Whether you're looking for ways to spice up your staycation or are riding on the coattails of your…read moremost recent España holiday high-- Tabanco will not disappoint. Way back when in 17th century Jerez, 'tabancos' were taverns used by communities for socializing while enjoying local wines and foods. Tabanco brings this taste of Andalucian culture to Cambridge, showcasing traditional flavors with modern twists. Located in the city center, Tabanco is ideally situated for residents, tourists, and students alike. Its main focus is 'tapas y vino'; with endless applause I deeply appreciate places that can pull off simplicity so well and elevate it to such great heights of excellence. The restaurant space is well thought-out. Upon entering you are greeted at the bar, and then seated either on the long table centered in the middle of the room or at one of the smaller tables lining the walls. The color scheme embraces warm reds/oranges, and Edison-esque lighting and mouth watering Ibérico ham hang along the edges of the ceiling. The light Spanish music drifting in the background then sets for a relaxing atmosphere. With all these elements combined it is easy to forget that you never left England. If you've never had tapas before, they're basically appetizer-sized dishes. As someone who wants to try everything on a menu, agonizes over what to order, and then gets food envy-- tapas are a godsend solution. Since they're smaller than mains, you're encouraged to order several plates. It's like creating your own taster menu for Spanish cuisine; just choose whatever most interests you and you're good to go! Even better yet, grab a group of friends and practically order the whole menu to try out together! I am happy to report that I have done so and honestly, you cannot go wrong with anything on Tabanco's menu. If you're looking for a more traditional/introductory tapas, I would recommend the 'tortilla' (Spanish omelette), 'patatas bravas' (deep fried potatoes), and 'croquetas de jamón' (ham croquettes). The tortilla held its shape beautifully without being too dry and had a burst of flavor from the caramelized onions inside. And unlike normal chips/fries that need to be immediately devoured before they go soggy, somehow the patatas bravas magically remained crisp from start to finish. The croquetas de jamón had a lovely breaded crust that contrasted nicely with the creamy bechamel and ham filling without feeling too greasy. For meat lovers, the 'chorizo a la plancha con boniato' (grilled chorizo with sweet potato), 'pechuga de pato ahumado' (smoked duck breast on cranberry butter toast), 'filete de ternera' (flat iron steak), and the 'presa Ibérica' (grilled acorn-fed Iberico pork loin with romesco) are all amazing. The sweet potato balanced out the chorizo spices, and the duck with cranberries tasted like a Christmas roast. Both the flat iron steak and pork loin were skillfully finished with the doneness perfectly executed, no steak knife required here! And last, but not the least-- the romesco sauce was surprisingly divine. As a nut and red pepper-based sauce it added so much depth to the pork without overpowering it. I want to just put it on everything now and can't believe I've gone through my life without ever having it before. In terms of seafood, I suggest the 'gambas tempura' (tempura prawns). Having grown up on a tropical island where fresh seafood is a staple of everyday life, I'm normally disappointed with the selection I've seen in the UK. However, Tabanco's gambas tempura are massive in size with the prawns keeping their tenderness even after being deep fried. The saffron aioli was also a nice accompaniment, bringing in reminiscent flavors of paella without all the heavy stodge. Service-wise, the staff were all very welcoming and worked so efficiently. I used to work as a busser and know first hand how chaotic restaurants can get. However, even at peak times the Tabanco staff never skipped a beat. I think it all comes back to their ingenious restaurant layout-- orders are picked up from the kitchen and staff move in a circular path around the center table back to the kitchen. Along the way they can take/drop off orders and tend to any queries when they loop back around again. Phew! And if the above was not enough to convince you yet, Tabanco also has an impressive selection of imported Spanish sherries and wines. Feel free to ask the lovely staff for recommendations. Already looking forward to my next visit. Salud!

Fantastic food and wine. The Galician owner is charming and very helpful in selecting food and…read morewine. If you are in Cambridge you must go here.

one of my favourite places to eat in Winchester. They also have an outdoor place which is great…read moreespecially for people like me who have young kids and they cant just sit down and eat-they need to run around and explore! Having little toddlers mean I cant really find a place to go and have a nice meal and I've never had a problem with El Sabio because we can just go sit outside and he can play while i eat. and inside and outside is really nicely decorated, the service has always been friendly and the food has been great. I believe they do offer some sort of lunch deals as well.

