Bar San Juan

Offering a ‘warm sunny hug’ in any weather, compact Bar San Juan is, for one reader, ‘a favourite place to be happy in’ – although the happiness starts if you manage to score a table, since bookings are severely limited by its size. The instantly welcoming, cosy tiled interior is packed with evocative memorabilia (posters, a bull's head, a Real Madrid football shirt, strings of dried chillies), while a neatly competent, Spanish-speaking team keeps tables supplied with a constant stream of tapas and drinks.

Crisp cubes of 'papas' bravas come with a boat of meaty, spicy Madrid-style brava sauce, while juicy-chewy cod's cheeks are served with bitter greens, vibrant red chillies and garlic. Other choices might range from gazpacho to spinach with chickpeas and potatoes or a silky aubergine stew topped with a slice of torched goat's cheese. Also check out the croquetas filled with free-range chicken, and the little lamb filo parcels with a Tempranillo sauce.

Puddings might be a shallow, chewy Santiago tart or boldly plain, slightly whipped vanilla custard topped with a single Maria biscuit. A short list of Spanish wines shows off its regional credentials.