Spanish Restaurants in St James's
1. Dehesa
Italian restaurant in Soho
25 Ganton Street - W1
We’re in two minds about the inclusion of this former star of London’s tapas scene, which generates very little feedback nowadays despite a prime mid-Soho site. Fans do still laud its “well-crafted dishes and Spanish wines”, but others say “the food has that ‘here’s one I made earlier’ quality. OK, but not very exciting”.
2. Cakes and Bubbles
Spanish restaurant in Westminster
Hotel Café Royal, 70 Regent Street - W1B
“Living up to the naturally high expectations”; this prime site within the Café Royal, off Piccadilly Circus, wins praise – albeit on limited feedback this year – for the “meticulous patisserie” you would hope for from Albert Adrià (who, back in the day, was pastry chef at his brother Ferran’s world-famous destination restaurant: El Bulli, long RIP).
3. Sabor
Spanish restaurant in Mayfair
35 Heddon St - W1B
“Just wonderful: fresh… lively… exciting and always interesting!” – that’s this year’s worst (!) report of many lauding Nieves Barragan and José Etura’s phenomenal slice of Spain, just off Regent Street. “A seat at the counter, if you can snag one (get there early, or be prepared to queue – it’s well worth it) transports one to Andalucia or Castile, and the assured food is as good as it is there”. Or “eat upstairs at the El Asador dining room” (which is bookable nowadays). “Seating can be a little cramped but it all adds to the atmosphere”. Top Menu Tip – “crisp piglet never disappoints”.
4. Kitty Fisher's
British, Modern restaurant in Mayfair
10 Shepherd's Market - W1
“Consistent, tasty, dependable” food at a “price-point that’s pretty competitive given its Mayfair location” is the deal at this Shepherd Market outfit named after an 18th-century courtesan. At almost 10 years old, the excitement it generated at launch has diminished, although fans reckon it “continues to excel” as both “a business destination with character” and “a romantic and atmospheric” spot.
5. Tapas Brindisa Soho
Spanish restaurant in Soho
46 Broadwick St - W1
“An excellent location overlooking the River Thames makes the Richmond branch very special if you are able to bag one of its outside tables on a balmy summer evening”; and it’s a highpoint of this chain run by a firm of well-known Iberian food importers. On the plus-side, its branches are generally “buzzy”, with “tasty” and “authentically flavoured” tapas. On the minus-side, for all the “high quality ingredients”, dishes can end up “indifferent” and “pricey for the size of the portions”; and “service can be a little too uneven”.
6. El Pirata
Spanish restaurant in Mayfair
5-6 Down St - W1
A “buzzy” atmosphere and “decent wine list” are strengths of this “reliable, traditional Spanish tapas bar”; and prices that represent “great value for Mayfair” have helped sustain the jolly venue from its founding decades before the current vogue for Hispanic cuisine. Notable fans include Fred Sirieix and Caribbean pirate Johnny Depp.
7. Barrafina
Spanish restaurant in Soho
26-27 Dean Street - W1
“It’s a great show to watch the chefs at work”, perched on a stool at the counter of the Hart Bros’ “incredibly busy and buzzy” bars – their hyper-successful homage to Barcelona’s Cal Pep. “The tapas is always first rate” with “succulent grilled seafood all prepared in front of your very eyes” a highlight. “Staff are friendly and efficient and take such pride in the dishes and their presentation”. (In April 2023, executive chef Angel Zapata Martin left the group after six years, leaving Antonio Gonzales Milla minding the central Barrafina locations, and Francisco Jose Torrico in charge of Coal Drops Yard and Borough).
8. José Pizarro at the RA
Spanish restaurant in St James's
Royal Academy, Burlington Gardens, Piccadilly - W1J
“Talk about high ceilings and light” – this “really lovely addition to the RA” is “worth a trip just for the beautiful dining room”. According to supporters, “it’s a clear exception to the rule that restaurants in art galleries never live up to their surroundings, with imaginative tapas in good-sized portions and at very reasonable prices for the area”. That said, its ratings have slipped since it first opened and there are one or two critics who say “we’ve always been fans of José, but the RA offering isn’t as good as the other JPs”.
9. Poster Bar at the RA
Spanish restaurant in St James\'s
Royal Academy, Burlington Gardens, Piccadilly - W1J
2022 Review: Joining José Pizarro at the RA is this less-formal tapas bar from the star Spaniard. The RA’s food operations in recent years have always conformed to the low expectations of gallery catering generally, but our hunch is that José didn’t get the memo telling him that no great shakes are expected, and that actually it may be rather good...
10. El Norte
Spanish restaurant in Mayfair
19-20 Dover Street - W1S
Madrid-born Arian and Alberto Zandi added this new Mayfair venture to their portfolio (alongside Zuaya and Como Garden) in November 2021. On the plus side, results from the Spanish menu can be excellent. On the downside, the bill here can mount and feedback is sufficiently up-and-down to preclude a fully wholehearted endorsement.
11. Mountain
Spanish restaurant in
16-18 Beak Street - W1
Gwynedd meets Catalonia and beyond at Tomos (Brat) Parry’s hotly anticipated summer 2023 newcomer: potentially one of Soho’s brightest foodie sparks. A “wood grill and wine bar”, Tomos channels the native cuisine of his upbringing on Anglesey (with nearby Snowdonia) through the lens of his travels across Spain. Supplied by farmers and fisherman in Wales and Cornwall, whole roast bream will be a feature as will lamb chops, and Anglesey lobster – all emerging, as at Brat, from an open kitchen and with a good deal of counter seating.
12. Bar Kroketa
Spanish restaurant in Soho
21 Beak Street - W1F
With ‘croquetas at its core’, this small, December 2022 newcomer, south of Carnaby Street, promises to bring ‘Spanish bar culture with regional sensibilities to Soho’. Run by Brindisa, it’s a non-branded attempt at a funkier outlet for their Hispanic produce and wines. No survey feedback as yet, but in a March 2023 review, The Independent’s Lucy Thackray hailed a “cosy, convivial Spanish hangout” that’s “a potentially chemistry-crackling date place” – “the spelling may be gimmicky but the food is not”.
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