PASQUA

Pasqua may sound like ‘Easter’ in Spanish, but you won’t necessarily be seeing any bunnies, eggs or indeed bullfights at this little charmer. Located in Chamberí, the cosy lounge bar is a welcome retreat for locals in this otherwise devoid part of town.

Open all day, drop in anytime, be it for a pre-lunch pick-me-up, an afternoon aperitif or a nightcap to wind down before bed. Like most boozers in Spain, the specialty here is gin, so take your pick from an impressive selection including Bulldog, Tanqueray 10, Beefeater 24 and Hendricks combined with botany’s best from juniper berries, liquorice and rose petals to cinnamon sticks and cardamom.

And to stop you from seeing white rabbits, check out the menu, full of tasty treats like trios of mini-burgers, caramelised goat cheese rounds and crème brûléed pineapple halves, at reasonable prices which won’t necessitate you looking under bushes with a basket for a fill.