Where to take your Valentine

Forgotten to plan ahead and book something special for your Valentine? Here are some top-quality neighbourhood venues where you can still impress and - hopefully - where you won't be surrounded by violin players or suitors going down on one knee.

**** THE PILOT 56 Wellesley Road, W4 (020-8994 0828).

The Pilot is a handsomely proportioned and nicely accoutred pub in the bareboards style, yet manages to sport more than a hint of elegance. Although a boozer at heart, serving good cask ales and fine Belgian beers, the quality of the food is the reason this place has stolen the hearts of many of West London's inhabitants.

**** HIT 14A The Broadway, Shepherd's Bush Road, W6 (020-8741 8173).

Take the short walk from the Broadway along Shepherd's Bush Road and you'll find what looks like a small retail unit from the outside. But the long, narrow bar area leads into a spacious, doubleheight room, subtly decorated with dark hues and low-level lighting. The room is furnished with brown leather banquettes and formal dining-style furniture. A foodie place by day, a glamorous cocktail bar in the evening, this is one of the best bars you'll find anywhere in West London.

***** THE EARL SPENCER 262 Merton Road, SW18 (020-8870 9244).

The gastro desert that was Southfields now has a truly superior pub serving fabulously good food. It's a proper old-fashioned boozer, though and has as good a wine and beer offering as you will find in any London pub.

**** SMOKE 14 Trinity Road, SW17 (020-8767 3902).

At the Tooting Bec end of Trinity Road, Smoke has been at the epicentre of South London's nightlife since it opened a couple of years back. This two-roomed bar has a buzzing cocktail lounge at the front, and a relaxed eating area at the back where you can tuck into a selection of substantial, excellent bar meals.

*** THE BLACK SHEEP 23 Westow Hill, SE19 (020-8670 9990).

The Black Sheep is Crystal Palace'smost famous style bar. Crystal Palace? Style bar? Surprising as it might be, but, yes, actually. This is a modern cafe-bar by day and a cocktail lounge in the evening. Good wines, great cocktails, fast, friendly and efficient service - a rollicking good venue.

**** THE GREENWICH UNION 56 Royal Hill, SE10 (020-8692 6258).

This is the flagship venue and major showcase for Alastair Hook'sMeantime Brewery beers. You can sample the beers before you buy, and these include raspberry, chocolate and a good range of more traditional lager-style beers. Food consists of international tapas plates.

*** HACKNEY CENTRAL The Former Railway Station, Amhurst Road, E8 (020-8986 5111).

Former railway stations make for good entertainment spaces, and Hackney Central is no exception. This place divides seamlessly into a bar, with decent cocktails and a good range of international wines and beers, and a restaurant catering for all appetites with dishes including burgers, poached salmon, lamb cutlets and - wait for it - feta and dandelion pie.

*** ANDER DE BRIDGE 42-44 Kingsland Road E2 (020-7739 3863).

On the lower reaches of the Kingsland Road, and located under a bridge, from which it takes its name, this is a seriously chilled, fashionably scruffy, Caribbean affair. There's a lounge area at the front serving some dangerously strong cocktails, and a cafeteria-style area at the back of the pub for traditional Caribbean fare.

*** THE HOUSE63-69 Canonbury Road, N1 (020-7704 7410).

The House is pulling out all the stops on the gastro front and is serving stunningly good modern British cuisine to a loyal following of local foodie devotees. There's a groovy bar area on one side of the pub with the benefit of its own cosy fireplace.