Duchess of Kent has obviously found its place in the hearts of the locals and it shows no sign of waning.

It attracts all sorts, from families to younger trendies and lads in to watch the footy. It is a little schizophrenic, in that it's half restaurant, half pub, but the clientele don't seem to mind too much, even with tables with reserved signs on them.

The beer's excellent, with a good selection on the hand pumps and the accompanying pies and scotch eggs are pretty tempting (we gave in -they're great). The food on the menu looks and smells pretty good, too. There's also a reasonable selection of continental beers, a decent wine list and plenty of cider to wet your whistle.

The service is fast and friendly, there's a quiz on Tuesdays and there's a small area out front for smokers and car-spotters. In these cash-strapped times, it's nice to see a typical, decent local like the Duchess of Kent doing well. If you're in the Highbury area, it's well worth a look.

NEAREST STATION: Highbury and Islington station

FEATURES: disabled facilities, ATM, real ale, guest beers, outdoor seating, kids welcome, quiz night Tuesday, separate restaurant, Sky TV