Aster

For the many fans of Ben Crittenden’s original Stark, the good news is that his brother has taken over these minuscule eight-seater premises. As a chef, Luke Crittenden has had a good grounding in classic cooking techniques but transitioned to veganism after becoming aware of the realities of animal farming. His philosophy is simple: he serves what he loves to cook – plant-based food, with no shortage of ambition, confidence or inventiveness. A reliance on wild foods, which often have very short seasons, means the good-value five-course tasting menu changes every week or fortnight. There may be a lot of foams, shavings and purées, but Luke is mindful of texture and flavour – cauliflower in a deep-flavoured broth with shiitake mushrooms and a soft, savoury mochi-like dumpling is a brilliant umami hit.  And we loved the wild garlic crisps, part of the 'snackage' that's thrown in. A brief wine list, offered by the glass or bottle, does the job, and the whole enterprise is casual, welcoming and – more importantly – not just a spot for vegans.