A real mix of styles, The Churchill Arms is a winning combination of local boozer and humble Thai eatery. Found enshrouded in a constellation of hanging baskets that burst with flowers in the summer months, once you step inside you’ll be faced with what appears to be the archetypal Old Man Pub, compete with murky carpet and sticky beer mats. However, push further in to the right of the bar you’ll reach another mini jungle of hanging flora where they serve earnestly good Thai food at amazingly low prices. What makes this place is that it’s everything you want, without any frills. The beer is on tap and the carrots aren’t carved into roses; the dishes are filling and there’s a distinct lack of incense.

119 Kensington Church St., Kensington, W8 7LN. Tel: 020 7727 4242

A quintessential English pub, equally perfect for wowing Americans or as a trusty alternative to your local. Giving it its charm are a series of dark wood dividers that used to separate drinking spaces for the riff raff and the toffs, and now carve up the interior into homely nooks and crannies where you can tuck yourself away. Out back there’s a walled beer garden that is perfect for whiling away a summer’s afternoon. Serves a selection of authentic ales and more common lagers to cater for the Notting Hill crowd that frequents it.

114 Campden Hill Road, Notting Hill Gate, W8 7AR. Tel: 020 7243 9551. Web: www.windsorcastlepub.co.uk