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Donovans

Donovans may be a safe bet, but there’s no laurel-resting at this much-loved bayside diner. From the dining room with its upmarket beach house vibe to a well-drilled service team and comprehensive wine list, this is a restaurant that understands hospitality. The menu’s no slouch either – a user-friendly list of modern bistro dishes with a slight Italian accent and a fondness for the barbecue. House-cured smoked salmon with blini and dilled sour cream demonstrates a flair for the classic, while there’s generosity aplenty with a cauliflower and Taleggio risotto and the quasi-signature pork platter that includes everything from crumbed and fried ears to chunky cotechino. There’s the occasional cooking lapse – seafood, for example, sometimes sits a little long on the barbecue – but desserts such as an excellent lemon gelato doused in grappa put everything right quick smart.