Organic meat replaced the processed burgers, and local, seasonal produce became fashionable food. With the rise of the gastropub, we started to think differently about dining out. Crisps for dinner? No more. Smoked haddock fishcakes and wilted spring greens, please.
Over the years the gastropub has played its part in raising the overall reputation of British cuisine. Some gastropubs have even virtually excluded beer from the board and concentrated on wine instead. Others have introduced tablecloths, formal settings and uniformed service and in effect become a restaurant in pub's clothing. However, some pub culture still lingers. Gastropubs usually take hold in old pubs that retain original décor, mis-matched tables and cosy sofas in front of the fireplace. And customers usually order at the bar.
Interestingly, across the pond in New York, the gastropub has taken hold in the Big Apple as the latest in dining out. Gastros are sprouting across Manhattan and into the borough of Brooklyn. We Brits do know how to combine good food, good drink and good company - the rest of the world is catching up.