South of the river, north of expectations

Here to provide the good people of Brixton some exotic riot-fuel is Boqueria: a minimalist, low-lit space where sleek white banquettes play off bare wood floors & furniture, and nourishment is strictly Barcelona-style (it works best when passed to short people).

Tapas involve sharers like grilled langoustines, chorizo bathed in cider, applesauce-doused suckling pig w/ parsnip & sweet potato crisps, and salsa-slathered lamb medallions, the kind you win through shear skill.

Staying Catalonian, there's also a regional paella known as Arroz Negro, whose black rice, squid & clams are all darkened with ink; meanwhile the end of the bar sees a leg of Iberico pork ready for slicing, as well as some hung sausage that's been hard cured, as should be your habit of giggling at the phrase "hung sausage".

To wash it down, there's the obligatory sherries & Cavas, plus a pretty wide range of cervesas, like Cruzcampo, Alhambra, Mahou, and a triptych of Barca's Estrella Damm: the original pils, Damm Inedit (created by uberchef Ferran Adria), and the shandy-esque "Damm Lemon" -- hopefully no nearby Brixtonite shares a name with that fruit, or you'll set off...oh, god, no, not with the brick!