Tapas
Just off Regent Street and already full of average restaurants, Heddon Street isn’t the first place you’d think of going for a great meal. A strange choice then for Nieves Barragan’s first standalone restaurant after leaving the Barrafina empire she helped create. Once inside however it’s all rather lovely. We take a seat at the low counter overlooking the brightly tiled kitchen and sip on … Continue reading Sabor, Heddon Street
I loved the first Lobos Meat and Tapas, housed in a cramped railway arch in Borough Market. As far as vibes go, that place certainly has them aplenty. I’m not so sure their second restaurant on Frith Street in Soho is quite as buzzy (the second floor dining room does have an open kitchen but the space is quite plain) but the food is outstanding. … Continue reading Lobos Meat and Tapas, Soho
With tapas taking London by storm, it makes sense for Sam and Eddie Hart to open their third Barrafina (they’ve a Michelin starred one in Soho and another one on Adelaide Street in Covent Garden) and for me, this one is easily their best. Like the others, it’s a simple set up; a large counter with stalls overlooks the bustle of the kitchen, giving the … Continue reading Barrafina, Drury Lane
With Pollen Street Social, Little Social, Social Eating House, City Social, Berners Tavern, not to mention a plethora of restaurants all over the world, can Jason Atherton do no wrong? Well I think he might have stretched himself one too far with his latest opening Social Wine and Tapas on James Street, right opposite Patty&Bun. It’s an odd space made up of lots of little dining … Continue reading Social Wine and Tapas
Described by some as a glorified food court, Broadgate Circle, which is right by Liverpool Street Station, has had rather a lot of money thrown at it. The result is actually rather charming and there’s shed a load of restaurants there; Franco Manca, Shoryu, Yauatcha and this, José Pizarro’s third restaurant. He’s managed to avoid a corporate or chainy feel; even though the place was … Continue reading José Pizarro, Broadgate Circle
Morada, or Morada Brindisa Asador to give it its full title, is a new tapas restaurant from the chaps and chapesses behind Brindisa in Borough Market. It’s based on Rupert Street in Soho which is just a few doors down from the wonderful Palomar. Inside it’s bigger than you might think with a large rectangular counter overlooking the open bar and kitchen in the middle … Continue reading Morada Brindisa Asador, Soho
I was slightly underwhelmed by my visit to the original Barrafina in Soho (which recently received a Michelin star) but as their new one on Adelaide Street in Covent Garden has had such glowing praise I thought I’d check it out. Sticking with the stools at a counter theme this one is much bigger meaning the wait isn’t quite as long (forty minutes for two … Continue reading Barrafina Adelaide Street
To be honest, I’d never heard of Barrica before – a tapas restaurant on Goodge Street just a couple of doors down from Salt Yard. That was until I saw it in the ‘Bib Gourmand recommends’ section of the Michelin guide, so we thought we’d pop down with a group of friends to check it out. On our Friday evening visit the place was heaving … Continue reading Barrica, Goodge Street
Copita is a tapas bar on D’Arblay Street in Soho and, as it features in the ‘Bib Gourmand recommends’ section of the Michelin guide, we thought we’d pop in to try a couple of the dishes. It was a bright and airy restaurant and at 3pm, on a sunny Saturday afternoon, the place was positively packed. There were no tables, just stools in front of … Continue reading Copita, Soho
Ember Yard is the latest restaurant from the Salt Yard Group (they own Dehesa, Opera Tavern and Salt Yard). It resides in Berwick Street but in the less buzzy bit at the opposite end of the market. We were seated in the ground floor dining room which had quite a cold and sterile feel to it. The lack of any soft furnishings meant that when … Continue reading Ember Yard
Jose Pizarro owns two restaurants on Bermondsey Street near London Bridge; Jose and Pizarro. The former is a small and delightful tapas and sherry bar, the latter which is where we ended up for a weeknight dinner, is more of a sit down affair which serves larger dishes. They don’t take reservations but after a small wait in the bar area a table became available … Continue reading Pizarro, Bermondsey Street
Salt Yard is an “award winning modern tapas restaurant focussing on the best of Spain and Italy”. The group behind it also own Dehesa and Opera Tavern, where we had brilliant meals in the past, so I thought here would be a good choice for dinner with my parents. The ground floor dining room was really lovely and buzzy. Sadly we were taken down to … Continue reading Salt Yard
José Pizarro has well and truly plonked Bermondsey Street onto the culinary map with his two restaurants José and Pizarro. José is a tiny sherry and tapas bar at one end of the street and Pizarro is a full sized sit-down restaurant at the other. I’ve been to Pizarro quite a few times – usually very late and I’ve always been horrendously drunk. The atmosphere … Continue reading Pizarro
Jose is situated on Bermondsey Street (a 7 minute walk from London Bridge station) and is a sherry and tapas bar which my gentleman companion and I have always wanted to visit. We previously haven’t on account of it always being packed, or should I say bursting at the seams. The owner, aptly named Jose Pizarro, also owns Pizarro at the other end of the … Continue reading Jose
