Everyone knows of, or about, the British Square in the Rincon de Loix – but did you know that there is another heading into the Old Town? Nestled more or less behind Burger King on the Levante promenade, it is a delightful square with some great traditional British bars and cafes for those that are missing the creature comforts of home. You won´t find loud music or flat screen TV´s blaring out football or other sporting events here. It is a quite corner which attracts Brits by the dozens, where you can sit down and relax in a peaceful tranquil environment – ideal if you are on the beach and need a break.
The first café off the front is Calumbys British Café – run by Paul and Louise from bonny Scotland. The couple have been there for 9 years, with Paul running front of house. Open 7 days per week, from 9am until 4pm you will be welcomed warmly whether you just pop in for a drink – a mug of Tetley tea or Nescafe coffee plus cake is only €1 or stop for something to eat. There was a steady stream of customers throughout the morning which kept Paul busy, but he was always happy to have a chat with everyone.
Just past Callumbys you will find Scooby´s, which has a really funny poster advertising their tea! Possibly taking a dig at how the Spanish make their tea, they reiterate that they use "proper" fresh milk and not UHT longlife, favoured by the Spanish and boil their water in a kettle as opposed to a massive urn - and is served in a mug like back home. Run by Anne-Marie and Rene they offer free wi-fi to customers who´d like to surf and upload their beach pics to social media while enjoying some of the home made delights on offer. You can also order take out sandwiches to take to the beach or borrow one of the many books on offer.
Furthest from the front is The Keyhole Bar, which is run by Mike and Helen. Mike took over in December having worked there for the last 5 years and when the previous owner decided to retire he had no hesitation of taking it on. Coming from the hospitality industry back in the UK, Mike had a wealth of experience in catering and as he told me “aims to serve good quality restaurant standard food at reasonable prices”.
Everything is home made including the chilli, pies and curry and everything is freshly prepared and cooked as ordered. The Keyhole is famed for their steaks, sourced from quality reputable butchers and many customers have been returning for years. It is certainly a place to head to and great to support ex-pats who are running a business here... and as they all live here can give you some useful tips and information.
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