller after all of the tapas plates.

Pierna de Cordero - Roasted Castillian leg of milk fed lamb - £28.50 // Photo from Lobos website

There's plenty to enjoy at Lobos, and there were some particular high notes in the tapas plates, but it's up against stiff competition in London. Donostia in Pop Brixton and Barrafina (three sites) are top alternatives with a great buzz about them, though they don't match Lobos for mega meat cuts!

Mon-Sat 12-3.30 & 5.30-11 / Closed Sundays

14 Borough High Street, London. SE1 9QG

Lobos Meat & Tapas - lobostapas.co.uk

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Finally, The Fire Station in Waterloo recently reopened as an all-day hangout, totally refurbished, with a smart selection of food and drink to boot.

DISCLAIMER: I received a toy fire truck on arrival, so the following write-up may be biased

You can drop in for Caravan coffee from 7am (9am at weekends), settle in for breakfast every day of the week, swing by for a cheeky lunchtime or post-work pint, sip on boozy cocktails with friends, or nosh on sub £10 burgers and pizzas. It may sound like they are going down the Jack of all trades route, but when the alternative is The Wellington over the road, this is exactly what Waterloo Station needs.

Let's start with the cocktails (all £8-9). Most of the menu would fall in to the too-sweet-for-me category, but there are three interesting smoked cocktails (in honour of that I'd happily order again. The core booze is smoked in advance, rather than the cocktail itself, so the effect is subtle not overpowering. Not bad for a station pub.

- Cinnamon-Smoked Old Fashioned - Cinnamon-smoked Bulleit Bourbon, homemade cinnamon syrup

- Smoked Cherry Manhattan - Bulleit Bourbon, Jim Beam Black Cherry Bourbon, Herring Cherry Brandy, Lillet Blanc, Lillet Rouge, Cherry Syrup Oak Smoked

- Honey & Basil Smoked Daiquiri - Applewood-smoked Havana 3YO Rum, Lime, Honey, Basil

As for beer, there are nine or so on draught, plus a selection of ales. The range wasn't particularly thrilling (Birra Morretti, Amstel, Camden Hells, Meantime Pils - one of those would do), but if Beavertown Neck Oil Session IPA is always on then I'll be happy. You can also get some fine cans from their fridges (e.g. Beavertown x 3, Founders All Day IPA, Flying Dog Easy IPA and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale).

Cinnamon-Smoked Old Fashioned - Cinnamon-smoked Bulleit Bourbon, homemade cinnamon syrup

Smoked Cherry Manhattan - Bulleit Bourbon, Jim Beam Black Cherry Bourbon, Herring Cherry Brandy, Lillet Blanc, Lillet Rouge, Cherry Syrup Oak Smoked

Beavertown Brewery cans

On to the food, it's pizzas or burgers all the way, with a few sides to keep them company - watch out for that spicy coleslaw.

I sneaked one tasty slice of a Margherita (£7.95) before tucking in to a few of their burgers which have clearly taken inspiration from London's buzzing burger scene:

- Cheese - 6 oz dry aged beef patty, American mustard mayo, bacon ketchup, cheese, sliced beef tomato, little gem - £7.95

- Maple Glaze Bacon - 6 oz dry aged beef patty, maple-glazed thick cut bacon, cheese, American mustard mayo, sliced beef tomato, little gem - £8.50

- Black & Gold - 6 oz dry aged beef patty, black pudding, double cheese, American mustard mayo, sliced beef tomato - £9.95

- Glazed Short Rib - 6 oz dry aged beef patty, balsamic-glazed short rib, American mustard mayo, sliced beef tomato, little gem - £10.95

They were all suitably messy and meaty, but when Bleecker Street's award-winning Bleecker Black is a mere 5 minute walk away underneath Hungerford Bridge, there's no contest - the Black & Gold suffers in comparison there. More successful is the excellent Glazed Short Rib burger which would probably be my first choice next time, and sweet potato fries are always welcome.

Glazed Short Rib - 6 oz dry aged beef patty, balsamic-glazed short rib, American mustard mayo

Maple Glaze Bacon - 6 oz dry aged beef patty, maple-glazed thick cut bacon, cheese, American mustard mayo

There are of course better places for beer, cocktails, coffee, brunch, burgers and pizzas all over London, but The Fire Station does well on all fronts and is a great option with attractive interior design and tonnes of space, right next to Waterloo Station. Sold.

Mon-Wed: 7am-11pm, Thu-Fri: 7am-12am, Sat: 9am-12am, Sun: 9am-10:30pm

The Fire Station - thefirestationwaterloo.com

150 Waterloo Road, London, SE1 8SB

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Looking for great beer around London's Southbank? Look no further.

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Let's finish off with a few bits and bobs of clickbait news and nonsense on food, booze and events:

- Climpson's Arch Thai heroes Som Saa launched a crowdfunding campaign, and smashed it within 72 hours, raising £700,000+

- The folk behind world-renowned Nightjar bar have revealed details on their new bar, Oriole

- London Cocktail Week is just around the corner (5th-11th October) - get your wristbands now

- The only place for #craftbeerwankers to be tomorrow (19th Sept) is Beavertown Brewery for the incredible, trans-atlantic rainbow project

- The awesome Kansas Smitty's House Band are finally releasing their album in their Broadway Market bar on 23rd September before going on a tour of London bars including Nightjar's new Oriole bar.

- The list of new Michelin Stars had to be released a day early after a book store starting selling copies of the latest guide. Catch up on the winners (and Bib Gourmand awards) here.

- The Evening Standard has released The Progress 1000: London's most influential people 2015 - Food & Drink

- Caravan, Pizza Pilgrims, Brunswick House, Petersham Nurseries and more coming to the Frieze Art Fair in Regent's Park - 14th-17th October

- Couple quit jobs to run a pizza boat in the Caribbean

- Space whisky glass

- Space whisky

Thanks.

Today on the blog: Monster pizzas, Mezcal masterclasses, Michelin madness and more...

