It might say hotel on the door (so you know the welcome will be as warm as the beer is cold) but with a hunting lodge vibe on one side and light-filled atrium on the other, the dining room at the Fitzroy Town Hall Hotel straddles the pub-restaurant divide with class.

Having both trained in Europe, Sean Donovan and Anna Quayle know their way around a sauce and their béarnaise is the best in town. Perfectly paired with a half dozen name-checked steaks that range from a 200g bavette through to a 1.4kg Cote de Boeuf that come off the red gum-fired wood barbecue, along with properly chunky fat chips, you have a plate of perfection.

It’s not all about the meat. The Sardinian fish stew is a ray of sunshine that’ll brighten any day, and Donovan’s French onion soup is a classic with class.

With a wine list that shows care in its construction (a celebration of local heroes shares the slate with a love of France) and service that’s engagingly knowledgeable in a room that teams pub-like ease with high-end cooking smarts, you have the perfect local to cross town for.

Must eat dish: 500g Grass Fed Black Angus Rib Eye with Radicchio, Blue Cheese, Beetroot & Hazelnut Salad