The Archduke, Southbank, SE1

Official site of The Archduke - www.blackandbluerestaurants.com

Official site of The Archduke - www.blackandbluerestaurants.com

This bright, airy railway arch conversion's main selling point is the live music it puts on in the evening, so it works as a restaurant with entertainment, but it's really not a very good pub. There is no real ale, in fact there is no draft beer at all. The tables look like school surplus, the staff appear clueless and the food is overpriced. Not my kind of place at all, although I might be tempted to listen to selected music acts without which it appears soulless.

As the 'Food Wine Jazz' banners outside would suggest, this is mainly a restaurant and wine bar offering live jazz six nights per week. However, it does have a small bar open to all (although the beer choice is very limited - just one draught lager and a few bottles in the fridge). Frightening prices (e.g. Black Sheep £4.50), so not really the sort of place for a quick drink, but it is an interesting venue in a well-done conversion housed in the railway arches between Waterloo and the Southbank Centre.