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Let's start with former street food traders Homeslice Pizza who recently opened their second permanent site on Wells Street in Fitzrovia, two years after launching in Neal's Yard. There's space for 70, plus some al fresco seating, meaning it's much easier to get a table at than the Covent Garden original. That said, you can always get takeaway if all else fails.

If you can, grab a seat in front of the pizza oven to watch the chefs at work, though beware, you won't have a great deal of room to eat! You can order any of the top three pizzas on the menu by the slice (£4 each), or you can go all out and get an enormous 20" pie for £20, with the option to go 50/50 on toppings. It's more than enough for two people, and you can pack it up if you don't manage it all.

Homeslice always has some interesting combos going on, and we were almost swayed by Goat Shoulder with Savoy Cabbage and Sumac Yoghurt and Mackerel, Broad Beans, Peas and Mint. Instead though we went full veggie, opting for half courgette and artichoke, half aubergine, cauliflower cheese, spinach and harissa. Both were delicious, though I'm not sure I'd have wanted many more rich slices of the latter.

London is spoilt for pizza choice at the moment (see Ben Norum's top picks here), and Homeslice's quirky creations are right up there with the best of them. I'm a big fan of the option to eat by the slice, and there aren't too many places that offer it - NY Fold and Voodoo Rays are your best bets elsewhere.

Homeslice's new site somewhat bizarrely also has a basement cocktail bar which was empty on our visit. Time will tell, but I wouldn't be surprised if this was an event space by the end of the year. For alternative booze nearby, grab a beer at the Draft House Charlotte Street before, and a cocktail at the World's Best Bar Artesian at The Langham afterwards. Sorted.

P.S. A third Homeslice will apparently open later this year in Shoreditch at 347-348 Old Street

Homeslice Fitzrovia - www.homeslicepizza.co.uk

Mon-Sat: 12pm-11pm / Sun: 12pm-10pm

52 Wells Street London W1T 3PR

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Post-pizza, I wandered back towards Goodge Street with Flatmate Maggie to confess my boozy sins at Reverend J.W. Simpson's underground abode. This cosy, clandestine cocktail bar skipped over the previous brothel-based tenants for inspiration, and instead looked to 1963 when Rev Simpson, whoever he may be, moved in for a quarter of a century. The stained glass entrance hall is stunning once revealed, and the shabby chic décor downstairs works well when the bar is buzzing.

We dropped in to attend one of their weekly Spirited Sermons, a series of informal masterclasses taking place every Tuesday throughout the evening (roughly starting at 6pm and 8.30pm).

Our night was all about Mezcal (loosely in honour of Mexican Independence Day) and agave expert Tom Bartram from Speciality Brands came down to give us a tutored tasting of four bottles and an introduction to Mezcal production. He spent a month in Oaxaca (Wahaca to us Masterchef fans), the home of Mezcal, and his unique travel pics from rarely visited distilleries were of great interest.

It all starts with the agave plant and a machete. The jimadors (harvesters) cut through to the piñas (the pineapple-shaped hearts) which are then cooked in the ground in covered fire pits for up to five days which gives Mezcal its unique smoky flavour.

This is where it differs from Tequila production. Tequila is technically a Mezcal, made only from the blue agave plant in the Jalisco region, but it is cooked in large industrial ovens for the most part and therefore doesn't get that smoky characteristic.

The roasted piñas are then mashed and left to ferment naturally with water. The resulting liquid is then distilled, and you're done! It's a lengthy, artisan process, which might make you appreciate your Mezcal a little more when you are handing over a £50 note in Amathus or The Whisky Exchange.

Tom told a whole host of entertaining stories, the most memorable being that of Ilegal Mezcal. New Yorker John Rexer bought a bar in Guatemala when drunk (as you do), named it "Café No Sé", and began smuggling unbranded Mezcal over the border using a combination of uncles, priest outfits and porno - "Regalos para mis amigos and libros para los niños". The booze became popular and was eventually named Ilegal for obvious reasons. The FAQ on their website is a great read - www.ilegalmezcal.com/faq-ilegal-mezcal

"No te preocupes. Yo tengo un tío."

We tasted two bottles of Ilegal, one aged in American oak (less common for Mezcal), along with some Derrumbes (sweet, spicy and boozy at 46%) and San Cosme (milky, almost chocolatey). The sweet and smokey young (joven) Ilegal was my favourite, just ahead of Derrumbes. Both have gone on the list for when I replace my almost-empty bottle of Del Maguey Vida (itself a great entry level Mezcal).

After the tasting, we also had a chance to mix our own cocktails with the Rev J.W. Simpson team, picking from a five-strong list of Mezcal Cocktails created especially for the Spirited Sermon evening by the bartenders. I kept it fairly simple with a Tommy's Margarita style Flor de Jamaica with Ilegal, hibiscus-infused agave, lime, and kaffir lime bitters, whilst Maggie got top marks for her Bandito - Ilegal, lavender, grape, herbal liqueur, and ginger, topped with champagne.

Bandito with a face

The Spirited Sermons are a fun and friendly way to get to know a spirit better whilst sipping on classy cocktails. They are continuing right through to the end of the year, so there are plenty of opportunities to make it down - I've included my top picks below:

/// 6th October 2015 - Rev Presents Spirited Sermon Special with Makers Mark ///

London Cocktail Week partners Makers Mark will be coming down for a Spirited Sermon Special. Guests can expect the usual exquisitely crafted Reverend cocktails, lashings of lovely bourbon, fascinating insights into the history and production of the spirit, and some good ol’ Kentucky fun.

/// 27th October 2015 - Day of the Dead Special with El Jimador Tequila ///

Dia de los Muertos is one of the great festivals in Mexico, where families and communities gather and dress up in parades to celebrate the lives of departed friends and family members, inviting the spirits back for a visit and helping their passage to the next life. A joyous time often lasting three days, skulls and skeletons are brightly coloured and detailed, with people spending a whole year working on their outfits and figurines. Expect face painting, dancing and raising glasses of Mexico’s number one tequila, El Jimador!

