Papillon

You're walking down Commercial Road and spot Papillon tucked among the usual high street suspects. Step inside and you've instantly transported somewhere altogether more elegant—exposed brick, warm lighting, the kind of place where they actually know what they're doing with a pan. The menu reads like a love letter to French classics: think duck confit, coq au vin, fresh fish done simply. What makes it work is the refusal to overcomplicate things. Prices hover around the £12-18 mark for mains, which feels genuinely fair for this calibre of cooking. The service is attentive without being stuffy, and the wine list rewards a bit of browsing. It's become something of a local favourite precisely because it doesn't shout about itself—just quietly delivers proper food.