Adding a little touch of glamour to an otherwise fairly non-descript area, Pause is an underground haven that’s perfect for after-work cocktails and nibbles.

The Venue
Set half-way down Leadenhall Street, it’s clear from the start that this is a place for City girls and boys. It’s a basement bar, so it’s not really suitable for al fresco drinks on a summer eve (although there is a sofa on the pavement outside the bar for smokers, which is a nice touch). Once downstairs, you’re immediately hit by a very modern venue. Think dark wooden floors, leather sofas around the edges, mirrored walls, spotlights and a lit-up bar. It’s not huge, but there’s definitely enough space to cut some shapes when the night wears on, and it’s got some ideal ‘areas’ to reserve for a few friends if you fancy. Ultimately, there’s nothing experimental about it – they’ve gone for a standard chic-cocktail-bar setting – but it does work well, and there’s a real cosiness about it which is rare for this kind of place.

The Atmosphere
The atmosphere varies quite considerably at Pause. On a hot summer’s evening, it can be a bit quiet as sun-seekers venture elsewhere in the City in search of al fresco drinking. On other nights you can expect local after-workers to liven things up.

The staff are young and friendly and the customers are relatively varied, and anyone between their twenties to forties will probably feel at ease here. The music isn’t overpowering and is fairly generic dance/pop music.

The Food
Don’t come here for a gourmet meal, but definitely do give it a whirl for fabulous bar snacks. The sharing platters are great to nibble on while sipping cocktails, and are surprisingly varied. For £15.95, the veggie platter consists of spring rolls, hummus and pitta bread, goat’s cheese tartlets, bruschetta, basil arancini, onion rings, crudites, tortilla crisp, salsa and guacamole and is really nicely presented on a huge plate. If that’s not quite enough for two, supplement it with some of their small platters like chicken skewers or fishcake skewers (£4.75) or choose something from their tapas menu (the sweet and sour crispy squid is great), and these dishes are 4 for £10.

If that’s still not enough (or you’re just not a fan of picky food), go for one of their sandwiches or burgers at £7.75. There’s a good variety, including the harissa lamb burger, chorizo burger and falafel burger.

The Drink
There are, unsurprisingly, a lot of cocktails. These come in at £6.95-£7.95, or you can get a jug for £22. The Skinny Bitch is a popular one, and just looks amazing – a really nice orangey-yellow colour, with a smattering of redcurrants on top. Mixing vodka with fresh pineapple and apple juice, it tastes good too. Hot Pants is also definitely worth a shot, and is a little stronger.

If cocktails aren’t your thing, beer, wine and spirits are on offer too. A glass of house red or white will set you back £5, with a bottle priced at £14.95, and spirits start at £6 for a double. Champagne is available, too. If your celebration is a fairly small one, you can get a bottle for £35.95, but if you want to splash out you can - on their £205 offering. Beers range for £3.60 for a bottle of Asahi, Becks, Sol or Peroni, and stretch to £4.50 for a pint of Asahi, with a few cider and ales available for around £4.75.

The Last Word
Pause won’t blow you away with any grand innovations, and it doesn’t deviate from the textbook cocktail bar theme, but it does this theme very well and the result is a very modern, chic and welcoming bar.

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