/// 24th November 2015 - Japanese Whisky, A Love Story – with Nikka Whisky’s Stefanie Holt ///

The birth of Japanese whisky is both beautiful and tragic, with the early attempts at recreating the magic nectar of Scotland in Japan finally coming to fruition with the birth of the two great Japanese whisky houses, and culminating in the incredibly intricate and complex liquids produced by Japan. These are recognised by experts and aficionados as some of the best whiskies in the world today.

Tickets are £25 (or occasionally £12.50 through Timeout) which gets you three cocktails, a tutored tasting of three spirits, and a spot of mixology practice. It's a no brainer. Get tickets here.

Autumn & Winter Spirited Sermons at Rev J.W. Simpson - www.revjwsimpson.com

Arrive at 6pm or 8.30pm for tutored tastings, cocktail making and boozing

32 Goodge Street, London, W1T 2QJ

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Back to food, the full 2016 Michelin Star and Bib Gourmand list was revealed a day early last week after a bookshop prematurely started selling the guide. Hot Dinners has all the info you need on the 2016 winners here.

Four of the six newly awarded restaurants are in Mayfair (Araki, Umu, Bonham's, The Goring) and are for the most part out of my price range. The other two are Fitzrovia's Portland (whose Game Pithivier nearly crashed Instagram), and Lyle's in Shoreditch - both big hits with the foodie community.

By chance, I went for lunch at Lyle's the day before they were awarded their first Michelin Star, and in all honesty, I was a bit disappointed. It was enjoyable but not thrilling; not one of the finest restaurants in London. Surely Robin Gill & co. deserve a look in first? Does it help to have a Sethi or Young Turk on board? What do I know? After all...

- Former Young Turk James Lowe wasn't in the kitchen - he was off being cheffy in Mexico

- I've only been once, and it was for lunch rather than the set menu dinner

- Several foodie friends whose opinions I value greatly rate it very highly

- I'd perhaps built it up in my head too much beforehand

Then again, it has a critics score of 6.5 on Hot Dinners compared to 8.5 for The Dairy, The Manor and Peckham Bazaar amongst others. Maybe South London isn't allowed Michelin stars...

The décor has come in for some criticism, but I actually quite like the minimalist, almost brutalist layout at Lyle's, with huge windows allowing sunlight to pour in. It seats 50 and opens early on weekdays (8am) when it does a roaring coffee trade.

Dinner is a £44 strictly set menu affair, but at lunch you can choose from ten or so dishes plus a few desserts. At £30 or so for 3 courses, it's not bad value, though I'd rather be treated like I'm on a tasting menu at The Dairy with 4 courses plus treats for £24 at lunch. Here's what we ordered:

- Duck Hearts, Cauliflower & Almonds - £6.90

- Blood Cake, Redcurrants & Dandelion (x2)- £7.50

- Saddleback Loin, Burnt Apple & Fennel - £16.50

- Dexter Flank, Onion & Pickled Walnuts - £16.90

- Monkfish, Greengages & Liver - £15.90

- Fig Leaf Ice Cream, Figs & Verbena - £6.90

- Treacle Tart & Milk Ice Cream (x2) - £6.30

Duck Hearts, Cauliflower & Almonds

Blood Cake, Redcurrants & Dandelion

Saddleback Loin, Burnt Apple & Fennel

Treacle Tart & Milk Ice Cream

My favourite bits? Probably the treacle tart (always been a sucker for it) with its fresh milk ice cream, followed by the complimentary bread and a bottle of Siren Calypso. The Blood Cake was no Bao, and the burnt apple really didn't do it for me or the saddleback loin it was accompanying. Dad's Duck Hearts were rather winning - I can't get enough of cauliflower at the moment - and his main of Monkfish, Greengages & Liver was the most successful large plate, though not something I would order myself.

Maybe it was just an off day, or perhaps the 40 minute Overground journey took its toll on me, but I won't be rushing to recommend Lyle's. For a different perspective, read Leyla's writeup on The Cutlery Chronicles. I wouldn't be adverse to returning, especially as the service was superb and the atmosphere very friendly, but there's plenty more on the to-do list so it may be some time. I should probably save up for Mayfair too, I hear they have some Michelin-starred restaurants there.

Mon-Fri: 8am-11pm / Sat: 12pm-11pm / Lunch: 12pm-2.30pm / Dinner: 6pm-10pm / Closed Sundays

Tea Building, 56 Shoreditch High Street, London E1 6JJ

Lyle's - lyleslondon.com

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10 restaurants currently on my hitlist: The Clove Club, Oldroyd, Craft, Typing Room, Naughty Piglets, Paradise Garage, Salon, Newnham Arms, The Marksman, Gymkhana

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To finish on a more positive note, here are some of the best things I've consumed this week:

- A load of beers at the magnificent Trans-Atlantic Rainbow Project event at Beavertown's taproom

- Epic 48 Hour Short Rib Beef Kare Kare from The Adobros Filipino Supper Club

- Gizzi's Bananas Foster Waffles from Waffle On at The Watch House

- Tortilla with Paprika fresh out of the oven at Park Road Kitchen

- Mum The List's GBBO-inspired Peach Frangipane Tart

- A monster 20" veggie pizza from Homeslice Fitzrovia

- Photogenic cocktails at Bermondsey Arts Club

- Flatmate Emma's Secret Chocolate Cake

- Lundenwic's Mini Chocolate Fondant

Today on the blog, booze and cheese from France to Finland via my balcony plus a look at upcoming London Cocktail Week.

Wednesday 23rd September - I went along to the UK launch of Kyrö Distillery Company at Opium in Chinatown. That’s Kyrö, not Cairo, folks - watch your pronunciation!

Kyrö Distillery Company started distilling rye-based whisky and gin in 2014 in a beautiful old dairy in Isokyrö, Finland.

Former stand-up Mikko (”Two Ks, One Beard” - not to be confused with Mikka or Miko) told us that they hope to be the best known rye distillery by 2022, and they’re off to a flying start with four fantastic products.

Let’s start with the Napue rye gin, named after a fairly disastrous battle for the Finnish back in 1714. It’s a 46.3% beast with 12 dry botanicals plus 4 special extras - meadowsweet, sea buckthorn, cranberries and birch leaves. These are added in distillate form in order to guarantee consistency from the unpredictable foraged botanicals.

