Kemia

Pedestrianised Heddon Street, with its upmarket bars & restaurant terraces, provides welcome W1 breathing space, & the low-level Berber pouffes outside Momo – an atmospheric Moroccan pile that includes a fine restaurant, tearoom & club bar – are a favourite spot for alfresco lolling. Come dusk, ‘souk up’ the ambience in its fez-tastic kemia bar/club/live world-music space – a low-lit, louche lair full of Rachid Taha & Serge Gainsbourg tributes. Tongue-tickling sips include Gaby des lys (basically, gin added to summery Provençal classic, mauresque), but don’t ignore el Morocco or Ali Baba (a blood-red fruit cup laced with Stoli Orange). If it’s authentically Moroccan, it must involve mint: never nicer than in a Champagne cocktail entitled Marrakech o’ Marrakech. To nibble, enticing mezze platters go well with a bottle of Casablanca beer.