Established in 1837, Brown’s is London’s oldest hotel (by name at least – Claridge’s has been a hotel for longer, but was previously called Mivart’s). On the ground floor of the stately hotel you’ll find Charlie’s, named in honour of Charles Forte – the founder of the Forte Group that owns the hotel.

Charlie’s is run by Adam Byatt; taking over the restaurant at Brown’s is a welcome move outside of Clapham for the chef, who has made a considerable name for himself since launching Trinity (and subsequently Trinity Upstairs and Bistro Union) back in 2006. Adam started his career as a commis chef at Claridge’s and worked at The Berkeley with John Williams, so hotel restaurants are very much in his blood and his precise, ingredient-led British cooking is a perfect match for one of London’s most revered institutions.

Those who are familiar with Adam’s handiwork at Trinity will certainly recognise his touch on the menu at Charlie’s – the legendary wobble of his salted caramel custard tart appears here too, as do his excellent terrines, and his affection for the Mediterranean is clear in dishes like strozzapreti pasta with langoustines and chanterelles, or the wild sea bass with palourde clams, lemon, garlic and chilli. What stands out most of all is the impetus on proper sourcing of quality British ingredients. The provenance of ingredients is front and centre on the menu – a rack of Cumbrian lamb comes with braised rainbow chard, celeriac and potato gratin, chicken is from Sutton Hoo in Suffolk and comes in a generous pie with ham, leek and tarragon. Everything is delivered to exacting standards from start to finish – no less than you would expect from a chef of Adam’s calibre.

The restaurant certainly has an old-fashioned charm to it – the wood-panelled dining room feels historic, but still smart thanks to plush velvet chairs, crisp white tablecloths and ornate chandeliers. It’s a wonderful dining room to spend an evening in, only made better by the charming service.

The wine list at Charlie’s is famously excellent – the hotel owns one of the deepest cellars in the capital, and the expertise is on hand to find the right bottle for your meal. The dining room opens straight into the green marble bar, where cocktails have been curated by Salvatore Calabrese – one of the world’s very best mixologists.