It makes a great G&T - they recently won Best Gin & Tonic at the International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC) after an exhaustive blind-tasting process. It also stands up well in a Tom Collins and a Negroni - my kind of gin.

Then there’s the Koskue - a 42.6% barrel-aged gin that’s more suited to sipping and an Old Fashioned. Meadowsweet is dominant again here.

Juuri (meaning “origin”, or a starter dough for bread) is a 46.3% unaged, new-make whisky, but don’t let that put you off. It’s full of flavour (I got honey on toast mostly) and is best treated like Grappa or Pisco. Sours all the way then.

Finally there’s Verso (or “sprout”) - a 46.5% whisky, aged in white American oak for 4 months in small casks. Expect more honey and rye notes with some oak and sweetness on the nose.

They’ve certainly come a long way since Googling “How to make gin” a couple of years ago. I expect we shall be seeing a lot more of Mikka, Mikko, Miko and co. at Kyrö Distillery Company in the future. For now, pick some of their classy bottles up at The Whisky Exchange or order online at Master of Malt.

Rye Rye!

www.kyrodistillery.com

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Tuesday 22nd September - Now for some photos and words on an evening of beer and cheese matching with Comté Cheese at La Cave à Fromage in South Kensington, hosted by “curd nerd” Patrick McGuigan.

Comté is a protected cheese from the Jura mountains in East France. Cows produce milk in idyllic conditions - each one must have a minimum of 2.5 acres of pastureland to graze in the warmer months, and they eat local hay in winter, leading eventually to two distinct styles of cheese.

Photo provided by Comté PR

3000 or so small farms supply raw milk (unpasteurised) for around 170 small dairies. Here, the fruitières must craft the milk into cheese within 24 hours. They create curds with rennet, cut them into smaller pieces, and bring them up to 55°C. They are then poured into moulds, and the liquid whey is drained and left out. A few hours later, you have cheese!

Photo provided by Comté PR

However, there’s still a long way to go with Comté, as the cheese is then sent off to affineurs, masters of cheese maturation. They keep the Comté in affinage cellars at varying temperatures from 4 months up to 24 months, using all of their senses (and occasionally little hammers) to ensure that each cheese realises its potential, X-Factor style. A rind is also created here by regularly rubbing the wheel with salt.

Photo provided by Comté PR

After ageing, each wheel (about 80lbs & 3ft in diameter) is graded out of 20. 15-20 gets a green “Extra” label for being rather superior. 12-14 gets a brown label, and usually has some small defect e.g. a crack. Anything below 12 sadly cannot be called Comté and will most likely end up as cooking cheese.

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Now on to the beer & cheese matching. After a few glasses of Wild Beer Co’s celebratory Ninkasi (fittingly made on a cheese farm next to Westcombe Dairy), we tucked in to five pairings with a variety of brews and a mix of summer and winter Comté cheeses.

1. Harbour Brewing Co. Pilsner with 10 Month Summer Comté

2. Thornbridge Chiron American Pale Ale with 12 Month Winter Comté

3. Tiny Rebel Brewing Co. Cwtch Amber Ale with 18 Month Summer Comté

4. Siren Craft Brew Liquid Mistress Red IPA with 24 Month Summer Comté

5. Bristol Beer Factory Milk Stout with 24 Month Summer Comté

Harbour’s Pilsner was crisp and clean, almost palate cleansing, making you go back for more of the 10 Month Summer Comté. Thornbridge’s Chiron was a touch fruitier, going well with the nutty, less floral 12 Month Winter Comté. The beers got more serious as the cheeses got older and more complex, and Siren’s punchy 6.8% Liquid Mistress was the perfect foil for a 24 Month Summer Comté. We finished off fittingly with a Bristol Beer Factory Milk Stout, which has lactose added to prevent the yeast from fermenting, leading to a sweet, creamy beer.

I was more than a bit cheesed out by then end, and I’ll tell you about the dreams another time, but it was a very enjoyable exercise. Beer & cheese are fine bedfellows, and Comté is an approachable, subtle cheese with a fascinating, artisan production process. Get some for yourself and see!

Patrick’s final words of wisdom: If you keep your cheese in the fridge, put it in a paper bag in the vegetable draw so that the cold air flow doesn’t dry it out before you get to enjoy it!

Comté Cheese - www.comtecheese.co.uk

La Cave à Fromage - www.la-cave.co.uk

Patrick McGuigan - www.cheesechap.com

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Right, time to get serious. Next week (October 5th-11th) is London Cocktail Week. For seven days, London goes cocktail crazy, with popup bars, boozy events, masterclasses, tastings, guest bartenders, collaborations, and most importantly, £5 drinks, all over the city.

What you need to do:

1. Cancel all your plans for the week, and send your boss a bottle of [insert vice here].

2. Start making new cocktail-based plans for the week - check out my top tips below.

3. Buy a wristband for £10 here to take part in all the fun and to be eligible for £5 cocktails at 275+ participating bars.

4. Stock up on Ohayo in preparation for hangovers (or pick some up in the LCW Village during the week)

5. Once the week is under way, pick up your wristbands and guidebooks at one of the two main London Cocktail Week 2015 hubs, or one of three new "micro hubs":

- Soho - World Class London Cocktail Week Hub - 51 Poland Street, London, W1F 7LZ

- Spitalfields - The London Cocktail Week Village - Old Spitalfields Market, E1 6EW
- Micro Hubs - East London Liquor Co., Portobello Star, Ladies & Gentlemen

6. Spend all your Christmas money. You were only going to buy booze and socks anyway.

Matt The Tips:

There's so much to choose from that it's all a little bit daunting, especially to a first timer. If you are feeling keen, trawl through the LCW events page, and plan some self-guided cocktail bar tours here. There are plenty of free events which you will have access to with a wristband.

