Phi Lounge is always in season…literally. The lounge, which rests in the lobby of the Hotel Indigo, follows the hotel's philosophy about providing its guests with a sense of renewal. Each season the decorations in the lounge change just slightly, and a scent machine wafts smells of the season (like cut grass in the summer) throughout the building.

But there are other smells worth treating your nose to at Phi. It serves a wide variety of tapas, both cold and hot, each uniquely enchanting to taste buds. Favorites include the plato de embutidos, a plate of four pork meats with olive oil-drenched bread sticks ($9), the pimientos de piquillo rellenos de bonito, sweet piquillo peppers roasted and stuffed with tuna ($8), and the canelones de legumbres, crepes filled with vegetables and goat cheese ($8). Diners can also order from the hotel's main restaurant the Golden Bean. Its slightly larger menu includes a delightful balsamic steak and spinach salad ($13), penne with lobster sauce ($12) and a build-your-own-bruschetta platter ($12).

In the mood for a mid-afternoon cocktail or a pre-dinner glass of wine? The lounge offers a wide range of wines by the glass or bottle, as well as specialty drinks like white and red sangrias ($5), a coconut martini ($9) and a pama mojito, made with pomegranate liquor, Bacardi, soda and fresh mint ($7). While the lounge is perfectly welcoming to passersby on the street, it is frequented mostly by those staying at the hotel.

Centerstage Reviewer: Christy Bonstell