The Crabtree, Fulham

We feel that there's no greater acclaim from us here at The Daterbase than to say a venue fits into your afternoon or evening's plans at absolutely any stage. The Crabtree, by the river in Fulham, is one such place. Go here as a meet-point for your date in Fulham, Hammersmith, Putney or beyond or end your night here after an afternoon of lazing in Bishop's Park. Hell, even spend your whole date here! It really is that good. A classic date venue given how relatively unknown it is and how great the food and drinks on offer are. OK, it's a little off the beaten track (and a little hard to find, if we're honest) but don't let minor details like that put you off!

If you've ever been to The Coat & Badge in Putney, you'll know how popular the semi-smart, spruced up gastropub is in these parts. Well, meet The Coat & Badge's friendlier and prettier younger sister. No pushing past a gauntlet of baby buggies in the garden here, and no red-socked, Gant-pullovered Hugos talking too loudly about next month' trip to Courchevel (OK, there's one or two: you are still in Fulham, after all).

But you needn't fret. The beer garden here is big enough to hide yourself away from the real world for a while. Go here in the summer months and there's a good chance you'll find the chefs behind the BBQ in the middle if the garden. If they are, you're in luck. The Greek salad here is one of the best we've tasted (admittedly, we've not tasted that many) and will make the perfect accompaniment to the excellent burger and chips also on offer (we have tasted a few of those).

The food on the "proper" menu isn't bad, either. So, they might not be reinventing the wheel with the gastropub classics on offer, but you'll be surprised at how great simple food can be given the right setting (and the right company, of course).

If wine's your thing, the wine list here is another weapon in its armoury. Knowledgeable staff will help you make the perfect decision, so need to panic and blurt out the only pronounceable name. Your date will think they are here with the next Oz Clarke, but better still you will have a nice tasting drink to suit your mood.

But, for us, the jewel in the crown is the array of beers and ciders on offer - isn't it always? - and the perfect excuse to spend longer in here than you may have originally planned. As with many of London's real ale pubs, The Crabtree have tried to keep their guest ales on a strict rotation policy, and increasingly popular IPAs and craft beers are becoming a regular feature. What better excuse to come here, then?

At The Daterbase we think that this place is perhaps best enjoyed as the perfect pit-stop on a lazy stroll along the river from Hammersmith or Putney bridges, but don't let us be the judge and jury here. This is one place you simply have to try for yourself!

Oh, and try to avoid during the football season whenever Fulham are at home. It gets busy...

The Swift, Putney

Offering an edgier vibe than the Fuller's pub that once stood on its site, The Swift captures the pub/bar atmosphere that Putney High Street was once missing. Admittedly a "pubbier" feel than its contemporaries Lost & Co and The Toy Shop, The Swift nonetheless offers a more appealing alternative to a Putney night out than ending oh so predictably in the basement of the Foxtons branch that we at The Daterbase loathe so. 

Yes, The Swift has the exposed brick walls and the cobbled-together furniture that seems to be a pre-requisite for new London pubs and bars; but perhaps its location in the more relaxed and easy-paced South West means that The Swift isn't taking itself too seriously. It's more your effortlessly cool older brother than your try-hard Shoreditch cousin - all nose rings and Oliver Peoples frames.

Like any newish opening worth its salt, The Swift does craft beers well. Very well. Take your date here and you won't need to pretend you're an expert, or that you've "been a CAMRA enthusiast for years, honest". Knowledgeable (another pre-requisite) but appropriately friendly (more important yet often overlooked) bar staff will make your decision the easiest you'll make all night. Moreover, this is the type of place that will even let you try their beers before you buy. You'd be surprised how much difference this seemingly obvious gesture makes!

Whisk your date off to one of the booths adjacent to the bar - or better still to the booth hidden around the back - and avoid the big room at the top, whose large, shared table gives it a slightly out of place German bier hall vibe, and order another beer!

The clipboard menu and the food's presentation (think grease proof paper and your Nan's ancient enamel bowls) do give off a slightly predictable and "understated but over-the-top" feel, but don't let this take away from the beauty of this basic diner-style food. Not much to choose from other than pizzas, burgers and hotdogs, but these really do rival Franco Manca, Honest Burger and Bubbledogs respectively for their taste, if not quite for their value for money. That said, there's more than enough choice in bottled and cask beers that you might find you skip dinner completely anyway!

Yes, it gets busy on Friday and Saturday evenings like anywhere, but fight your way through the throngs at the door (the layout of this place makes it feel slightly like pushing through the Oxford St crowds at 3pm on a Saturday afternoon) and you'll find some relative peace and quiet in a bar that is doing "cool" almost effortlessly. Just don't ask for a cocktail, as unfathomably, this element of its charm has now been removed.

Il Mascalzone, Putney

Putney has been forever popular with young families, the thirty-something set and our Antipodean cousins; indeed most mid-twenties Londoners will have paid at least one visit to the dark and dingy Fez Club in the basement of a brightly lit Foxtons branch.

But cometh the sunshine, cometh the hordes to Putney and its vast array of riverside bars and restaurants. The Boathouse and the Star & Garter are the two most popular, but honourable mention must go to the less frequented, yet pleasing Bricklayer's Arms, located at the end of a quiet residential street off Lower Richmond Rd.

Indeed, spend a sunny Sunday or bank holiday Monday at one of these Putney watering holes and end your day in Il Mascalzone, soaking in the somewhat cheesy Italian decor and even cheesier authentic Italian pizzas.

On the face of it, Il Mascalzone looks like it would be more suited to a Brit-inhabited waterfront on the Costa del Hell; but we at the daterbase are of the opinion that books (and indeed Italian pizzerias) should not be judged by their covers or tacky sign and shop-front. Step inside and the friendly staff will instantly make you feel at home.

The previously-mentioned decor is eclectic, although the Mario Ballotelli-themed pop art adorning the back wall is certainly a talking point. Quirky Italian art aside, the menu is a beast. Thirty pizzas to choose from, and twenty more pasta dishes and other main courses mean you will definitely be spoilt for choice. 

Despite this, the restaurant is very reasonably priced, and the boisterous atmosphere will mean that you will be hard-pushed to find a more suitable venue for a quick eat on the High Street. The wine list and choice of beers is somewhat limited in comparison to the food menu, but the real reason you came here is the pizzas!

Walk off your full stomachs with a romantic stroll across Putney Bridge as you stagger your way to the tube, sunburt, and a peculiar image of Mario Ballotelli etched into your memory.