Here's what I'm looking forward to, vaguely in date order:

The London Cocktail Week Village - Old Spitalfields Market, E1 6EW

Old Spitalfields Market will be transformed in to a bustling drinks market full of bars, brands and booze. You can come here to pick up your wristband before heading out on a bar crawl, but you might never make it outside! Chivas Whisky Blending sessions, Bar Termini masterclasses and Soda Stream x Mr.Lyan pop-ups await. Upstairs you'll find The House of Angostura, a pop-up house party overlooking the cocktail village.

The World Class London Cocktail Week Hub - 51 Poland Street, W1F 7LZ

Last year, the central hub was in Seven Dials, but it's made the big move to Soho for 2015 and joined forces with World Class. You will enter speakeasy-style through a record shop to find all sorts if temporary treats and bars from the likes of Tanqueray, Ketel One and Haig Club with plenty of opportunities to make your own cocktails.

The Dead Parrot Presents "The Flying Circus" - 5th-11th Oct, Midday-11pm, 2 Ely's Yard, Old Truman Brewery, Hanbury St, E1 6QR

It's always worth popping in to one of Monkey Shoulder's crazy creations. This year, the team from The Dead Parrot bar in Sussex have created a bar themed on The Flying Circus in the Old Truman Brewery. What's not to love?

The Happiness Sessions - 5th-10th Oct, 3.30pm / 4.45pm, £20, Happiness Forgets, 8-9 Hoxton Square, N1 6NU

For one hour (and £20), you will be looked after by the world-renowned team at Happiness Forgets in an intimate group, drinking specially created Fords Gin cocktails and tasting spirits from The 86 Company. Book ahead for sessions starting at either 3.30pm or 4.45pm via reservations@happinessforgets.com.

Buffalo Bourbon Empire - 5th-10th Oct, 5pm-late, 1 Kingsland Road, E2 8AA

Buffalo Trace Bourbon always put on a good show in London Cocktail Week, and this year they have a pop-up bar in Shoreditch from 5pm til late, from 5th-10th October. There are several free events & masterclasses there during the week including a chance to sample this year's Antique Collection - more details here. Book now to secure your spot!

Auchentoshan & Ales Workshop - 5th-9th Oct, 5.30pm-9.30pm, Translate Cafe Bar , 12-14 Kingsland Road, E2 8DA

From 5.30pm-9.30pm Monday-Friday, LCW wristband wearers can drop in for free workshops with Glasgow-based Auchentoshan whisky. Guests will learn about the distilling process, make their own cocktails, and pair Auchentoshan whiskies with beers provided by Clapton Craft. You also might get to take home your own bespoke cocktail kit. All for free? Yes please. Email auchentoshan@whitelabeluk.com to book.

The Art of the Old Fashioned - 6th-10th Oct, 6pm-11pm, 347 Old Street, EC1V 9LP

Woodford Reserve Bourbon have created a pop-up bar in Shoreditch for LCW celebrating the Old Fashioned. Top bartenders including Jack McGarry of Dead Rabbit NYC and Marion Beke of Nightjar have contributed to a menu full of unique takes on the Old Fashioned, each priced at £5 for wristband wearers.

Oriole Pop-Up with The 86 Co. Spirits & Gin Mare - 6th-7th Oct, 8pm-10pm, £20, Bear Gallery, 8A Great Eastern Street, EC2A 3NT

The Nightjar team will be previewing 4 drinks from their hotly anticipated Oriole bar at a pop-up space in Shoreditch for two nights only. £20 all in. Oriole will launch in Smithfield Market on 20th November.

Bar Termini Masterclasses - 8th-10th Oct, 2pm, Bar Termini Stand, Old Spitalfields Market, 16 Horner Square, London , E1 6EW

Time your lunch break correctly and you can go along to some fabulous free masterclasses at 2pm at the Bar Termini stand in Old Spitalfields Market towards the end of the week. Just turn up on the day and join in to learn more about coffee cocktails, Italian aperitivo culture, or the increasingly popular Amaro category.

Ocho Tequila Vintage Tasting with Tomas Estes - 8th Oct, 4pm-6pm, Bear Gallery, 8A Great Eastern Street, EC2A 3NT

Living legend Tomas Estes (Tequila Ambassador for Europe and brand owner of Ocho Tequila) is holding a tasting session taking you through the Ocho Tequila vintages for free on Thursday afternoon. Book ahead or beg for a place if they are all gone.

Courvoisier : The Toast of Paris - 8th Oct, 6.30pm-10.30pm. £10, Looking Glass Cocktail Club, 49 Hackney Road, London, E2 7NX

Courvoisier are taking over at Looking Glass Cocktail Club for one night only, transporting guests back to Paris' Golden Age. There will be live music, cocktail demonstrations, entertainment, prizes and more. The £10 ticket includes one cocktail. Book yours here.

Last Great Malts at Mussel Men - 9th Oct, 5pm-midnight, 584 Kingsland Rd, E8 4AH

Brand amassador Jamie Mac will be introducing Dalstonites & LCW travellers to the awesome Last Great Malts range of whiskies (Aberfeldy, Aultmore, The Deveron, Craigellachie, Royal Brackla) that I had the pleasure of tasting from the source last year. Take my advice and book an £18 ticket for the masterclass at 6pm on 9th October, or go along for £5 cocktails throughout the evening. Get a dram of Craigellachie 19yo if you can.

24 Hour Bar Build - 10th Oct, 6.30pm-late, £35, N&C Showrooms, 3-10 Shoreditch High Street, E1 6PG

This sounds awesome. 24 of the world's best bartenders are splitting in to 4 teams representing New York, London, Paris and Singapore. Their mission is to conceive, design and build a cocktail bar & menu in 24 hours inspired by either Patrón Tequila, Bombay Sapphire Gin, Grey Goose Vodka or Bacardi Rum. The bars will open for one night only on Saturday 10th October from 6.30pm, and a £35 ticket (snap one up here) gets you access and 5 tokens for cocktails. Additional tokens for food and booze can be purchased at the venue. The winners will be announced at 10pm.

London Cocktail Week Wrap Party - 11th Oct, midday-midnight, East London Liquor Company, Unit GF1, Bow Wharf, 221 Grove Road, London, E3 5SN

Finish off the week in style at East London Liquor Company with oysters and bloody cocktails all day long. LCW wristband wearers can get their first G&T on the house. See you there.

