Top seven Spanish restaurants in the UK
From Cardiff to King's Cross, the UK is home to an abundance of high quality Spanish restaurants. We round up seven of the best, all of which focus on the finest ingredients and bear the ‘Restaurants from Spain’ certification.
1. Curado Bar, Cardiff
When owners Paul Grimwood and Shumana Palit opened this success story, they took the essence of a tapas bar and added a liberal splash of Welsh hospitality. Curado Bar nails authentic Spanish food, uncovering some of the finest producers across Spain and bringing them to its tables.
Must-try: Carrillada de cerdo con sidra — slow-braised Basque pig cheeks with Asturias cider glaze, coriander mojo and fresh pickled apples.
2. Brindisa, London Bridge
Monika Linton’s Brindisa Group started life as a stall in Borough Market, and has since spawned further offshoots in the capital. The emphasis is on cooking traditional recipes with the freshest ingredients; fish and seafood is sourced from the nearby Wright Brothers market while meat is bought at Billfields Butchers. The result is a lip-smacking tapas menu, featuring dishes such as vinegary boquerones, sizzling plates of garlicky prawns and lamb rump with salsa verde.
Must-try: Chorizo de Leon — a hunk of toast piled high with chorizo, piquillo peppers and rocket.
3. Tapas Revolution, Bath
Arrive for aperitivo hour for goblets of G&T, cocktails and sangria, as well as tufts of greenery and walls strung with upside-down stools. But for all its playfulness, this space has earned its culinary stripes thanks to a staunch commitment to Spanish ingredients from chef Omar Allibhoy, an alumnus of El Bulli.
Must-try: Order the codillo con piquillos — succulent Iberian pork shank with salsa verde.
4. Camino, King's Cross
Expect some of the finest classic tapas dishes in town and a lively atmosphere below its wooden ceiling and in its courtyard, which buzzes until late. The tucked-away Bar Pepito just a few yards away is a moodily lit space that plays on an Andalucian bodega, pouring sherry by the glass and serving boards of charcuterie.
Must-try: The Segovian-style suckling pig, for at least eight people.
5. Hispania, City of London
High-ceilinged with grand lighting and polished interiors, Hispania stretches over two floors entirely devoted to Spanish gastronomy, with a bar, shop and restaurant. Steering the kitchen is Marcos Morán, whose creative flair shines through in standout dishes such as rich and earthy beef cheeks and fresh red tuna steak with ratatouille.
Must try: Carnivores will relish the Galician blond sirloin with new potatoes and roasted piquillo peppers.
6. Ibérica, Marylebone
The flagship restaurant of the Ibérica group was founded by restaurateur Marcos Fernández Pardo and chef Nacho Manzano. You’ll find the usual suspects on the tapas menu, including Valencian-style paellas. But where the food really sings is in Ibérica’s own take on Spanish kingpin dishes, from ribeye in a pool of asadillo sauce to zingy iceberg wraps of pork, prawn, pickled red onion and kimchi mayo.
Must-try: Pitu chicken rice — Asturian cockerel with piquillo pepper and saffron.
7. Bar 44, Bristol
This is the third Bar 44 offshoot from brothers Owen and Tom Morgan, but it’s no chain — each space has its own menu. Here, it’s split into three categories; Preserved, featuring charcuterie and baked cheese; Classic (sticky chorizo in cider; crispy hake with aioli); and Seasonal (whipped ricotta, overnight ox cheek).
Must-try: The Spanish-inspired Sunday roast: Hereford beef with horseradish aioli, chorizo Yorkshire puddings and jamon-fat roast potatoes.
For more info on Spanish restaurants, visit foodswinesfromspain.com/rfs-certification
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