Café Kick Café / Sports Bar

Camden Town / Islington, London –

Right in the hippest area of Exmouth Market is Café Kick, a little eatery popular with a jovial mix of students and tourists ready to settle in on mismatched chairs, savor Spanish cuisine, watch sports, and play lots and lots of foosball.

Naturally, as evidenced by the memorabilia and colorful pennant flags dangling from the ceiling and painted on the floors, football – the real kind – is king with the European regulars. The venue explodes with cheers of victory or howls of defeat during any televised match, whether it’s Manchester United versus Manchester City or Tonga versus Japan, and rugby matches get fair play as well.

The small kitchen in the back is in plain view, so tapas-loving Londoners can watch the chefs prepare grilled chorizo if the game isn’t on.

The café’s French Bonzini foosball tables, however, are the biggest draw, with their carved beech wood, cast-iron players, and World Cup cork balls attracting so many players that university lads make sure to call ahead and reserve them.

Throw in the Latin music and a laid-back international crowd, and Café Kick promises a field of fun, hands down.