ROSARIO VARELA Rosario Varela Granada is a relatively recent addition to the city’s lively tapas scene, situated in Calle Varela, in the historic Realejo neighbourhood. The company behind the restaurant was established in January 2016, and Rosario Varela soon developed a reputation for its contemporary approach to tapas, combining traditional Andalusian ingredients with more adventurous, internationally inspired dishes. Its varied menu, interesting wine selection, excellent v

TABERNA LA TANA During our visit to Granada for the Premios Andalucía de Gastronomía 2022 (the Festival of Andalusian Gastronomy), we had a couple of free evenings to explore the city’s excellent food and wine scene. We spent our first evening at the renowned Taberna La Tana. Taberna La Tana is a family-run Granada institution that first opened its doors on 3 March 1993, when Ana Martín Cáceres and her sister María Ángeles took over a tiny 28-square-metre taberna in the histo

VAMOR’ A VER Vamor’a Ver is a relatively new tapas bar in Alicante, opened by Sheila, originally from Cuba, and her Spanish partner, Dany. After many years as a waitress in Spain, Sheila fulfilled her ambition to open her own establishment with Dany, who brought 14 years of hospitality experience. We recently visited Vamor’a Ver (which roughly translates as “Let’s see”), located just a couple of blocks from the Explanada in Alicante city. We stopped by to sample a few tapas.

BODEGAS REAL TESORO Y VALDESPINO The parent company, Bodegas José Estévez S.A., traces its origins back to 1809, when José Leña Rendón established a business in Jerez de la Frontera dedicated to ageing sherry and brandies. The Estévez family took full control of the company in 1974 and renamed it José Estévez S.A. in 1984. True to its family traditions, the company has continued to place great importance on carefully ageing its wines and maintaining their quality. In

TABERNA LA SORPRESA On a short trip to Cádiz, we stopped at Taberna La Sorpresa for a few tapas and glasses of local sherry. It is an underrated hidden gem, especially when you have had enough fried fish and want fresh, carefully sourced seafood in a genuinely traditional setting. Founded in 1956 as a traditional wine shop, Taberna La Sorpresa is one of Cádiz’s surviving old-style tabernas. Pepe Terrero ran it from 1959 until his retirement in 2012, preserving its high bar, w

BODEGAS FUNDADOR (FORMERLY PEDRO DOMECQ) Founded in 1730 by the Irish merchant Patrick Murphy, this is one of Jerez’s oldest working bodegas. It later became closely associated with the Domecq family, especially Pedro Domecq Loustau, who created Fundador in 1874 — regarded as Spain’s first brandy. Formerly known as Bodegas Pedro Domecq, it is now Bodegas Fundador, part of the Emperador Group. Its historic complex includes the old Puerta de Rota cellars, gardens, the Riquelme

ASADOR ETXEBARRI — THE WORLD’S BEST RESTAURANT 2026 One Michelin Star In the tiny Basque hamlet of Axpe, beneath the mountains of Atxondo, Asador Etxebarri began life as a long-closed local bar. Bittor Arginzoniz bought the building in 1989 and opened the restaurant in 1990, teaching himself to cook and gradually developing his extraordinary command of wood-fired cooking. He designed much of the equipment himself, allowing him to cook everything from seafood and vegetables

BAR ANITA - CA N’ANNETA Update November 2026: The centre of Sant Carles, around Bar Anita (Ca n’Anneta), has been pedestrianised, so you can no longer park directly outside the bar as before. Through traffic is now routed around the village, with parking available outside the pedestrianised centre. You now have to park just outside the village. This allows for more outdoor seating, although not everyone is happy, as they believe it has spoiled the previous atmosphere. Bar Ani

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