Located opposite the iconic Battersea Power Station, The Duchess has regained its noble status after a refurb in Spring 2007. Co-owned by Jason Flemyng of Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels fame, it's enough to give Guy Ritchie's Punch Bowl a run for its money.

The Venue
Although The Duchess may be a little out on a limb for some - slap-bang in front of the imposing power station - the interior is lovingly, colourfully styled by artist Rachel Deacon. It has a big glass frontage letting in loads of light, which dances across the dark wood floor and central bar. The furniture is mix’n’match with animal print covered stools jostling for position with Sixties’ style swivel chairs. Elsewhere, the decor includes chandeliers, ornate mirrors, and gold and silver wallpaper. There’s a patio out the back with benches, chairs, potted plants and strings of coloured lights above. And upstairs is a beautifully designed function room with an ample decked balcony: ideal for watching dusk fall over the horizon.

The Atmosphere
The clientele is mixed here, with local workers frequenting it in the week and locals in the evenings and at weekends. They’ve even had the odd celebrity guest or two! It’s light and airy in the day and more subdued and atmospheric at night, and the service is warm and gracious. Music is a big part of what The Duchess is all about and there are open mic nights every week, monthly new band nights upstairs, swing jazz on Sundays and a great soundtrack continuously playing in the background.

The Food
The menu at The Duchess is restaurant quality with dishes such as confit of duck with creamed kale and puy lentils (£10), lamb shank with dauphinoise potatoes (£11), Toulouse sausages and bean cassoulet (£8.50) and an excellent Sunday roast. Desserts include rhubarb creme brulee and apple crumble — and the chocolate brownie is not the mass produced, tooth decay type but wholesome, fresh and nutty.

The Drink
There’s Fosters, Guinness, Asahi and Aspall cider on draught, while in bottles there’s Budvar, Becks, Corona and Magners. They serve all the usual cocktails, plus a house shooter called Babyshambles, which consists of Goldschlager (a cinnamon liqueur), butterscotch schnapps and Jagermeister. There are nine bottles of white wine, seven reds and two roses: the Chilean Soleus Organic Merlot 2006 (£18) is highly recommended or, for a slightly cheaper option white, there’s a French Le Comptesse Grenache and Sauvignon for £12. Glasses range upwards from £3.40.

The Last Word
The Duchess has been lovingly restored with great attention to detail and its character, style and charm ensure it a glorious future.

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