Eleanor's Bar at Charing Cross Hotel

For a clue to the identity of the eponymous Eleanor, scrutinise the elaborate carved (Charing) cross outside. The beloved wife of Edward I, Queen El’s Castilian roots explain the bar’s signature sangria, attractively presented in a Kilner jar for two at £13.95. Elsewhere, you can get elegantly hammered on negroni, French 75 & Cajun martini – a generous pepper-vodka pour garnished with pickled jalapeño & stuffed olives. Also worth a punt are the strawberry lychee, the white lady & after-dinner stickies such as nutty, Frangelico-based Toblerone. There’s an adequate wine list too, plus afternoon tea (£19.95) & all-day eats such as crab sliders, deep-fill sandwiches, fish & chips, & tipsy trifle. Chic ruby- & mink-toned Eleanor’s keeps an exceedingly low profile, but intrepid explorers will be rewarded.