The Grand

From the outside things don't look particularly promising: a bleak façade in a relatively mundane street. But The Grand is a discrete haven of great cocktails and equally great food, with all the action set about an internal courtyard. The townhouse dining room is crisp and minimalistic while the bar, in a separate room but overlooking the same courtyard, has dark leather seating, a heavy dominating granite bar and dim lighting.

The cocktail menu specialises in 'restorative' drinks, offering plenty of well-made fizzes and refreshing long drinks over ice, all served in bulbous wine glasses. We tried a Tanqueray Fizz and a Grandpolitan, a twist on the Cosmo, and found both drinks to be balanced and flavoursome. Things don't kick off here until around 10pm and by 11 there's not much chance of landing a seat but the atmosphere is controlled and enjoyable.

With a clientele that ranges from celebrities and sports stars to 'normal' people, this is something of a hidden gem.