National Geographic Café

Bolted onto Regent Street & one of its most popular shops, the National Geographic Café’s pintxo-based menu still does a roaring trade. Pintxos are Basque Spain’s answer to tapas, but NGC’s version roams around the Med, picking up monkfish with tapenade, skewered scallops with pork belly & even caprese salad. The kitchen isn’t averse to the odd wacky idea (pineapple carpaccio atop potato purée & smoked salmon, say), although the best bets are the Spanish staples – croquetas, tortilla & platters of Ibérico ham all score highly. Meanwhile, those fretting over what to feed the little ones will rejoice in the chip-less assembly of sausages with marbled mash, pizza tricolore & so forth. Wines barely exceed £40, & there’s a freezer full of gelati to keep junior occupied. Expect wall-to-wall tourists, family mayhem & general rowdiness.