Pretty much a repeat of previous review except place was full. Nice atmosphere & the service was…read moreexcellent - staff bent over backwards to keep place nicely ticking over. Really enjoyed my dishes each of which had a distinctive fresh taste to it. A really nice night, lots of happy customers My 2nd visit & will happily go again.

I love an "I'm full but the food is so good so let me eat more" type of night!…read more Let me just start off by saying I never would've guessed I'd find great tapas in London! This place was super cute, spacious, and played some good music that paired well with the atmosphere and theme of the restaurant. The servers were very kind and knowledgeable of the menu as well. We started off with a meat platter, chargrilled bread with tomatoes along with two delicious cocktails. For our tapas we ordered the *Patatas Fritas *Crispy Pork Belly *Grilled Salmon Filet (the only dish I wasn't super crazy about) *Alitas De Pollo *Croquetas De Bacalao *Chuletas De Cordero Even after all this, there is always room for a little treat! There's no way we could leave here without ordering churros, and I'm so glad we did!! We also added a bonus sangria , because why not? This is one of my many places I will revisit when I return to London. Highly recommend. More details/descriptions in my pics :)

Honestly, can't say how this little spot has remained off the radar for so long. I've eaten at a…read morenumber of Spanish tapas places around town, but this little local is fan-tastic ! The kitchen staff really know their stuff, producing classics with flair. Presentation is great - all their dishes look so appealing and sophisticated. The cocktail menu is excellent and worth popping in for alone, or paired with a snack at the bar. I'd recommend booking on weekends as it gets really busy and altho' the restaurant has just recently expanded in size, it is still buzzing with clientele. It's difficult to say what is best, but I love their rosemary manchego with quince jelly. The fish, meatballs, jambon, squid, aubergine, ah... so many fantastic dishes. Try everything ! you can't go wrong. .... visiting a month later, and I'd just add that the paella and squid-ink risotto were superb on Saturday night.

This venue was previously the Welshwood Pub, now reinvented as La Cascada. It specialises in…read moreSpanish cuisine Monday to Saturday, from the resident Spanish chef, switching to an English chef serving roasts on a Sunday. The hosts and staff were very welcoming and accommodating to our family of four - two adults and two young children. Alongside the spanish menu sits the childrens menu, serving a limited range of kid friendly meals, all of which appealed to our two, whilst we enjoyed a selection of superb tapas from the menu. The atmosphere was relaxed, with a number of other families dining in the restaurant. To the rear of the restuarant, lies a patio with tables and beyond that, the garden, laid to lawn - a good sized area. On Sundays in the summer, the menu offers a traditional roast, or a barbeque (weather permitting) which is very popular. Overall, this resutaurant gets a big thumbs up for friendliness of the staff, quality and presentation of the food and accommodation of the dining guests. We'll definitely be returning.

Lovely Tapas, tasteful music, amazing Paella, friendly staff... What more can you ask for!read more

Had a lovely meal in here with the better half. We choose 6 tapas plates and we got olives for…read morefree. The 6 different plate were amazing and tasty. The staff were very friendly and happy to help. We were only 1 of 2 tables being used but it was lunch time Sunday. Would def recommend to friends and Yelpers.

Part of Spain in Sidcup! This is a little goldmine great food served in the traditional Spanish…read morestyle.Wether its Tapas or a full Paella you want, you certainly wont be disapointed. Excellent friendly service . There are two sitting times in the evenings and I would recommend the later so you have time to enjoy your meal at your leisure. Extensive menu and wine list and San Miguel!

Great tapas i loved it. We ordered the Pork cheeks it's was so good. Definitely would go again!read more

Great little tapas restaurant, lovely food and drink. staff are always helpful and friendly.read more

I'm sorry I don't understand the hype…read more We waited 15min in the rain to be seated only to be given a 1.5hour dinning time. Hey initially brought a drinks menu to us when we are waiting in the queue but they didn't come to take our order until we got our table so I don't see the point. We ordered a wine and a beer. Wine tasted worse than most wine we have in other restaurants and the beer is with a thick foam and small glass.. The food is alright but with the service and portion, I didn't think we get our money's worth.

