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.

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.

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 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.

The Pineapple pub, Kentish Town

One of many cosy spots at The Pineapple

I love the fact that there's a pub called The Pineapple, and I'm please to report that this backstreet boozer is as endearing as its name.

I've only been there once when I needed somewhere to kill a couple of hours before a gig, but after taking advantage of their reasonable Thai dinner for a tenner deal, polishing off some beverages, and having a bit of good-natured banter with the locals, I was well and truly enamoured with the place.

It's a difficult pub to pigeonhole - I'd describe it as a really good local with an urban twist - but I would urge you to seek it out if you're ever in the area as it's just so bloomin' nice.

Cosy rating: 8/10 - The kind of place where you deliberately walk the long way round to the loos just so you can have a nose at all the little booths and original features. I also spied fireplaces.
Secret rating: 8/10 -  You'd be unlikely stumble across it. It was busy, but not heaving, on a Friday night. 
Best bits: There's something for everyone here, including a fortnightly Pop Up Market for creative types, and a decent range of ales (it recently won the CAMRA North London Pub of the Year prize).
Worst bits: I honestly can't think of any. It's totally charming.

VOC bar, King's Cross

Potions and punch at VOC

I've worked in King's Cross for a few years now, and I've known this tiny bar in the Regents Quarter 'zone' to have undergone at least a couple of makeovers in that time. Its previous incarnation was as 'Cellar N1', a nice enough little cocktail bar, which sadly never really found its feet.

The latest occupant - and let's hope it's here to stay - is VOC bar, which describes itself as a modern day interpretation of a 17th Century Punch House, inspired by the Dutch East India Company - or Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie - hence VOC. Crikey, that's a niche and a half.

But actually, niches work quite well in this tucked away part of King's Cross, with Bar Pepito a couple of doors down, specialising in sherry, doing very well indeed. VOC similarly seems to be establishing itself quite nicely since it opened last summer, and my apothecary-style bottle filled with a 'raspberry shrub' cocktail (apparently 'bottle matured' for at least 7 days) went down very nicely (and easily) indeed.

There's seating outside, but bag yourself the sofa, tucked away corner or the mezzanine snug and swig your grog like it's 1606.

Cosy rating: 6/10 - really quite tiny with a couple of sofas and secluded corners. We were there before 7.30pm so I'm sure cosiness would increase as it got darker outside.
Secret rating: 7/10 - Regents Quarter is like a mini-maze, and despite some great reviews it was easy to get a table.
Best bits: Really unique booze, pretty candles (this is the 17th century, after all...!) and service with a smile.
Worst bits: Definitely not 17th Century prices (around £8 on average - if you paid that in the 1600s that would equate to about £4,000 in today's money...!). Music was *just about* quiet enough for a decent natter.