San Telmo

Let's review: A coveted location in Av. Diagonal at C/Casanova. A luxury terrace that's open all year. A relaxed atmosphere. Zero fanfare. Décor with a New York air. Smooth and clean lines. Music all day set at a volume that doesn't interrupt conversations. San Telmo – not to be confused with the gorgeous restaurant in C/Vilà i Vila – is one of those places that are neither too outdated to chase away the posher clientele, nor too well-heeled to turn away your average hungry passer-by. This is a place to stop in for breakfast, lunch or dinner – the best-sellers are salads and hamburgers – and for having the first drinks of the night before making your way to Bikini, Luz de Gas, Universal, Sutton or any of the nightclubs in the area.

Despite not being the most spacious property in town, this restaurant named after a district in Buenos Aires has managed to gain a large family of loyal customers, thanks to a sleek, modern interior design that plays with contrasts between white, black (the walls) and red (the bar), and offers fans of the kitsch the decoration of two bicycles hanging in the windows that run along the top of C/Casanova.

The atmosphere is great for singles who are on the other side of thirty. Add a delicious post-work cocktail hour with highly recommended appetisers, and you've got a formula that, though it won't change the world, always satisfies. A final curiosity is that a place called San Telmo is in a street called Buenos Aires – they've even got that going for them.