Most striking is the fact that each alcoholic cocktail has a non-alcoholic counterpart built as a drink in its own right rather than a dutiful substitute. Angels and demons appears in both forms, the original built on butter-infused tequila, the other on Lyre’s and blood orange, each with real length and shape. Chess nights and music give the copper-topped room life, while nods to Nancy Cunard and Aleister Crowley add just enough Fitzrovia colour.

Here, for once, is a hidden gem that’s genuinely hidden. Gambit Bar takes a bit of finding – it’s under The Newman, Fitzrovia’s latest hotel opening – but your efforts will be handsomely repaid.

The supremely comfortable subterranean bar feels more like New York than London, with properly swish Dorothy Parker-era Manhattan decor and a 1970s soul soundtrack courtesy of the resident DJs.

In the West End, hotel bars are increasingly behaving like neighbourhood pubs. Fitzrovia’s Gambit Bar, situated beneath Brasserie Angelica at The Newman, opened on February 1.

The 60-cover bar leans into its chess-themed branding, offering classic cocktails and London craft beer alongside DJ nights.

The sexy, game night-inspired Gambit Bar, settled in the basement at the tail of a winding, cocoa-coloured staircase – and the light and spacious Brasserie Angelica, which sits above it – are newcomers to the scene. And yet, they feel like they should’ve been there for years.

Beneath The Newman in Fitzrovia, Gambit is one of those hotel bars that sensibly decided to have an actual point of view. The basement setting is intimate and faintly escapist, while the cocktails feel modern but measured rather than overworked. It has enough polish to feel destination-worthy, but the real appeal is simpler: a handsome room, very good drinks and a mood that encourages lingering.Yvette Legge rounds up some of the best spots in the capital for sensational serves.