JOSÉ TAPAS & SHERRY BAR José Tapas Bar, Bermondsey Street, opened in 2011 as José Pizarro’s first solo restaurant, following his time as executive chef at Tapas Brindisa near Borough Market. It was designed as a small, informal Spanish bar, inspired by the busy tapas bars of Barcelona and Andalucía, with a changing blackboard menu, sherry by the glass and no reservations. A few months later, Pizarro opened his more substantial restaurant, Pizarro, further along Bermondsey Str

ANDANZA Andanza — meaning “fortune” or “fate” in Spanish, opened in late 2020, launched by Danny Kwiatkowski and Carl Botwright, the team behind The Rose pub directly opposite. The site had previously been a William Hill betting shop for more than 30 years. As everyone says to the owners: “I hope your gamble has paid off!” It certainly seems it has. The restaurant’s Basque-inspired menu was originally led by head chef Paulina Irzyk, formerly of Marylebone’s Lurra. Master ham

CAPOTE Y TOROS HAM & SHERRY BAR Capote y Toros South Kensington opened in 2011 as part of Abel Lusa’s successful Cambio de Tercio restaurant group. He aimed to recreate the atmosphere of a traditional Andalusian taberna, bringing a little of Cádiz, Jerez de la Frontera, and Sevilla to London’s Old Brompton Road. The intimate bar quickly became known for its remarkable selection of sherries, originally numbering more than 100, alongside an excellent selection of Spanish tapas.

LA CEPA DE CÁDIZ MÁLAGA This excellent local bar serves beer, wine and Manzanilla sherry, along with traditional chicharrones, a selection of cheeses and specialities from the Sierra de Cádiz, cured meats from Extremadura and an impressive variety of tinned seafood and other preserves. Bringing a little taste of Cádiz to the heart of Málaga, this charming tapas bar feels like home for gaditanos (people from Cádiz) and a great place for visitors to discover the region’s tradit

Marbella isn’t the easiest place for a traditional tapas bar crawl, as many bars are spread out. However, we were pleasantly surprised by what we found during an evening stroll in mid-January as we looked for the best tapas bars in Marbella. Marbella’s layout is rather unusual, with its bars and restaurants spread across different areas rather than concentrated in one place. This means a tapas crawl can involve a fair amount of walking. There's plenty of variety, from traditi

RESTAURANTE ESCÁNEZ We returned to an old favourite, Restaurante Escánez Garrucha, overlooking the fishing harbour in Garrucha on the Almería coast. Francisco (Paco) Escánez Collado established the restaurant in 1982 as a modest, family-run business. In 2004, Paco expanded the restaurant by acquiring the adjoining premises, doubling its capacity and creating a spacious dining room overlooking the Mediterranean. Over the decades, Restaurante Escánez has built an excellent repu

A DAY TRIP FROM SEVILLA TO CARMONA Carmona stands on the Los Alcores ridge, overlooking the vast, fertile plains of the Vega del Corbones in Andalucía. The surrounding countryside is dominated by olive groves and fields of cereals, which have long played an important role in the local economy. The city also has a tradition of livestock farming and holds its annual fair, the Feria de Carmona, in May. Carmona is one of the most historic towns in southern Spain, with a history s

CASA MONTAÑA Michelin Guide Casa Montaña València is a historic, delightful old-fashioned tapas bar and bodega in the traditional fishing neighbourhood of El Canyamelar, near València’s port. Established in 1836, it is one of the city’s oldest surviving bodegas. The current building dates from 1880, and much of its historic character remains, including the old wine barrels behind the bar. The interior has a wonderfully traditional atmosphere, with wooden fittings, barrels,

BAIRRO DO AVILLEZ For our third and final lunch on our short trip to Lisbon, we decided to try somewhere a little more modern and trendy, after already eating at two very traditional restaurants. Celebrated Portuguese chef José Avillez opened Bairro do Avillez in August 2016. Situated in Lisbon’s fashionable Chiado district, the restaurant occupies part of the former Convento da Trindade, with architectural features dating back to the 13th century. The impressive interior com

DIS TINTO TABERNA MADRID WINE & TAPAS We visited DisTinto Taberna Madrid Wine & Bar with Mark Walsh of Walsh Jewery. The restaurant bar opened in 2018 in Madrid’s Barrio de las Letras, just a few steps from Plaza de Jesús. Unlike some of its historic neighbours, this relatively modern establishment retains much of the atmosphere of a traditional Spanish tavern. Founded by four cousins with extensive hospitality and wine experience, DisTinto quickly built a reputation for its