We all know you can't read a book by its cover. But isn't it strange how London's poshest areas are sometimes the most rubbish for eating out?

Take Hampstead, for example. Nice villagey atmosphere, leafy sidestreets - but, until recently, nowhere to stuff your face apart from a rather fetching black-fronted McDonalds and a gaggle of predatory Café Rouge-lites.

There has, I suppose, always been just a handful of decent eateries: Base Bistro on the High Street does decent Med, whilst, down the hill a bit, the lovely Fratelli La Bufala and the Magdala do Neapolitan and Modern English respectively. But two places alone have really shaken things up recently, and they're both hot to trot.

Last year's opening of The Horseshoe, with its microbrewery, sharing wooden tables, large white low-hanging lampshades and ethically-sourced ingredients - is currently offering a bargain daily-changing lunch of bread & butter, main course and glass of wine for £7.