Five to try: Spring has sprung

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THE ATLAS
16 Seagrave Road, SW6 (020 7385 9129) £34
Brompton Cemetery and Earls Court Exhibition Centre are both close by and this pub, the first of a small group owned by brothers George and Richard Manners, provides succour and respite from both. In pretty weather the walled garden comes into its own. The good Manners have aimed for, and achieved, a balance between a welcoming local with knowledgeably-chosen beers and a destination for interesting, mostly Mediterranean, cooking.

GREAT QUEEN STREET
32 Great Queen Street, WC2 (020 7242 0622) £37
Chefs Trish Hilferty and Tom Norrington-Davies are part of the New British school who cook responsively to what is in season and how that can best be explored and exploited. In springtime, the only pretty ring time, when birds sing hey ding-a-ding-a-ding, English asparagus and Jersey Royals are a natural but there is also sea trout, sorrel, dandelions, wild garlic, kale, samphire, cockles, wood pigeon, fennel and elderflowers to conjure with. And they do.

LE COLOMBIER
145 Dovehouse Street, SW3 (020 7351 1155) £47
Didier Garnier's corner of France in Chelsea has a loyal local following thankful that they don't have to cross the Channel to realise a fantasy complete with blue awning over a glassed-in terrace, chairs made of woven strips of plastic and culinary classics that dear Elizabeth David used to wax lyrical about. Oysters make a fine start, sole de Douvres mèuniere or fricassée de rognons de veau à la Dijonnaise follow seamlessly. As does crêpe Suzette.

PETERSHAM NURSERIES
Church Lane, off Petersham Road, TW10 (020 8605 3627) £50 (set menu)
Walk, cycle, skateboard, balloon but don't drive to this greenhouse restaurant if you want it preserved for the future. Skye Gyngell, who writes as inspirationally as she cooks, is rigorous in her choice of ingredients and deft in her dealings. Moans about price have been countered with a set-price deal this month — £22.50/27.50 for two/three courses Wednesday to Friday — but at weekends it is à la carte with chickpea curry and Indian bread at £17. Lunches only.

EL FARO
3 Turnberry Quay, Pepper Street, E14 (020 7987 5511) £43
Soft, sunny days turn workers' thoughts to holidays. Now that we have to remain in Britain, perhaps I can suggest dipping your toes into the waters of Crossharbour Dock while nibbling on acorn-fed jamon and sipping Manzanilla. Turnberry Quay is not Sanlúcar de Barrameda but Javier Capella leads a competent kitchen and the cooking here is about as authentically Spanish as it gets. Some sing the praises of roasted suckling pig served Mondays to Thursdays.
Prices estimate a meal with wine
for one.