Bars & Pubs

At first glance, this gay café-bar seems a pretty standard joint (leather banquettes, big windows, mirrors); however, its Covent Garden location makes a fine break from the manic Old Compton Street scene. The Muscle Mary contingent - the chiselled bar staff once had their own beefcake calendar - comes as something of a surprise too. On weekend evenings the tables are pushed back, the music pumped up and the place fills with queens for some pre-club drinking. There are 13 wines and five bottled beers (including Peroni, Cobra and Tiger), and bar snacks include pistachios and dried fruit. By day, the place has a laid-back vibe, with alfresco seating in summer. In fact, shoppers might not even realise they're in a gay bar until they clock the 'Gay men and steroids' pamphlets in the loos.

Time Out Bars, Pubs & Clubs Guide 2008/9