The Truscott Arms, Maida Vale

If only all local pubs were this fabulous.

Just a few minutes walk from Warwick Avenue tube sits The Truscott Arms: a warm, friendly pub with some of the best gastro pub grub we have ever tasted.

It's no surprise that the food is so bloomin' good when you see that South African chef Etienne Bruwer, formerly of the Michelin-starred Galvin at Windows, has been put at the helm.

When we asked him why he had decided to turn his back on Michelin-starred restaurants for this new pub venture, he told us: 'Yes, it’s a pub but it is going to be the best food in any pub in London. It is not about fussing with large numbers of wait staff, or overseeing a kitchen brigade of 18 staff per shift. It is about wonderful food, perfectly done. The future of gastronomic experience in great cities must be simple, beautifully executed food in relaxed settings: it’s about my delivery of the joyful experience that people want.'

During my visit to The Truscott Arms I started with mouth-watering smoked salmon served with cider jelly, pickled cucumber and dill, before going on to succulent supreme of chicken with truffled mashed potato so good I can't stop thinking about it. All absolutely delicious.

But if you forget the food for one second, it's the little touches that make this a top class pub. For example, the decor is stunning and perfectly in keeping with The Truscott Arm's ethos of 'relaxed excellence,' but they've gone one step further than mere aesthetics. The owners have set up the Truscott Arms Art Programme (TAP).

TAP aims to support and nurture emerging talent and to form a bridge between the venue and London’s vibrant arts scene. To do this, a programme of exhibitions, private views and artist talks has been set up to provide customers with a chilled out way to discover and purchase artwork.

With lovely staff, fantastic food and beautiful decor, oh, how we wish this was our local pub.

Open from 10am to midnight daily, visit The Truscott Arms website for more information.

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