Londonist Loves....The Offside Bar & Gallery

The agency gives the bar its soul and has helped it to develop its own community (which is all us lonely Londoners are looking for isn't it?), and fortunately, the venue is also in possession of the style to go with its soul.

This is a bar that does not feel like a sports bar. There's no day-glo in evidence, and certainly no signed baseball gloves stuck to the walls. Instead it can offer a relaxed and low-key envrironment that feels like it isn't trying too hard. In attempting to describe the decor, the word 'Cuban' sprang to mind, which admittedly is a very pretentious way of describing it, but that's just what all the wooden furniture and dark leather sofas seemed to 'evoke' (Laurence Llewlelyn-Bowen eat your heart out). It's smart, but lived in, and stylish, without feeling pretentious, and everywhere you look there's a great photograph that demands a closer look.

In keeping with the lack of pretension, the bar menu is straightforward and very well priced. Londonist snacked on a sausage baguette with chips and salad and very nice it was too, especially the chips, which were proper 'chips' with a lovely crispy shell..they were chip chips, not fries....British chips....God save the Queen.

Sorry, got sidetracked there, it's nearly lunchtime. The venue has a late licence till 2am, so there's plenty of time for serious revelry, and is also available for hire. The bar manager, Richard, is a very nice man indeed, so if you happen to drop in, please do mention that you heard about them on Londonist and then perhaps comment on Real Sociedad's chances in La Liga next season...he'll like that.

The gallery runs a new exhibition every month or so, with the current show featuring the shortlisted photo's in NatWest's 25th Anniversary professional cricket photography prize . When we pitched up, the gallery was showcasing photos of European Cup Finals taken from the L'Equipe archive, and they were all splendid. Here's one of Ferenc Puskas and the Real Madrid boys.

Talking to Richard and Lorcan, you get a very clear feel for the ethos behind the bar, which is combining a passion for sports photography and good bars with a desire to create a space for sports fans to watch big games in a non-partisan atmosophere. The Offside Bar & Gallery is less about what colours you wear and more about celebrating good sport. It rocks. And so we urge anyone who takes their sport-watching seriously to go check it out. You won't be disappointed. Oh, and look out for the nice little touches, such as the commentary from the big screen being piped through to the gents...we love stuff like that.

Thanks to Lorcan and Richard at the Offside Bar & Gallery for their time and hospitality.