For informal all-day dining with a strong Gallic accent, Brasserie Chez Gérard in Barnet is hard to top. This chic bistro serves a stylish classic menu of steaks-frites and coq au vin alongside global dishes from French outposts such as New Orleans and Morocco. A small bar serves a good selection of beer and wine, and there's regular live jazz and a buzzy, cheerful ambience.