On Trade - If you are lucky enough to own an on-trade wristband, and be largely free during the day time, then there are events galore for you. Imbibe have made a fine round-up here, and there's a dedicated page on the LCW website here. Your main issue will be deciding which World's 50 Best Bars after-party to go to - Trick Dog & Callooh Callay or Glass After Dark? Both?

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I'd like to finish with a new Matt The List segment - Balcony Booze.

I discovered last week that drinks look pretty great on my edgy, urban, industrial, unkempt balcony, so I've started taking snapping some beers, cocktails, and the occasional bottle that gets sent my way to share with you all.

Balcony Booze #1 - This week we have one of my favourite British beers, The Wild Beer Co.'s Modus Operandi - a glorious, tart, 7% old ale, oak aged for 90 days with wild yeast. Go and pick some up at your nearest #craftbeerwanker shop.

We also have the first in a series of Mr Black cocktails. Mr Black is a cold press coffee liqueur from Australia that was kindly sent my way, and I'll be showcasing it in a few cocktails this month. First up is the Black Negroni, a drink developed by Mr Black head distiller, Phillip Moore. You need:

1 part Mr Black // 1 Part Gin // 1/2 Part Campari // 1/3 Part Sweet Vermouth.

Stir with plenty of ice in a mixing glass, and strain into a rocks glass. Top with a citrus twist. I used Cocchi di Torino for my sweet vermouth, and Portland Dry Gin 33 from New Deal Distillery in Portland, Oregon. I've made several more since.

Matt The Jaunts preamble: Whenever I take Matt The List abroad (keep an eye out for #MattTheTrips on Twitter / Instagram) we fit in as much as possible each day, from the pre-brunch coffee and doughnut (two separate stops of course) right through to the final nightcap at a 4am bar or a late night pizza delivery (thank God for Sizzle Pie).

Highlights have included 15 food & booze stops and as many miles of walking on my first day in NYC with Tim back in 2014, and similar hauls more recently in Paris and Portland (Oregon) with a strong team, all of which deserve proper posts on here at some point.

After a silly summer of travelling and ticking off a tonne of places (including 120 joints around West Coast USA in 14 days), visiting American friends inspired us to embark on similar outings around London. It's an expensive game, and particularly exhausting for those with hefty work schedules, but we always love London a little bit more after an epic day out exploring.

So that's what Matt The Jaunts is...

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Route 1 : London Fields to Hackney Wick

Mentmore Terrace in London Fields

10.30am - Two tubes, two buses, and a train later, and boom I'm in London Fields. Just like that. Our first stop is Patty & Bun 'The Arch'on Mentmore Terrace. All-time leading points scorer Tim is already seated and has got his legs out.

Brunch buns are served from 10am-4pm on Saturdays and 10am-7pm Sunday, otherwise it's Smokey Robinson burgers all round. I power through a magnificent Smoked Ox Cheek, Scrambled Egg, Westcombe Cheddar & Pickled Chilli Bun (£6.50) whilst Tim desperately tries to contain Cheesy Scrambled Egg, Smoked Guacamole, Slow Roasted Tomatoes & Spring Onion Creme Fraiche (£5.50). Delicious carnage. Allpress Filter coffee with unlimited refills for £2 doesn't hurt either.

Smoked Ox Cheek Bun with Scrambled Egg, Westcombe Cheddar & Pickled Chilli at Patty & Bun "The Arch"

11am - We can't resist popping in to E5 Bakehouse next door for a treat. Brunch looks good here too, but on this occasion we come away with a gooey chocolate and sea salt cookie. They are pretty serious about their bread here, and there are often baking and cooking classes to get involved with. If you are craving pizza, pop in here on Sundays (or head to Lardo nearby). E5 Bakehouse is open 7am-7pm every day.

Looking for more coffee stops nearby? Try Climpson's Arch, Bolt or Coffee is My Cup of Tea.

Sea salt and chocolate cookie from E5 Bakehouse

11.30am - Two points already in the bag, and it's time for a loosener. Netil Market is hiding a teeny, tiny brewery and beer shop called ºPlato Brewing and Supplies so we stopped by for some 5% How Now Nut Brown Ale and a 5.4% Tenterhook IPA, direct from the source. Locals Olly and James join us, but they stick to classy cans of Red Stripe from another stall.

Netil Market is a glorious place; possibly London's loveliest little market. Be sure to visit if you haven't before, and start with a Bao bun and a Terrone coffee. It's open every Saturday from 11am-6pm.

Never been round the corner to Broadway Market? Head to The Cat & Mutton for Mother Clucker fried chicken, Hill & Szrok for next-level meat, and Kansas Smitty's for jazz and juleps.

Beer taps at Plato Brewing & Supplies in Netil Market

Plato Brewing & Supplies beers in Netil Market

12pm - Since it's sunny, we head up countless (three) flights of stairs to reach the Netil 360 Rooftop, only to find that it's their "closing party" and £3 entry despite it being a) midday and b) totally empty. No deal.

We celebrate our combined £12 saving by snacking on artisan croissants and a Breton-style Kouign-amann (key-in-your-man) from Yeast Bakery. N.B. It's only open on Saturdays from 9.30am-5pm (at the time of writing).

A couple more local London Fields tips:

- A new bar and restaurant from Night Tales called NT's has just opened with top booze, a great view, and banging food from street food heroes Morty & Bob's. Check out my photos from a recent visit on Matt The Tumblr.

- Leo Carreira is about to start his residency at Climpson's Arch. Som Saa will be a hard act to follow, but the ex-Viajante chef is more than capable of handling that.

Kouign-amanns from Yeast Bakery

12.30pm - We trade O&J in for Sparkles, an experienced team member from our recent USA road trip, and head down Well Street towards the relatively new Mother Kelly's Bottle Shop. I'm a huge fan of the original Mother Kelly's in Bethnal Green. This little sister site in Homerton is currently just open for bottle sales and growler fills - no drinking in. Ask nicely and you can taste some stuff from the taps. Rumour has it they are converting the basement in to a drinking den. I'll be back. Damn fine bottle selection unsurprisingly.

