Why?

Because it's in an intriguing location. There are bits of London that seem to be immune to the gentrification process, and Archway in north London is one of them. Despite having a famous gastropub (St John's), a regular Saturday-morning organic farmers' market and its fair share of leafy residential roads and celebrity residents (Bill Nighy! Roland Mouret!), Archway refuses to go posh. Its greasy spoons and raucous shouty/scrappy pub scene prevails over everything else. And hoodies and unfragrant tramps gravitate towards its main drag, Junction Road, as if summoned by a clarion. Hideaway - the area's newest bar - is interesting, because it embraces Archway's un-gentrifiable spirit, rather than trying to ignore it.

How does that work, exactly?

Partly through a smart design ethic. Its dirty brown makes you think of speakeasies and lock-ins in semi-legal dive bars and unrefurbished old-men's pubs. From the street, it's only the excellent proportions on the windows and the great font on the signage that lets you know that Hideaway is hip; and furthermore the latest project of the people who brought you more flagrantly fashionable endeavours, among them London's only chic tequila bar, Green & Red; and gastro/cocktail destination, Hawksmoor.

And once you're inside?

Understated cool. It's a solid little space - small, oblong, sparsely furnished, with Tiki prints on the walls; and nice bits of retro-look battered wood for chairs and tables. It's got a long, Tiki-theme bar at the far end, a beer garden just beyond that and a basement that hosts a DJ several nights a week (which is rumoured to be dead buzzy - I can't speak from experience). Cocktail Girl doesn't do DJ basement bars. They don't mix with high heels, frocks and fizz.

You're a bit old for them, I'd say. That must be a factor?

Oh, do be quiet! Basements are not my natural habitat, OK? And there's no need to go downstairs ... The main bar has everything a Cocktail Girl's swinging brick desires; namely, good red wine, excellent vodka, sexy bar staff, and the best pizzas this side of Foreign. They are so light and delicate they barely qualify as carbohydrate. Make mine a marinara, barman, and don't stint on the anchovies.

· Hideaway, 114 Junction Rd, London N19 (020 7561 0779)