Caravel, 172, Shepherdess Walk, N1

For me, the Regent’s Canal will always be London’s best-kept secret—an eight-mile nature reserve full of surprises. There are plenty of delightful places to eat along it: Towpath café near Haggerston and Barrafina in Coal Drops Yard, to name only two. Now, there’s somewhere on it: Caravel. Brothers Fin and Lorcan Spiteri took over a former working canal barge moored near Old Street during lockdown and have turned it into a 40-cover restaurant.

We visit after the clocks go forward, on what feels like the first real day of spring. The barge formerly known as Poppy is stationed at the end of a pontoon, but once you’re down the steps it’s easy to forget you’re on a boat: Caravel has been beautifully tricked out with polished floorboards, starched tablecloths and dinky brass lamps.

The Spiteris are a foodie family: the brothers’ father, Jon, is the co-founder of St John and their mother is Melanie Arnold, one half of Rochelle Canteen. When you hear the menu at Caravel is inspired by childhood favourites, therefore, you know they weren’t thinking of plates of Smash and Saturdaynight Vienettas. Potato rosti, greaselessly golden and twice the size you’d expect, come topped with sour cream and caviar: an absolute steal at £6.50. There are chunky, generously filled triangles of sesame prawn toast, a kind of confit duck rissole (shaped like a duck) with wild-garlic aioli, and a transcendently good dish of white crab and fennel tagliatelle.

Between that, a sprightly pea risotto and the excellent, very keenly priced wine list, we only just about managed to make space for the caramelised banana and almond tart.

Right now, Caravel feels like a best-kept secret, but it won’t stay like that for long—although it opened quietly in March, it’s already making waves (sorry).

Emma Hughes