Bars and Cafes in City/ Square Mile (London)

El Vino

The press may have left Fleet Street, but the historic Inns of Court remain, and their learned inhabitants - traditional English gents dressed in pinstripes and even the odd bowler hat - can be found in El Vino. Established in 1879, this is one of London's oldest wine bars and much remains unchanged. Dusty bottles of wine line the walls - with some 170 varieties on offer, connoisseurs will think they've arrived in seventh heaven. There's also a range of bar snacks and a good value restaurant serving solid, traditional fare, such as steak and kidney pie, a daily “catch” from nearby Billingsgate fish market and even a vegetarian option. Breakfast is also available. The dress code has recently been relaxed from strictly formal to smart-casual.

Barcelona Tapas Bar Y Restaurant

Here you will find stylish tapas and Iberian food served up with panache to a mostly City crowd. This is not your dark, smoky tapas bar. The Barcelona is a vast, two-level restaurant with a subtle Gaudi-inspired decor. The space, along with friendly and neatly-uniformed staff, makes this a good choice for a meeting without unnecessary formality. Enjoy Catalan specialities, like Escalivada or one of three paellas. Apart from calling, you can also fax at 0845 4900 511.

Crussh

Escape the office, shield your eyes from the plastic fast-food invasion, and step into the fruity zone. Replenish your body with vitamins as you drink a refreshing fruit cocktail - non-alcoholic, of course, because alcohol depletes your body's vitamins and actually dehydrates you. But should you need a hangover cure, The Purifier should do the trick - or have a liquid lunch with the Mis-a-Meal combination. Gulp down a super-fresh juice here or have it delivered (£10 minimum for free delivery). Soup, sandwiches, tortilla wraps and salads complete Crussh's contribution to a healthy mid-afternoon or lunch break. If you have an allergy, you'll be pleased to hear that many items are gluten-free. Low-fat brownies and fruit salads for the calorie watchers are also on sale.

Black Friar

This pub, dating back to 1875, is built on the site of a medieval Dominican monastery and so the monk's connection with brewing lives on. There is a fabulous copper architrave, which portrays the various duties carried out by the monks, in the main bar. The building is an odd cuneiform sliver-shape but it still manages to pack in the punters. The train rattles by, but at least you don't need to hold onto the pictures! A mixture of independent malty brews are on offer as well as good pub food (served Mondays-Fridays, midday-2.30p). After grace you can say "Amen" and drink to that.

Bar Bourse

Located beneath a Prêt à Manger just north of Southwark Bridge, Bar Bourse is recognised as a top bar in the City and makes a good place to go before strolling over the river to Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. Lunch is available between 11:30a and 3p; bar snacks are served thereafter. With a good range of drinks and a cosmopolitan menu incorporating everything from filled focaccias to squid and chicken tempura, this has an exclusive atmosphere, style and class.

Jamaica Wine House

Dating back to the 1652, the Jamaica Wine House (aka the Jam Pot) attracts young and middle-aged City gents who prefer to relax in comfortable, non-gimmicky surroundings. This was the site of Pasqua Rose's, the first London coffee house - where shares were traded before the Stock Exchange was set up 200 years ago. The building rose from the ashes of the Fire of London to become the Jamaica Coffee House in 1674, changing into a wine house in 1869. The ceiling is high, and the long, wooden bar has four rooms divided by dark wooden partitions. It's reminiscent of an old-fashioned railway waiting room, and has an intriguing atmosphere - the past is ever palpable despite the sharp talk and buzzing mobiles of today's punters. Beers are supplied by Bass and St Peters, but the port is the finest with two vintages sold by the glass. Light meals and sandwiches are served between noon and 3p.

Centuria

This classic pub conversion has successfully struggled to establish itself as one of London's groovy, laid back hang-outs. White walls, bare floor boards, large windows and Chesterfield sofas make this a charming spot to loose an evening and watch the world go by. There is a (usually crowded) dining area in the back searving up-market pub food at reasonable prices.

Bleeding Heart Bistro

The Bleeding Heart Bistro is situated in the middle of an olde-worlde cobbled courtyard. Its entrance is a wonderfully converted alleyway, now an outdoor dining area. The builders, in their wisdom, have managed to create an outdoor area, which is rendered weatherproof from the harsh reality of the British climate. Fantastic! The menu is mainly French and is of a reasonable standard with dishes, such as lobster salad, or truffled scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, and home-made Brioche.

Corney & Barrow

Corney & Barrow bars are part of the City landscape, but they've now settled in areas of central London. The clientèle are mostly professionals who are here to wind down after a hard day at the office. C&B Fleet Place is a thoroughly pleasant place, benefiting from huge windows which open onto the world on hot summer days. Straddling two floors, the light and airy ground level operates as a full-time bar, while the basement, with its arched ceiling, turns into a brasserie at lunchtime with bookable tables and waiter service. Food is served all day, on both floors, from breakfast onwards. The menu changes monthly, and encompasses everything from sandwiches with a range of fillings to salads, tapas and croquettes, which are sold at very reasonable prices. Cocktails are also available, and you can get a champagne breakfast if you book two weeks in advance.

Grapeshots

Nestling in a tiny old passageway among Indian grocers, antique clothes shops, and designer boutiques, Grapeshots seems to be in another world from the futuristic skyscrapers a stone's throw away from Bishopsgate. This pub uses a lot of heavy wood and candles-in-bottles to create a cozy atmosphere, and given its location at the heart of the City, it comes as no surprise to find that the regulars consist mainly of office workers. They flock to Grapeshots, where they can enjoy the good selection of wines, beers and bar snacks on offer.

Futures VTA

Set in a large glass conservatory, this modern, vegetarian cafe-bar offers a welcome break from the urban hustle and bustle. They serve breakfast and an inspired selection of both veggie and vegan lunch options between 11:30a and 3p. A ban on smoking over lunch adds to the healthy image. Guests can make use of the new takeaway bar with its range of hot meals and salads. The drinks selection is quite standard, with a good selection of worldly wines.

Slug & Lettuce

Owned by the same company who run the Bar Med chain, the interior of the Slug & Lettuce is all light wood and bright light. Modern, minimalist and airy, this has a standard bistro-style menu, while masses of glass adds a touch of style. The clientèle seems to consist solely of well-heeled professionals and city folk who pack the place out in the evenings to take advantage of the extensive drinks menu. Outside seating makes it a particularly nice place to while away the summer evenings.