South Kensington, Spanish Restaurant Guide

This “buzzy neighbourhood stalwart” in South Ken has long been known as a good bet for “top tapas”. Its older sibling, directly across the road, is Cambio de Tercio, a leading light of Hispanic cuisine in London.

“Abel [Lusa] and his team have created one of London’s best neighbourhood restaurants” at this Spanish specialist in the Old Brompton Road. The food is consistently “fantastic” “(if pricey)”, while service and ambience are also “excellent”. Since launching in 1995 – well before the boom in Hispanic cuisine – they have maintained impressively high scores, building “a justifiably loyal clientele”.

2018 Review: “Close your eyes and imagine you’re in Sevilla” at Cambio de Tercio’s neighbouring bar, where at times “the great atmosphere is helped by someone strumming away on a guitar”. “It’s not a cheap night out for tapas, but you get the best croquetas this side of the Pyrenees!”

Providing “tasty tapas on the well-trodden path between South Ken tube and the museums” means the well-known Spanish food importers can hardly go wrong with this “cheap and cheerful” fixture. There’s plenty of pavement seating to go with the “friendly staff and a really nice tapas menu with all the faves” – plus “great Spanish wines”.