Fire: Pub in Lambeth, London

Fire is a food venue in SW8, and the evening doesn't end with dinner. The programming leans towards club nights with a clear theme: Halloween parties, daytime house and disco sessions, and the occasional fetish-led opening night. The crowd tends to dress for the theme and stay for the music. The kitchen is part of the picture, but the calendar shows the character. If you like a venue that treats a night out as an event, this is the kind of place to look at. Start with the theme, not the headline name. The format tells you more about the room than the line-up does. Read each listing before you go. The theme usually tells you how dressed up the night will be.