ANDANZA Andanza (luck or fate in Spanish) comes from the same people behind The Rose Gastropub opposite. In its previous incarnation, the restaurant was a William Hill betting shop for over 30 years, so as everyone says to the owners, “I hope your gamble has paid off!” The chef worked formally in Basque restaurant Lurra, and the team carver was from restaurant Brindisa, so they have some of the best food. On a sunny Tuesday evening, we went when most of the customers were eat

UPDATED - APRIL 2025 - CLOSED In October 2021, we visited a Vilarnau cava-tasting evening with tapas at Ibérica Canary Wharf, London. A brief history of Vilarnau Cava. Members of the Spanish nobility, the Vilarnau family, settled in Penedés, Catalonia, in the 12th century. Vilarnau is a contraction of the Latin “Vila Arnau,” i.e., the Arnau family’s “country house” or “domus.” Formerly, it stood within the estate of the Castillo de Subirats, where vines had been grown since t

EMBER YARD During a visit in September 2021, the food was not as good as in previous visits, and in a couple of cases, it was even poor, which was disappointing. In 2025, Chef Ricardo Sapimental updated the menu, and we believe it is now back to its best, although we haven’t been there again yet. This review is from 2019 Located in the ever-busy Soho, Ember Yard serves up excellent Spanish / Italian tapas cooked over Basque charcoal grill (embers, get it?) from the people beh

BARRAFINA One Michelin Star Barrafina moved to a new address in Soho, from Frith Street to 26-27 Dean Street. We thought we would try the new venue on this midweek evening in March. As usual, it was busy, so we had to wait 45 minutes to be seated. Once at the bar, we tried these dishes. Pimientos de Padrón y jamón croquetas. Paletila Ibérica Lenguado en salsa de almendra (sole in almond sauce) Solomillo Rubia Gallega (sirloin steak from Galicia) The food is still delicio

CAMBIO DE TERCIO Under Abel Lusa’s long-term, excellent hospitality and guidance, and chef Alberto Criado’s (Twitter @Alberto_Criado) creative dishes, Cambio de Tercio has become a standard-bearer for Iberian food in London. Most Hispanophiles consider it the best in town. You can choose from the traditional tapas menu, an inventive á la carte menu, or the reasonably priced tasting menu. On a recent visit, we had this tasting menu. Andalusian gazpacho, steamed king prawns

IBÉRICA CANARY WHARF UPDATED APRIL 2025 - CLOSED Chef Nacho Manzano is the chef of the three-star restaurant Casa Marcial in Arriondas and the one-star restaurant La Salgar in Gijón. Both are in the northern Spanish region of Asturias. He has created the hot and cold tapa menus. The open kitchen lets you see all the action as it happens, and the bar offers a good selection of classic and signature cocktails, gin tonics, sherry, sidra, jugs of sangria, and a few beers. There