King Charles I, King's Cross

55-57 Northdown Street, King's Cross, N1 9BL

The King Charles I is a tiny one-room pub down a King's Cross back street, and although at first glance it might appear to be a traditional spit-and-sawdust boozer (nothing wrong with that!), upon closer inspection it's actually quite an eclectic place.

This is admittedly quite a lively pub, so although it isn't the place to come for a quiet drink, it's friendly and quirky and certainly worth checking out for a pint if you're in the area.

Cosy rating: 8/10 - it's all dark wood, little stools and random bits and bobs all over the place, with a huge fireplace at one end.
Secret rating: 7/10 - popular amongst local office workers, but completely off the tourist trail.
Best bits: More often than not there's a fun atmosphere in here with music courtesy of a jukebox in the corner. They serve a 7.1% ale called Brodie's Porter...
Worst bits: No food, but they are happy for you to order takeaway and bring it in. Might be tricky to get a seat on busier nights, and sometimes it closes for private functions. Oh, and tiny loos.

The Tiroler Hut, Bayswater

27 Westbourne Grove, Bayswater, London, W2 4UA

Oh my, The Tiroler Hut is SUCH a random place. Located entirely underground, this Austrian-themed restaurant is, well, just a bit bonkers really, with waiters and waitresses decked out in traditional outfits and red and white checked material as far as the eye can see.

It's chirpy and welcoming in here, and you can pop in for a huge beer or a Jägerbomb at the bar, or make a night of it and devour some 'Gulasch' or 'Wienerschitzel' in the restaurant, followed by a yummy pastry. But whatever you do, you'll have a blast.

Cosy rating: 8/10 - Very low beamed ceilings - it is a cellar after all - and the walls are plastered with photos of celebrity visitors.
Secret rating: 5/10 - Tourists love it, so do book if you want to stay and eat. That said, the tourists do appear to be confused by the theme - I overheard a table of New Zealanders trying to decide between American and Russian...
Best bits: Hearty Austrian food and live music most nights - although I have yet to witness this I've heard rumours that it involves a cowbell.
Worst bits: The prices. Be warned, it's a fiver for a Dortmunder beer in here (or at least it was for us), and that wasn't even one of their renowned massive steins. Though, to be fair, it was a delicious pint, served in an ice-cold frosted glass tankard.

The Dacre Arms, Lewisham

11 Kingswood Place, Lee, SE13 5BU

I was on the lookout for an image of the Dacre Arms on Flickr for this post when I stumbled across the joyful photo above. These ladies are the Dacre Morris team, pictured in front of this lovely neighbourhood pub in south east London in 1983.

The team began in 1981, and they are still going strong today. Indeed, on one recent visit to the Dacre Arms they were dancing outside and drinking in the pub after their jangling exertions.

I think the happiness that radiates from this image is a good reflection of the pub itself. It's no nonsense, cash only and there are usually at least one or two dogs around - basically a very nice place to be.

Cosy rating: 8/10 - lots of snug booths, swirly carpets and hops around the bar, but it's the atmosphere that truly makes this place cosy.
Secret rating: 9/10 - buried deep in the backstreets of Lee / Blackheath / Lewisham and not very near any public transport.
Best bits: Regular guest beer and a telly for sport - but muted so conversations can continue. The beer garden is a bonus.
Worst bits: Not a great place for wine - they only have those mini bottles. No food. But both minor quibbles.

Image courtesy of George Plempler - thanks George, I adore this set.

The Mayflower, Rotherhithe

117 Rotherhithe Street, London, SE16 4NF

When a friend of mine heard that I'd started this blog she immediately recommended The Mayflower, which is - as I discovered on my first visit today - an incredibly pretty pub which clings to the bank of the River Thames in Rotherhithe. It's apparently the oldest pub on the river.

You can imagine coming here in the middle of winter to huddle around the fireplace whilst chomping on a big meaty pie (they normally have a couple of pies on the menu each day, and they look delicious).

