George IV, N1

Islington is just the place where trendy gastropubs thrive and the Angelic should therefore come as no surprise to the visitor despite numerous name and image changes over the years. The interior is one large room with high ceilings and large curtainless windows, stripped back furnishings and blackboards offering the likes of Forge Farm Organic Pumpkin Ravioli. The beers (apparently “tasted and rigourously tested before being put on the menu”) included 4 ales on my recent visit – Greene King London Glory, Sharps Cornish Coaster, Marstons Pedigree and Sharps Doom Bar with prices FROM £3.50. I would happily taste and rigourously test them for nothing if it meant they would be sold a reasonable price. There are a few remnants of its traditional pub past with some mosaic patterned floors in the entrance and the journey to the loos is an event in itself that involves descending a spiral staircase next to a plaster statue to a running water fountain at its foot. It’s OK, you don’t actually use the fountain for the deed at hand – the loos are further on although they have their own entertainment value. It is usually quite bustling with a younger but more professional type customer base, most of whom will invariably be tucking into Tapas or swirling around red wines. It really isn’t a beer drinker’s environment but its popularity suggests that it is good at what it does if you like that kind of thing. Anyone left in any doubt of the Angelic’s pretentiousness should look no further than their own labeling of their food and drink as elixir and ambrosia. I’ll stick to Pork Scratchings and a pint of Best in future.

This is a single room gastro pub that had Doom Bar, Cornish Coaster and Pedigree available on hand pump alongside a standard and premium draught selection. Like the King of Denmark around the corner this pub also has no Guinness so I was forced to drink the Murphys of which I’m not a big fan. Unsurprisingly I didn’t spot any sport advertisements, but there is a projector screen that was rolled up during my visit on Saturday evening a couple of weeks ago. It was busy in here with a twenty-something crowd that were tucking into tapas and there was a good atmosphere, but I prefer a traditional pub so I don’t plan to return.