After something stronger? Head over to Brahms & Liszt on Chatsworth Road for all the Mezcal and more in an off-beat off license and tasting room from Quiquiriqui queen Melanie Symonds.

Growler fill station at Mother Kelly's Bottle Shop

Great sharing bottles at Mother Kelly's Bottle Shop

Cans for the road from Mother Kelly's Bottle Shop

1pm - We purchase some high-class roadie cans for later, and head a few doors down to The Gun, a charming little pub with a vintage façade. The nice lady behind the bar kindly agrees to chill our Mother Kelly's stash whilst we sip on brews from Buxton, Partizan and Pressure Drop, and watch Spurs struggle against City.

1.30pm - Ella comes to join in the fun, and we ascend to The Gun's modest rooftop for a game or two of Shut The Box. I proceed to Batten Down The Hatches at the first time of asking. Downstairs, Spurs have found their shooting boots. It's all coming together.

Anything else nearby? Well Street Kitchen looks friendly, and a new neighbourhood bar called Machine No.3 is opening any day now.

The Gun on Well Street

Shut The Box!

2.30pm - Ella is too good at Shut(ting) The Box so we push on for Hackney Wick with our crafty Mother Kelly's cans, stopping for roadside LPs at Vinyl Pimp and incredibly slow coffees at The Hackney Pearl, a colourful café with lots of al fresco seating.

Seminal records at Vinyl Pimp

The Hackney Pearl

3pm - We level up from a strong quartet to a five-a-side team as List Leader 2013-14 Natalie joins us at Hackney Wick station. We march on to Crate Brewery and Pizzeria for... well, beers and pizza. It's a marvellous spot for outdoor boozing on the canal, especially when the sun is out, though the interior design is worth a look too, as is their Brew-Shed events space down the road.

The core beers are solid if not terribly exciting, though a couple of specials and a Crate sour catch the eye before I realise there are some awesome American bottles in the fridge. A big bottle of The Bruery Reueze all the way from San Diego is reasonably priced - another beer is ticked off the bucket list.

Their pizzas do the job, though there are many better and less expensive examples of the genre in London these days. Across the car park, Burgerhub are slinging out enormous burgers for £6 - just sayin'. Our sixth and final team member Andy heads straight for it.

Crate Brewery and Pizzeria

A bottle of The Bruery Rueuze from San Diego at Crate Brewery and Pizzeria

Courgette, Feta, Red Onion and Gremolata pizza at Crate Brewery & Pizzeria

4.30pm - Our ultimate stop is the Howling Hops Tank Room bar, where 10 beers are served super fresh, directly from the brewery tanks. It's a beautiful, enormous room, evoking America's spacious brewery taprooms more than our Network Rail cupboards. Howling Hops grew up brewing out of The Cock Tavern's basement, but they have really moved up the property ladder here - something to aspire to!

Howling Hops Tank Room Bar

Tim & Sparkles sharing

Natalie's tankards

Big Ella or small beer?

From Howling Hops, our ninth stop in 6 hours, we all go our separate ways, though there's plenty else nearby to enjoy. Counter Café & Roastery is another special spot on the canal, and you could peek behind the scenes Sandows cold brew coffee brewery and Truman's Beer round the corner if you so wish.

Got some suggestions for additions to this route? Want to send us out around another part of London? Leave comments below and I'll get back to you straight away.

Scores on the doors - 9 food & drink stops, 8 of them new to us: Tim (8), Sparkles (4), Ella (4), Olly (2), James (2), Natalie (1), Andy (1). Check the Team List leaderboard here.

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Coming up on Matt The Jaunts :

King's Cross to Camden // Duck & Waffle to Dandelyan // Balham to Brixton

Another collaborative post with Jezza from www.beerguideldn.com (@BeerGuideLondon). He is one of a select group of London heroes that keep me in the know in their respective fields, and his guide to pubs and breweries in London is second-to-none. Most of the words are from Jezza and most of the photos are from me.

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Visiting New York a few years ago I - and other beer tourists - noticed a sudden proliferation of a new type of beer place. These are essentially beer shops which allow customers to choose any bottle from the shelves and drink it on site. Later versions often included a bespoke bar offering draft beers, which doubled up as a growler filling station for off sales. In short, they were a perfect illustration of what I will call - for the purposes of this article - 'bottle shop bars': a combination of a bottle shop and a bar.

Like most good American ideas it didn't take long for this concept to reach the UK, and in London we now have a number of rather excellent establishments offering variations on this basic concept. The most fully developed example is probably Mother Kelly's in Bethnal Green, but this is definitely more of a fully fledged bar with a bottle shop rather than bottle shop with a bar. Visit and you'll see what I mean.

At the other end of the scale - bottle shops with on site drinking possibilities - here are some of London's best:

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We Brought Beer - 28 Hildreth St, SW12 9RQ / 78 St John's Hill, SW11 1SF

Opened in Balham earlier in 2015, this smart and deceptively simple place has been such a stunning success that their second branch opened this week (Weds 28 October) offering around 450 beers in Clapham Junction (78 St John's Hill, SW11 1SF). The new site is bigger than the original, with a heated garden out back and a useful tasting room upstairs for 'meet the brewer' events and brewing workshops. Both outposts have 4 draft lines for growler fills and that all important on site drinking.

In Balham, on hip Hildreth Street, there's an immaculate range of 350 top quality bottles from around the world. Grab a beer and a stool, sit down and enjoy whilst perusing the fine range on the shelves. Rarities from Port Brewing, AleSmith and Hopping Frog are typical of the US selection, complemented by a great choice from the UK in the overall range.

Order beers online at Hubbub and enter WBB20 to get £20 off your first order

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Hop Burns and Black - 38 East Dulwich Road, SE22 9AX - Closed Mondays

This smart but cosy and welcoming shop between East Dulwich and Peckham Rye opened at the tail end of 2014 but already feels like a well established part of the London beer scene. New Zealanders Jen and Glenn are incredibly friendly hosts, organising regular special events to go alongside their excellent range of high quality beers from around the world, hot sauces and vinyl (these three elements giving the shop its quirky but accurate name).