That said, this pub is also fantastic for warm days - like today - when you can drink and eat on the pub's private wooden jetty out the back, and there are also seats out the front where you can watch the cyclists and runners whizz by. Upstairs there's a more formal dining area with a separate bar, which you can hire for functions.

Cosy rating: 9/10 - Even the glorious sunshine outside couldn't disguise the fact that this is one seriously cosy pub, with leaded windows, wooden benches and a big old fireplace.
Secret rating: 6/10 - despite its tucked away location it's a popular place. But you can book tables for food, many of which have stunning views of the river.
Best bits: The perfect pub whatever the weather. They also serve some of the best freshly-squeezed orange juice I've ever tasted.
Worst bits: The food prices are a little on the high side, but it's truly a cracking pub and I'm already planning my next visit.

Simmons bar, King's Cross

32 Caledonian Road  Islington, London N1 9DT

Simmons is a fun bar on Caledonian Road, which has just undergone a refurbishment. I'm happy to report that this little spruce-up has only added to its fabulously quirky credentials.

What do I mean by quirky? Amongst other things, a skull disco ball, a large collection of beer cans, zoo-themed wallpaper and dozens of vintage table lamps squeezed into every corner. Simmons is small but they've made better use of the space now, with the addition of vintage school desks and lots of places to sit down and natter.

Though I prefer to go here for a drink or two after work, night owls will be pleased to know that Simmons has a late license, with DJ sets and a cosy function room downstairs for gatherings that can happily continue into the early hours (3am Thursday - Saturday).

Cosy rating: 7/10 - those little lamps do a great job.
Secret rating: 7/10 - the Drink Shop & Do throngs across the road don't know what they're missing! (DSD is great, but it does get very busy).
Best bits: FIVE HOUR HAPPY HOUR? Yes please! From 4pm - 9pm Monday-Friday lots of their drinks are just £2.50. On my most recent visit on a Friday evening at 7pm we polished off a bottle of white for a mere tenner.
Worst bits: The music gets louder throughout the evening, so while it's fine for a catch-up early evening, if you want somewhere quiet where you can stay all night, go elsewhere.

Chimes restaurant, Pimlico

26 Churton Street, Pimlico, SW1V 2LP

Ding dong! Chimes is a no frills British eatery, specialising in all things pie and cider-related. It's located in the bustling heart of Pimlico which in itself is well worth visiting for lots of nice pubs (special shout-out to the fa-beer-lous Cask), a food market during the day and some cute independent shops (including some rather awesome charity ones).

On the Chimes menu you'll find lots of British classics, so this is a good option for any international visitors. We went here with some cider-loving friends who were staying in London and had a great night guzzling the fizzy stuff and chomping on meat and potato-based dishes.

Not hungry? Then grab a seat in the bar area and sample a yummy cider or a glass of wine. Or both, whatever floats your boat!

Cosy rating: 6/10 - a very simple and wooden affair. It's crying out for a few candles, though.
Secret rating: 8/10 - very quiet on a Saturday night, perhaps worryingly so.
Best bits: TasteCard holders will be pleased to know that you get 50% off here, as long as you pre-book over the phone.
Worst bits: Emphasis on 'no frills'. The pies are delicious, but I wish they were shortcrust pastry pies, rather than having a 'lid' of puff pastry on top of a ceramic dish. But that's just my preference.

Photo courtesy of divedart.

Le Garrick restaurant, Covent Garden

10-12 Garrick Street, Covent Garden, WC2E 9BH

This restaurant is soooo cosy. Occupying a prime corner in Covent Garden, Le Garrick looks tiny from the outside with just a few tables squeezed into the ground floor dining area. Here you can sit, eat, drink and watch the world go by.

But it's downstairs where things get pretty special for we connoisseurs of cosiness, with bare bricks and intimate wooden tables, it really oozes glowy warmth.

