Please note, Chapters has now closed. Time Out Food editors, November 2017.
Very much a local favourite for everything from casual suppers to birthday celebrations, Chapters suits a wide range of diners: couples on a date night, groups of chums, and families with small children. No mean feat, and staff work hard to keep things moving smoothly. There are breakfast, bar and brunch menus alongside the all-day list; service comes with a smile; and prices are pretty keen (the set meal deals and children’s menus are particularly good value).
Quality can fluctuate a bit, but beer-battered fish and chips with tartare sauce, and most things from the Josper grill (burger with all the trimmings and chips, spatchcock chicken with lemon and thyme, ribeye and fillet steaks) are safe bets. Most recently, asparagus with a ‘crispy’ poached egg and apple and walnut salad was a stellar starter, but omelette arnold bennett overfaced us – richly savoury, yet a relentlessly big portion with little in the way of contrasting accompaniment.
A global wine list has plenty of options by the glass and 500ml pichet. The modern decor plays it safe, with the light-filled ground floor being preferable to the basement, and pavement tables available for drinks.