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Despite not being British, Raymond Blanc is nothing short of a national treasure. The legendary TV chef has graced our screens for decades, his soothing French accent radiating a sense of calm in kitchens and living rooms throughout the country he has called home since 1972.

Blanc transformed his flagship restaurant, Le Manoir in Oxfordshire, into one of the finest dining destinations in the UK yet when pressed to name his favourite pub, one establishment came to mind immediately: "I like very much The Devonshire in Soho, run by my friend Ashley Palmer-Watts," the celebrated chef told my colleague, Ellen Jenne, before adding: "Always great food and brimming with conviviality."

The Devonshire, nestled in the heart of London, has become a genuine phenomenon on social media, and is easily accessible via a short train journey from cities across the UK. It is, without doubt, worth every minute of the trip. The Devonshire has built its sterling reputation on two pillars: its outstanding food and the exceptional quality of its Guinness.

Situated in central London, the pub is barely a minute's walk from Piccadilly Circus underground station, tucked along a narrow side street. It has stood in some form since 1793. From the outside, it cuts a striking figure - and the crowds of patrons enjoying pints on the pavement every evening of the week speaks volumes about its enduring popularity.

Inside, the atmosphere is equally lively, though far from overwhelming. Dimly lit and filled with both London's after-work crowd and tourists, it's the sort of establishment where one could happily while away the hours. Yet despite the Guinness, the green colour scheme and Irish landlord Oisin Rogers, this is no Irish pub. And not every patron is nursing a Guinness either.

Raymond Blanc cited the food as one of the key reasons the Devonshire stands apart from the rest. Having dined there myself, I wholeheartedly agree. Securing a table requires a bit of effort: bookings open every Thursday at 10.30am for three weeks in advance and spaces are snapped up rapidly!

The kitchen is helmed by chef Ashley Palmer-Watts, who spent 20 years at Heston Blumenthal's three-starred Fat Duck. The menu is unfussy, rooted firmly in hearty British classics. The creamy sauce accompanying my scallops and bacon starter (£18), laced with malt vinegar, was unlike anything I can recall tasting before. Thank goodness a complimentary freshly-baked bread roll, salty and wonderfully soft, arrived to soak it up. Leaving a single drop of that sauce behind would have been unforgivable.

My main of beef cheek and Guinness suet pudding arrived encased in a rich, dense pastry crafted from flour and beef fat (£26). Two sides accompanied it: gloriously crispy duck fat chips (£6) and peas, onion and bacon (£6). Their unpretentious simplicity - along with the salt and fat - made them utterly outstanding. Dessert consisted of chocolate mousse, cherries and cream (£9) which tasted every bit as delightful as it sounds. The bill totalled £73 with service included. There's also a set-course menu available offering three courses for £29 (or two for £25).

The Devonshire has repeatedly been praised for serving the finest pint of Guinness available. TikTok and Instagram are both brimming with people sharing their opinions on whether that claim holds true. The pub gets through a remarkable 55 barrels of Guinness per night and the landlord reveals that its quality stems from several different factors - though they all fundamentally relate to how meticulously it's maintained.

For instance, it flows through an entirely separate system of pipes to the pub's other beers ("nothing goes through here apart from Guinness", says Oisin) and it's not served as chilled as it is in other places. The Guinness pipes are also a different diameter to others and there's even a bespoke blend of gas in the pumps which influences how it pours and the texture of Guinness's famous creamy head. Beyond the cellar, the bar staff operate a system whereby there are always several pints half-poured on the bar to cope with the relentless demand.

Some people insist that the quality of Guinness differs from pub to pub, though I could never tell the difference or conceive of any logical reason why that could possibly be true, given it's mass-produced in the same location and dispatched in identical barrels. In the Devonshire, I realised I had been mistaken. It was distinctly and noticeably superior to your average Guinness, which is already a fantastic pint.

It was absolutely extraordinary. I simply cannot stop thinking about it. A pint of Guinness is £7.20 which, for London, is perfectly reasonable and particularly so for a venue that is a genuine tourist destination in its own right.

I find myself in full agreement with Raymond Blanc - this is amongst the finest pubs I have ever set foot in. It has been aptly described as a "masterclass in hospitality" so whether you're seeking outstanding food, exceptional Guinness or simply a wonderful pub to while away the hours, you won't find anywhere better.