According to best estimates there are about 20,000 restaurants, cafes, canteens and other eateries in London, which makes the job of picking 400 or so for the guidebook a tricky one. What is also self-evident is that different restos offer different things to different customers. While West End heavy hitters strive for perfection on a plate and charge like a wounded buffalo there are a plenty of restaurants whose raison d’etre is to feed the people who live locally. A genuine neighbourhood restaurant is a real asset, so if you live on, or near to, Marylands Road in W9 you’ll know all about Tsiakkos & Charcoal.

This restaurant is a small, rather ragged, old-style, Greek Cypriot establishment. The tables are covered in garish printed oil cloth, the walls are home to a strange assortment of pictures and there is a prevailing feeling that you are in someone’s rather untidy back room. To the rear is a garden area roofed in with some elderly sheets of corrugated perspex. Music blares out – anyone old enough to remember the Doors will feel right at home - and there’s a computer with a DVD playing so that the those cooking in the open kitchen behind the counter have something to entertain them.

The food here doesn’t win any gastronomic medals, the starters round up the usual suspects from the mezze repertoire. A soft taramasalata - rather long on bread and short on roe; a bowl of fassiola (which would be better had they used large beans rather than the smaller haricot style pulse); loucanica sausage; bastourma; these weigh in at a wholly reasonable £3 each. There are also some salads (at £6) these are great value, a large bowl full of perky tomatoes, sound feta, crisp cucumber. Mains include lamb kebab, chicken, or kleftico. These come with a choice of salad or rather good savoury rice. The meat is generally overcooked but portions are good and the prices don’t stray over £10.

Tsiakkos is a glowing example of a restaurant where the quality of the food is not of over-riding importance. If you live within a half mile radius it’s a brilliant place to pop into for some supper on a summer’s evening. A large bottle of cold Keo beer or a sound bottle of reasonably priced wine, some dips, and a kebab. Or make up a table with friends out the back and ignite a party. You can expect cheery service, honest food and sensible prices, which means that Tsiakkos is something of a local hero.

Charles Campion

Tsiakkos & Charcoal, 5 Marylands Road, W9 (020 7286 7896)