The owners of Le Garrick - who have been at the helm for just over a year - actually met each other in this very restaurant when she was the manager and he was a regular customer. How lovely!

Cosy rating: 9/10 - candles everywhere, little alcoves in the basement - definitely a fabulous place to go for a date.
Secret rating: 6/10 - certainly not off the beaten track, this one, but underground feels like a world away.
Best bits: They currently accept TasteCard if there are just two of you dining, enabling you to get two meals for the price of one - very reasonable indeed.
Worst bits: Hmm, are there any? I guess without the discount it's not exactly cheap, but they offer set menus at certain times of day.

Whits restaurant, Kensington

21 Abingdon Road, Kensington, W8 6AH

Looking for a really special place for a spot of romance or a celebration? Whits in Kensington could be perfect. This friendly neighbourhood restaurant is run by the husband and wife team of Steve and Eva - Eva takes care of the diners while Steve runs the kitchen.

Food-wise, you can choose from a good but not overwhelming range of French classics and European cuisine with a modern twist. Their dessert trios are also splendid. They do things really, really well here.

You'll always get a warm welcome at Whits, and I can honestly say that the fillet steak selected by my mum during our visit was the best cut of beef I'd ever tasted.

Cosy rating: 7/10 - it's a naturally bright space but once night falls outside the candles help to create a lovely atmosphere.
Secret rating: 4/10 - Whits is the 11th most highly recommended London restaurant on Tripadvisor, so do book.
Best bits: Eva truly has a magic touch when it comes to greeting diners and making them feel at home.
Worst bits: The prices mean that you're unlikely to pop here for a quick bite to eat on a regular basis, but it's definitely one to keep up your sleeve when you want to splash out.

Swan & Edgar, Marylebone

43 Linhope Street, Marylebone, NW1 6HL

Is it a pub? Is it a restaurant? Is it a library? Who knows, but Swan & Edgar is an absolute gem and fellow book lovers will salivate over this little place before you've even stepped through the door - just look at the frontage above!

I discovered S&E one sunny afternoon while my friend and I had some time to kill before catching a train from Marylebone. Determined to take her somewhere fabulous I whipped out the Qype app (they're not paying me, honest!) and up it popped in the middle of a residential road. Perfect.

Now I didn't sample the food on my visit, and it seems to have not gone down especially well with the critics, but I had a marvellous time sat outside on a sunny afternoon with a big glass of rose wine, gossiping with my friend. Inside is so small, but with books piled high all around you, pretty candles and friendly staff, it felt like I was inside a good novel that I didn't want to put down.

Cosy rating: 8/10 - candlelit at night with books piled high in the little room upstairs, which also has a fireplace for keeping the cold at bay.
Secret rating: 7/10 - I can't imagine you'd walk down this street, unless you were lucky enough to live there.
Best bits: Check out the scrabble tiled floor in the loos.
Worst bits: Ever so small, so do call ahead if you're making a special trip here.

The Crown, Islington

116 Cloudesley Road, Islington, N1 OEB

I nipped into The Crown in Islington for a quick drink after work last week. Yes, unbelievably that is sunshine you can see in the photo above!

The Crown is a Grade II listed Victorian gastropub with a varied food menu including your usual pub staples plus some nice-sounding specials and meat and cheese platters. It's worth noting that all Fullers pubs currently have a 20% off food offer until 26 July (Monday - Thursday only).

It's well off the beaten track so a good option if you want to escape the Islington throngs.

Cosy rating: 6/10 - I'm sure on a less sunny evening with the fireplace is roaring it would be very cosy indeed. Sofas in the back room towards the kitchen.
Secret rating: 7/10 - It's located on a beautiful Islington residential street - just do not make the mistake of whipping out your Rightmove app whilst you're there as it's too depressing!
Best bits: The homemade pork scratchings are definitely worth highlighting - you get a generous half-pint's worth and most were bigger than my longest finger. Mind those teeth!
Worst bits: The lovely central wooden bar means that the interior space isn't maximised, but it is a stunning original feature.

