Zone two may be disappointing when compared to the West End, but Balham in zone three is a cradle of cool pubs. Welcome to The Devonshire - the best of them all.

The Venue
There’s a lot to be said about The Devonshire: it may not look impressive from the outside, but this pub is a large venue with different areas all boasting exquisite designs. Indoors, it is a perfect mix of old fixtures, art deco-inspired furniture and stylish floral prints.

The first room - looking towards the road through pretty frosted windows - is furnished with couches and tables in a definitive pub style. From here, passing by a modern glasses rack, you enter another bright area where people drink and nibble. At the back there is the dining room - dark and very elegant. Their strongpoint is definitely in the lights, able to create different atmospheres and of great visual impact: glass chandeliers, light panels with photos of forests - modern lampshades are an integral part of the decor. Old photos and a large painting add to its legacy but the dominating feeling is that they have truly made the best of the old elements whilst carrying on a superb renovation.

For the good weather, there are some outdoor seats towards the road, and at the back of The Devonshire there is a large beer garden with a central fountain and heaters, which is sure to be a summer favourite.

The Atmosphere
Professionals of all ages - mostly locals - have made The Devonshire their favourite hang out. The pub is not merely a drinking hole, its impressive decor gathers groups who usually head to bars but dislike pretension. The place is usually bustling with animated conversations, and groups - large and small - dominate the space. The pub is so popular that reservations for the dining area are essential and need to be timely - book ahead your visit!

The Food
The bar and dining menus are surprisingly uncomplicated, The Devonshire just serves good food in a superb setting. Pub food dominates the mains (£8.50-£16.50) and includes slow roasted pork belly, duck breast, fillet steak, fish and chips, pie of the day, or Muffs of Bromborough sausage and mash from the bar menu. There are also less traditional options like spinach and ricotta risotto, mushroom and haloumi burger, free range chicken supreme with saffron and chorizo risotto, or salmon with ginger and oriental sauce.

The sides to each dish are given a lot of attention and everything is cooked and presented to perfection from the open plan kitchen. Starters (£4.50-£5) and desserts (£4.50-£5) are the only other items on the one page menu: from the latter, the coconut rice with fresh mango and passion fruit sorbet is particularly exotic.

The Drink
You almost have too many wines to choose from at The Devonshire with over a dozen whites and as many reds. You can decide between the Sauvignon Blancs from countries like Chile, New Zealand and France, with the Pouilly-Fume from Les Moulin a Vent being highly recommended. Within the reds, opt for Ad Astra Sangiovese Nittardi or the Museum Tempranillo Old Vines for a unique flavour. The good news is that wine is fairly cheap - starting at £15, no bottle costs more than £25. Finally, one of the sparkling wines deserve a special note - the Pelorus Cloudy Bar Vineyard Brut from New Zealand, nicely priced at £29.

Since The Devonshire is a Youngs pub, there is a decent selection of ales including Wells Banana Bread beer, Youngs Special London Ale, Ram Rod, as well as other beers like and Pilsner Urquell and Amstel. The drink menu has a detailed list with beer tasting notes. Prices reflect the upmarket environment with bottles at £2.70-£3.55 and draughts at £3.40-£4.15. However, the slightly steep prices are more than tolerable given the elegant surroundings.

The Last Word
The undisputed king of Balham pubs, The Devonshire ticks all the right boxes and offers up its spoils with aplomb.

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