Intimacy and good food can be found at Swan and Edgar

Situated in a residential street behind Marylebone Station and newly opened in the last few weeks, the new owners have done some things to try and make it feel larger, painting the walls the colour of unfinished plaster and reducing the bar to a tiny corner of the room.

They have opened up the upstairs room (which we don't remember from previous visits to its predecessor), but that room has been made a bit more cramped with towers of books on every unattended surface - or maybe it's supposed to be cosy.

In fact, there is a serious book theme running through the whole place, from the books that make up the front of the bar, to the row of books that now adorns the overhang above the facade.

While it's obvious they're still getting to grips with things, the staff are genial and anxious to please.

They had only just got one of the two taps working, making a bit of a dogs dinner of pouring Spitfire for a bemused local.

The lager on the other two taps was suitably exotic, Asahi or Amstel and the wine list doesn't exist beyond the barman's head, at the moment. They'll get the hang of it.

The food's worth a look, as the short menu has quite a range of choice, although no chips in sight.

So, combine the intimacy with good food, beer with potential, genial locals - one of them asked us to move around a bit, as it was a quiet on our midweek visit - and it's off to a good start. We'll be back.

Nearest station: Marylebone

Food review: Very good menu with lots of choice for such a small venue. The shepherd's pie we had on our last visit had nice chunks of lamb in it, with decent mash on top. Worth eating here.

Food rating: 3 Food value: 2

Features: outdoor seating

The Swan & Edgar
43 Linhope Street, NW1 6HL