Le Beaujolais wine bar, Covent Garden

25 Litchfield Street, WC2H 9NJ

I was recommended Le Beaujolais by the proprietor of my beloved Val Taro wine bar, before Val Taro closed down. Luciano reckoned that, out of everywhere he knew in central London, Le Beaujolais was probably the closest we would come to recapturing the vibe of his establishment.

I recently ventured to this tiny wine bar for the first time, and although in my heart I knew it would never be able to match Val Taro in terms of cosiness, value and genuine warmth, I would still recommend it as a quirky and individual place to go in the West End for a glass or two of wine after work.

Situated just a few doors down from The Ivy, Le Beaujolais is kooky, quaint and unpretentious, with a small selection of good food and plenty of French characters propping up the bar, which make this place genuinely feel like a slice of Paris in the heart of London. They were also showing the Andy Murray semi final Wimbledon match on a big screen (he was playing a Frenchman, after all), which was an unexpected bonus.

Cosy rating: 7/10 - Emits a moody glow, just like some of my favourite places in the French capital.
Secret rating: 7/10 - I've never stumbled across it, despite the fact that I used to work down the road. You might have to share a table with others, but even if you do you'll probably bag your own before long, as did we.
Best bits: You get the impression this wine bar hasn't changed at all for 40 years or so, as confirmed by the amazingly retro hand dryer in the loo (I'm a bit of a hand dryer nerd...)
Worst bits: £18.50 for a bottle of house plonk? Ooh la la!

The Blythe Hill Tavern, Catford

Grab a squidgy stool and make yourself at home (photo courtesy of Neil  Muir / All Things Plants)

Whenever I go to the Blythe Hill Tavern I always have a really, really nice time. The first time I went there it was out of necessity, as it was the only place where we could kill 20 minutes (which turned into 40) when the curry house nearby double booked our table. I'm so glad they did - rather unassuming from the outside, the Blythe Hill Tavern is a charming and welcoming pub, and everything that a local drinking establishment should aspire to be.

And I'm not the only person who feels this way, if the fact that it this year won the CAMRA prize for south east London pub of the year is anything to go by.

It pleases me immensely that all the bartenders - who provide table service once your first drinks are nearing the end of their lives - proudly wear shirts and ties, and it's all too easy to while away a smiley evening in here with your bottomless drinks for company.

Cosy rating: 7/10 - three separate rooms, two of which have fireplaces and are distinctly cosier than the one without. My favourite is the room at the back.

Secret rating: 7/10 - popular with locals and lovers of well-kept, quality ale.

Best bits: Great place to watch the footie and other sports, with different rooms showing different events. Apparently there's a lovely beer garden, too, though I've yet to discover it.

Worst bits: No food as far as I know, so it's truly hard to say whether it's worth the trek to Catford if you live nowhere near this spirited little pub.

Le Mercury, Islington

Fireplace AND candles. Result!

Le Mercury never fails to disappoint. An intimate and friendly bistro-style eatery spread over three creaky floors, each room is lit solely (or thereabouts) by candles, and its warm and relaxed glow is a welcome relief from hustle and bustle of Upper Street.

The menu is fairly small, but there is always a decent-enough selection of hearty meat and seafood dishes, and mopping up every last tasty morsel with bread is definitely the order of the day here.

The last time I went there I left with a full tummy, a slight slur thanks to copious amounts of wine and bubbles, and a big smile on my face as every single member of staff thanked each and every one of us on our way out.

Cosy rating: 8/10 - for such a prominent location I really respect they way they've kept things simple and low-key - it would be so easy for them to go down the fine-dining route.

Secret rating: 3/10 - I can't deny it, this is a popular haunt and right on the main road, so do book before you rock up.

Best bits: The value - all starters £3.95, all mains £8.45, all desserts £2.95. Go crazy!

Worst bits: On a busy night it can get rather noisy if they've got some bigger parties dining.