Devonshire Arms

"The Devonshire is one bonnet and an orphan away from being the set of a Dickens film—in the best way possible. At the flawless pub and British restaurant in Soho, roaring fires make cheeks flush, groups sink bottles of 2019 Barolo Sorano, and perfect Guinnesses are served to those who are two pints away from doing their best “please, sir, I want some more” impression. The people behind The Devonshire understand that pubs should be warm places and the soundtrack in the dining room is all humming conversation and the crackling fire responsible for your fall-apart Iberico pork ribs. The menu single-handedly rehabilitates the image of dishes like suet pudding, which comes with buttery, light pastry and rich beef stew. Bookings are released at 10:30am on Thursdays for the following three weeks. Embrace a very early dinner or late lunch: these are the last tables to go, and messing with your body clock is worth it. There’s a roof terrace for walk-ins on warmer days—ask nicely, and you could be sharing a pile of langoustines alfresco. We’ve also noticed last-minute reservations become available throughout the week." - jake missing, rianne shlebak, sinead cranna, heidi lauth beasley

"No area in London is more set lunch-ready than Soho, and in The Devonshire, there’s another restaurant where two or three courses can take as long as you want them to. The upstairs dining room at this excellent pub was born with old-school charm, and a set menu with British dishes like prawn and langoustine cocktail, steak and chips, and sticky toffee pudding, only ladles on that classic long lunch feeling. Bookings are released at 10:30am on Thursdays for the following three weeks. Embrace a very early dinner or late lunch: these are the last tables to go, and messing with your body clock is worth it. There’s a roof terrace for walk-ins on warmer days—ask nicely, and you could be sharing a pile of langoustines alfresco. We’ve also noticed last-minute reservations become available throughout the week." - jake missing, sinead cranna, rianne shlebak

"Verdict: This restaurant above a pub is one orphan and a frilly bonnet away from being a Dickens film set. Roaring fire, wooden floors, and pressed white tablecloths aside, The Devonshire serves some of the best British food in London. It’ll convert you to suet pudding and press a perfect pint of Guinness into your hand. While you’re waiting for a booking, here are some great alternatives. Bookings are released at 10:30am on Thursdays for the following three weeks. Embrace a very early dinner or late lunch: these are the last tables to go, and messing with your body clock is worth it. There’s a roof terrace for walk-ins on warmer days—ask nicely, and you could be sharing a pile of langoustines alfresco. We’ve also noticed last-minute reservations become available throughout the week." - jake missing, sinead cranna, rianne shlebak, heidi lauth beasley

"This is a 'treat yourself' pint, best enjoyed in The Devonshire’s handsome upstairs dining room while eating a plate of lamb hotpot and mopping up leftover gravy with duck fat chips. Blame your flushed cheeks on the open fire where chefs finish off hulking cuts of meat, not the two pints you just sank. Not eating? The downstairs bar of the Soho spot is charming and crowded, and the wood panelling and burgundy paint job feel very Mad Men-meets-Dickens. Bookings are released at 10:30am on Thursdays for the following three weeks. Embrace a very early dinner or late lunch: these are the last tables to go, and messing with your body clock is worth it. There’s a roof terrace for walk-ins on warmer days—ask nicely, and you could be sharing a pile of langoustines alfresco. We’ve also noticed last-minute reservations become available throughout the week." - sinead cranna

"The upstairs dining room at The Devonshire is the kind of warm, Dickensian-esque place we could hunker down in for hours, perusing a handwritten menu of comforting British classics while a fire roars, then mopping up leftover gravy with duck fat chips. Come for some of the city’s best British food that’s single-handedly rehabilitating the image of suet pudding and lamb hotpot. The downstairs pub is also a charming, crowded place serving one of London’s best pints of Guinness. Bookings are released at 10:30am on Thursdays for the following three weeks. Embrace a very early dinner or late lunch: these are the last tables to go, and messing with your body clock is worth it. There’s a roof terrace for walk-ins on warmer days—ask nicely, and you could be sharing a pile of langoustines alfresco. We’ve also noticed last-minute reservations become available throughout the week." - jake missing, rianne shlebak, sinead cranna, daisy meager