With its bare-brick walls, reclaimed wooden furniture, bare filament bulbs, blaring rock soundtrack and pared-back menu, Flat Iron was among the first wave of hipster eateries to pitch camp in the capital. Originally an East End pop-up, its permanent incarnations now give London’s posher steakhouses a run for their money. As you might guess from the name, this mini-chain specialises in thick-sliced perfectly charred featherblade (flat iron) steaks, served with salad, beef-dripping fries and a jokey miniature cleaver. That’s the extent of the menu, unless you count daily burger specials or visit the Shoreditch branch, where beef fore-ribs, rumps and sirloins are roasted on a huge spit. The user-friendly no-reservations system uses pagers to free wannabe diners from waiting in line: most punters head to the bar for a stiff cocktail until their spot at one of the shared tables is ready.