The Devonshire
Balham, London,
SW12 9AN
020 8673 1363
?youngs.co.uk
Who: Young's has invested £650,000 on a refurb to provide all-day service at this Balham boozer. The pub is now open from 9am to 11pm.
Food: Breakfast,
mid-morning coffee, lunch and dinner. A new café bar serves Costa coffee to drink in or take away. There is also an express lunch service.
On the menu: The bar menu includes home-made pie of the day and hot rib-eye beef and horseradish in ciabatta. The dining-room menu includes dishes such as duck breast with rösti potato, braised Savoy cabbage and a Port jus.
Covers: The premises is now divided into three distinct areas: a front café-style bar, which is purely for drinkers and features a sofa area; a casual-dining area where customers can order food at the bar, and a more formal dining room at the back of the pub. There will also be a BBQ in the warmer months.
The Yew Tree
Barfrestone, Dover, Kent,
CT15 7JH
01304 831619
Who: Ben Bevan, who imports wines from all over the world and used to write a wine column for newspapers in the south west. Head chef Ben Williams has worked at Michelin-starred Read's, in Faversham, Kent, and two-Michelin-starred the Square in London's Mayfair. Lisa Wealleans, who was a Strada general manager, heads up front of house.
Food: locally grown and produced, and even items like the butter, crisps and grissini will be made in-house.
On the menu: soft-boiled duck egg with paneed smoked eel soldiers (£7); fillet of halibut, white wine sauce, mange tout and fennel (£13); roasted pear with bay leaf ice cream (£4)
Covers: 30. The owners are also seeking permission for a private dining room for a further 12 to 15.