Nuala, Shoreditch

If any more evidence is needed to prove that open fire cooking is the hottest restaurant trend at the moment, head to Nuala – its executive chef, Niall Ferguson, was formerly at Chiltern Firehouse. It is located just off the Old Street roundabout, and it sports a curved concrete bar and leather seating arranged around the brick-lined fireplace.

Carefully sourced ingredients are the holy grail here: the menu features beef exclusively from Torloisk Highland cows and fish from Cornish day boats. Standout dishes include bone marrow doughnuts, flamed clams in cider, king crab with Pernod butter and rotisserie goose with barley pancakes. The Delica pumpkin dessert with ricotta, dates and almonds is a curiously savoury and sweet experience.

The bar downstairs pays homage to the pub's Irish heritage, with a large mahogany counter and pictures from the original Guinness archives in Dublin. Head barman, Spencer Large (formerly of Barbecoa), has compiled a menu of whiskey-based cocktails and punches that certainly warm the soul.

The Christmas menu is also sublime, so be sure to pay a visit during the festive season.