Somerset House is a great summer destination, with its fountain courtyard, outdoor eating, river views and a full exhibition and event calendar.  I was a regular here when my daughter was small, as she could cool down in the fountains while I relaxed over a coffee, and on Saturday mornings we attended workshops where she made pasta-decorated mirrors and the like, inspired by the works in the galleries.  Now that she’s in her teens we’ve progressed to open air films and fashion exhibitions.

Now there is another reason to visit: I am a huge fan of good Spanish tapas, and that’s precisely what you’ll find at Fernandez & Wells.  There is a fine selection of hams and cheeses, plus some classics such as padron peppers.

They also serve wonderful coffee, a strong, pure, slightly oily espresso.  At breakfast time you can accompany that with pastries or eggs.

On top of all those good reasons, they have seats in the courtyard, so that you can have good views to accompany the great food.