The Canonbury Tavern, N1

We made this our final pub of the day because one of our number was seduced by the prospect of a pint of Sambrook's Wandle (£3.60 a pint). The other ales on were London Pride, Doom Bar, and Truman Attaboy. This is not the sort of ale selection for which I would make a special effort to visit a pub. This looks very much like a pub from the outside, but when you enter you swiftly realise that you are in a restaurant with a hotel lounge attached to it. The dining room occupies a large area to the right, with the drinking area as you enter furnished with a mix of tall tables/tall benches, light coloured upholstered banquettes and scrubbed pine coloured tables. There's nothing original left inside, with the place having been madeover to death. It definitely qualifies as a gastropub, though there was the odd thing on the the menu that I vaguely recognised - e.g. Steak & Guinness pie with winter greens and butternut squash (for £13.95). There was a fair bit of outside seating, and I would guess that this would be the best place to sit when the weather was fine enough. I'm sure there must be loads of Canonbury and Islington residents who reckon this place is the height of comfort and sophistication, and good luck to them I say. But I'm unlikely to visit again.

Distinctly upmarket bar/restaurant, which has been substantially refurbished with modern decor and furniture. The building has been opened out to form a 'U'-shaped space, one branch of which is set aside as the dining area. There is also the 'Blue Room' upstairs and a large patio beer garden at the back. Attentive bar staff. Relaxed atmosphere. Three beers on handpump - Landlord, Pride and Doom Bar (£3.80, in good condition and served in the right glass). Not really my sort of place, but as these things go I thought it pretty well done.