London’s gone a little bit loco of late for tapas, which makes getting them down to a list of our top picks a whole lot harder. Boo hoo. Now with 178 responses from you guys on your favourite great little tapas places, it’s been a bigger trimming job than Diana Ross’ hairdresser ever faced. But we’re there now. As there are so many good’ns you may have heard of (you know, like Brindisa), we’ve gone for some of the less obvious ones, in places where you might not expect a GLP. Olé, here we go.
South:
Angels and Gypsies, 29-33 Camberwell Church Street, SE5 8TR.
Apparently the new vicar of St Giles church has brought an end to the fantastic Jazz in the Crypt, so we wanted to get somewhere from Camberwell back on our list. Fortunately Angels & Gypsies appeared. Attached to the Church Street Hotel it opened in 2009, and they’ve got it just right. Unpretentious and pretty raw and rustic, it lives up to its name with stained glass pictures of angels and demons all around, exposed brickwork and a curved central bar. The staff are mostly Spanish, and know their onions, making this a welcoming and authentic little place to go.
Thanks for the tipoff: Anna Burnside, Hana Rohan, Dan Brown, Annelie Simmons, Louise Smart, Kirsty Leith, Lucy Rolphs.
El Rincon Latino, 148 Clapham Manor Street, Clapham, SW4 6BX. To book click here.
This is one of those places where you halfheartedly side step through the door way and end up best mates with the owners and have a picture pinned to the wall behind the bar. Clapham’s best bits are just off the High Street, and this one’s very close to Manor Arms, which is Clapham’s best pub. Fact.
Thanks for the tipoff: Anne Shore, Vickie Simpson, Joanna Nightingale, Neil Hallmark, Jo Travers
North:
La Paella, 9 The Broadway, Southgate, N14 6PH.
A little bit of Catalonia in North London. La Paella is a family run affair, started in 1995 by Miguel, Danka and Miguel Junior. Their aim was to authentically recreate a tapas restaurants like back home, and by José they’ve done it. Wooden beams, warm and inviting, little guitar-ey things on the wall, flamenco dancing and music, all with a very local feel.
Thanks for the tipoff: Angela Derbyshire.
El Parador, 245 Eversholt Street, Mornington Crescent, NW1 1BA
Oh sweet Mornington Crescent. Having spent 4 years of my life working here, we did our very best to have as many long lunches as possible in the local area. It’s no easy task, but some lovely little south Camden spots can be found. El Parador is the pick of the bunch. They’ve been going 22 years, family run again, and it feels a bit like having lunch in someone’s Spanish house. Go on a sunny day and you’ll find a real gem of a garden, cased in with wood fences. The perfect spot for a few rosés and spilling some chorizo and oil all over yourself, then stumbling back to work. Which I cleverly did. Try the belly pork.
Thanks for the tipoff: Joe Orton-Wulf, Rosy Leader, Sue Teddern, จ๊ะเอ๋ Pinijkarn, Emma Campbell-Jones, Scott Stafford, Sasha Jenkin, Priya Gandhi, Jessica Bridges Palmer, Tristan Noakes, David Meany,
East:
Orford Saloon, 32 Orford Road, Walthamstow, E17 9NJ
Not only home to chart topping megahit machine East 17, Walthamstow also has fantastic little tapas joint. It’s in the ‘village’ area, actually on a fairly residential street, and is a true gem – the food is superb (the chef Jorge sees to that), with daily specials, and the atmosphere matches. Outside it looks like a Victorian shop, inside it’s Gaudi-esque colour and mosaics with exposed brickwork and plaster adding to the rustic feel. It’s a very tight squeeze and it gets very busy, so booking in advance is essential for this one.
Thanks for the tipoff: Emma O’Sullivan, Joe Austin, Lizzie Wastell, Chris Hendrie, Doreen Uzice.
Puerto del Canario – Camino, Westferry Circus, Canary Wharf, E14 8RR
A small confession. It’s really Camino in King’s Cross that we love, but given this is perhaps the only chance we will ever have to feature a GLP in Canary Wharf (please tell us if we’ve got this wrong) we’ll take it. And it is absolutely worthy of this list. Out of the same kind of mould as the likes of Breakfast Club, the Camino micro-chain venues ooze character with loads of smart and amusing design touches, and really personable staff. The Canary Wharf branch is also right on the river, making for a pretty special setting. Try la parilla. Unless you’re a vegetarian.
Thanks for the tipoff: Coucou C Moi.
West:
Los Molinos, 127 Shepherds Bush Road, Brook Green, W6 7LP
Super cheerful, with influence from the Canary Islands, Los Molinos is another tapas place that makes you feel like you’ve walked into a little corner of Spain. In mid summer. The peach coloured walls are adorned with all manner of bits and bobs, giving it a real homely feel. The food is excellent too – with kitchens open until 10.45pm, so it’s worth teaming up with a visit to a local theatre, like the Lyric or Bush Theatres. If you eat pre-theatre they’ll give you 20% off for the privilege. Wooha.
Thanks for the tipoff: Judit Mora, Emily Sweetland.
Centro Galego de Londres, 869 Harrow Road, NW10 5NG
There are a few little national or regional clubs which double as restaurants dotted around London. They might seem a little impenetrable, but in our experience you get a warm welcome, authentic experience and brilliant – usually pretty cheap – food. We mentioned the Czechoslovak National Restaurant in West Hampstead in our 4th newsletter – now it’s the turn of the Galician region of Spain. There’s a bar and restaurant, with a friendly and international feel. Plus, in true Spanish style, they don’t really measure the drinks out so you should get a generous beverage or too. Wonderful, and cheap, food – especially the seafood.
Thanks for the tipoff: Be Pringle.
Central:
Navarro’s, 67 Charlotte Street, Fitzrovia,W1T 4PH
Choosing our favourites in central hasn’t been easy – there really are loads of great tapas places – but Navarro’s makes it because it’s really got it all. It’s beautifully decorated, fantastic food, lovely staff, and good value. Very highly recommended.
Thanks for the tipoff: Jessica Behar, Tiziana Gennari, Hallie Moreland Ambler.
Salt Yard, 54 Goodge Street, W1T 4NA
Authentic tapas are simple yet delicious. That’s exactly the formula Salt Yard have gone for. The decor is understated, simple even. But, in this case, less is more. Nothing distracts from their delicious (albeit pricey) spread of tapas, inspired by Italy and Spain. It’s also snug and cosy, making it an excellent place for an anniversary dinner or something equally memorable. So please raise a glass to this great little place. As they say in Spain, “arriba, abajo, al centro, a dentro”.
Thanks for the tip off: Ant Hill.
The Costa Dorada, 47-55 Hanway Street, W1T 1UX
Hanway Street is a right treat. It’s just behind Oxford Street, but a million miles away if you know what we mean. There are at least three Spanish institutions worth knowing about. Bradley’s Spanish Bar, which we’ve mentioned a few times on Facebook, is brilliant. We’ll save the full description for another time. The Costa Dorada’s big attraction is its flamenco dancing; the full show is every Friday and Saturday. If you’re feeling particularly daring, for triple fun, head straight over the road to Seville Mia. We’ll leave you to find out what that one’s like for yourself.
Thanks for the tipoff: Sorren Mahadeo.
That’s it for this week. Remember to sign up to our newsletter here so never miss out. Hasta luego.