New outside seating - with heaters for the winter - provide additional space in which to enjoy a beer. And just check out that amazing flagon filling station - a state of the art beauty offering an eclectic and top quality range of fine draft beers to take away and enjoy at home.

Order beers online at Hubbub and enter HBURNS20 to get £20 off your first order

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The Bottle Shop - 128 Druid Street, SE1 2HH - Saturdays only

Druid Street is perhaps the epicentre of the famous Bermondsey Beer Mile, being home to two breweries and the excellent Bottle Shop. This is a great example of a bottle shop bar. You can choose from any of the 200+ bottles and drink them here - or choose one of the ever changing drafts. Enjoy your beer in the seating area high up on the mezzanine level. With regular tap takeovers and 'meet the brewer' events with some of the country's best breweries, and an outstanding selection of bottles, you are sure to find something of interest here. Note the restricted opening hours, which are listed in our Guide entry here (currently open Saturday only).

Order beers online at www.bottle-shop.co.uk and get 15% off with a BottShop15 code

Photo taken by The Bottle Shop

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The Hop Locker - Southbank Centre Market, Belvedere Rd, SE1 8XX - Friday-Sunday

Being a market stall in the bustling Southbank Centre market, just behind the Royal Festival Hall on the South Bank, The Hop Locker is a variation on the theme. However, as it offers drafts and bottles to drink at the market it still fits the bill of being a 'bottle shop bar' selling the best of UK beer to take away or drink on site. The range is expanding all the time and knowledgeable owner Joel now offers around 50 bottles and 8 constantly changing draft lines. While The Hop Locker only serves beer, there are plenty of food options from the other market stalls - many of them excellent. Wrap up warm over the next few months, however, as the drinking here is necessarily all outdoors. Open Friday, Saturday and Sunday only at the time of writing.

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The Wanstead Tap - 352 Winchelsea Road, E7 0AQ - Closed Mondays

Another variation on the theme, The Wanstead Tap is many things under one roof: bottle shop; bar;

coffee shop; events space; cinema and general community space. While it may sound like it's trying to be all things to all people, they appear to do all these things well: the beer range is over 100 and very high quality, at excellent prices. So it's well worth the 10 minute walk from Forest Gate or Wanstead Park stations, but check the opening times carefully before you set off.

Photo provided by @BonsVoeux1

Photo provided by The Wanstead Tap

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The Beer Boutique - 134 Upper Richmond Rd, SW15 2SP

Belgian Marc opened The Beer Boutique in 2010 in between East Putney and Putney stations. It got off to a slow start, fighting over licence issues, but has grown into a fantastic bottle shop with 400+ beers and two (very affordable) draft lines. There's a reasonable 25p corkage charge to drink in, which won't bother you greatly if you are tucking in to sharing bottles from the likes of The Bruery and Rodenbach.

Much like Hop, Burns & Black, they have a fondness for vinyl, though it's not on sale here. It's one of the more homely bottle shops on the list - a place you'll want to spend all day in. Keep your eyes peeled for events and tastings on their website.

Opening times: Sun-Wed 12-8, Thu 12-9, Fri 12-9.30, Sat 11-9.30

Order beers online at www.thebeerboutique.co.uk

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Drink of Fulham - 349 Fulham Palace Rd, SW6 6TB - Closed Mondays

Technically called Dr.Ink of Fulham, this friendly bottle shop was ahead of its time when it opened in 2010, allowing customers to open bottles on-site to drink in the heated front garden, at no extra cost. On top of that, owner Shrila sells her own freshly made Gujurati curry pastes on a daily basis, and wonderful snacks on Saturdays (70p samosas!). To drink, you'll find world beers from the likes of Mikkeller, De Molen and Ballast Point alongside a wide range of British ales and craft beers. It's not the easiest place to get to, but it's worth the 10-15 minute walk from Putney Bridge and Parsons Green tube stations. The 220, 430 and 74 buses go very close too.

Opening times - Tue-Fri 2-8, Sat 11.30-8, Sun 12-4

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Thanks to Jezza for writing the majority of this post. His guide to pubs and breweries in London can be found online at: www.beerguideldn.com

The site contains full details of Mother Kelly's, We Brought Beer, Hop Burns and Black, The Hop Locker, The Bottle Shop and The Wanstead Tap – including opening times, which you should check carefully while planning any visits. You can also follow Jezza on Twitter @beerguidelondon or @bonsvoeux1 for frequent updates.

If you enjoyed this post, you may also like to read our recent post on Beer on the Southbank, and Jezza's up-to-date guide to the Bermondsey Beer Mile.

Morty & Bob's - Café Murano - Glenmorangie Unseen Bar

The Bottle Shop Popup - Milroys of Soho - The Vault - New Evaristo Club

Ceviche Old Street - Mr.Fogg's Tipsy Tea - Street Food at Voltaire

Queenswood - Flour To The People - Ben's Canteen - Social Pantry

Joyeux Bordel

Bao - Bleecker Burger - One Mile End Brewery at The White Hart Brewpub

Model Market - 5CC at Singer Tavern - LCC Islington

Dalston Yard - Dalston Roof Park

That Hungry Chef - Zoe's Ghana Kitchen - Smokehouse - Joe's Southern Kitchen

Bean & Hop - By The Horns - We Brought Beer - The Beer Hive - UBREW

Taberna do Mercado - Rosita & The Sherry Bar

The Truscott Arms - Max's Sandwich Shop - Ollie Templeton at Carousel

Doodle Bar - Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels - Food & Booze News

No Reservations - Soho

Jezza's Guide to Beer on the Southbank

Morden & Lea - Lobos Meat & Tapas - The Fire Station - News

Homeslice Pizza - Spirited Sermons at Reverend J.W. Simpson - Lyle's - Highlights

Kyrö Spirits at Opium - Beer & Cheese with Comté - London Cocktail Week Preview - Balcony Booze

Matt The Jaunts : London Fields to Hackney Wick

London's Bottle Shop Bars