The Gun

The Gun might be a relative newcomer to the scene, opening its doors in its current guise two years ago, but it's steeped in a history that dates back 250 years.

Its location on the banks of the river Thames made it a haven for smugglers and is said to be where Lord Nelson and Lady Emma Hamilton conducted their secret affair.

After a fire destroyed some of the original features,

owners Tom and Ed Martin worked hard to restore the Grade II-listed pub's charm. And the brothers, who also own the Wells and the White Swan in Clerkenwell, London, have already attracted a loyal following and the necessary critical acclaim to convince drinkers to make the trip from central London.

"Because of our other venues, everyone was aware that we were opening a new place and so they couldn't wait to try it. All the major critics came down when it opened and they loved it," says Tom.

Winning Time Out's much-lauded award for Gastropub of the Year in 2005 was also a major coup which has further propelled the Gun.

This summer, the imaginative idea of offering a

Portuguese-style barbecue on the pub's riverside terrace has come into its own and was a big hit with our judges. Beyond the coals, the rest of the menu is as upscale as the white linen cloths that adorn the tables suggest. Grilled Aberdeen Angus rib-eye steak with snails, Café de Paris butter and skin-on fat chips sit alongside rare-breed

pork sausages with Lyonnaise potatoes and Pommery mustard sauce and fresh fish sourced from nearby

Billingsgate Market.