Bermondsey Street was a main thoroughfare for us. It may not have always been the most direct route…read morebut when you don't know where you're going, it's good to go where you know as you figure it out. I will say that the app - City Mapper - is worth installing on your phone. Oh, but when you're travelling out of the US, you don't want to pay the high roaming charges. Then I say, go to the "airalo" website and see if what they offer might meet your needs, and if it does, install it too. Most newer phones allow you to install electronic SIMs. If you follow the instructions very carefully, you can set your phone up to use this second line for local data access and that will allow City Mapper to run for you while you roam around. I know that I'm sounding like a commercial but that's how much I liked using the app. While I didn't always know which direction I was facing, by watching the app as I moved, I could see if I was heading toward or away from my target. Okay, back to Jose. We walked by this place several times, both during the day and at night. They always had guests, especially at night when the crowd seemed to spill out of the restaurant to the outside tables and surrounding area. People looked happy as they indulged in their food and wine. We stopped once and read the menu. It's quite small and written on a chalkboard. It looks like every now and then, they erase something and write something else up. Having been to Barcelona, we weren't particularly impressed with the menu and didn't plan on dining there. Until I read the reviews. And looked at their website and learned about Jose Pizzaro, chef, owner of six restaurants in London and one in Abu Dhabi, author of six cookbooks, a regular on BBC cooking shows AND that the Tapas Bar Jose is mentioned as a Bib Gourmand in the Michelin Guide. Service was wonderful. It was cool watching Chef prepare our food. The Pan con Tomate was so simple and yet so delicious. A slice of bread, toasted, rubbed with garlic, rubbed roughly with a ripe tomato, slightly salted and drizzled with olive oil. I could eat that every single day and LOSE WEIGHT. The Bermondsey Bomba was like a giant Porto Bakery (forgive me Jose) Potato Ball with more meat in a spicy sauce placed on top of a bed of aioli with a dollop of seasoned tomato paste on top. I could eat these every single day and GAIN WEIGHT. The Boquerones were heavenly. The Clams with Garlic and Parsley, devine. And the Patatas Bravas...come on man, they're just potatoes! Crispy on the outside, soft and warming on the inside. Once again, the aioli and seasoned tomato paste just brings it all together. Service was warm and friendly. They were kind enough to let us order in rounds so we could gauge how much to order. Honestly, we had five dishes and were stuffed. Pictures to follow.

I primarily chose La Tasca for dinner because I had a family member visiting who is a caeliac and…read moreLa Tasca seemed like a good option for those who are gluten free! We absolutely loved every minute of our meal and drinks here! We chose a few plates from the tapas menu which were the patatas bravas, pollo con chorizo, battered king prawns with aioli and paella de mariscos. Everything was delicious (my favourite were the prawns and Ma familias favourite was the pollo con chorizo) but honestly everything was good and filling! I had Brockmans gin and tonic which I haven't had since I was in Barcelona and it went down a treat. I can understand people being wary of eating at smaller chain restaurants but I would recommend this one to anyone who enjoys tapas at a reasonable price.

Tapas place is perfect for groups, the atmosphere is relaxing and welcoming…read more The choices are great and the size portions are average normal, best with tapas is to order and share... As with tapas is can be a bit pricey but it depends on what you order.. Average price for 2-3 tapa selections is £12 The sangria is good

This place really surprised me. A couple months ago, my…read moreboyfriend and i found a tapas bar in the area called La Tasca in the area and on our way there, he noticed this wine bar and thought it looked interesting. It also served tapas so we thought this could be a back up plan if we couldnt find la tasca. There werent very many people in there either, which made it less exciting for me. This time around, while we were looking for a place to eat in the area, we decided to finally check this place out. When the four of us entered on a Friday night at around 9pm, there was only one table that was occupied. The place was essentially empty - which is exactly why it surpassed my expectations. It's a wonder how this place can be so empty when the beer and wine selection is fantastic, while the food tasted much much better than it's tapas serving neighbour (La tasca was only 3 stars for me). The four of us ordered: - Pintxo de Manchego (£3.75): Toasted bread topped with manchego cheese and fresh tomato. - meh - Chorizo Picante (£5.50): Spanish chorizo, marinated in red wine and onions. - good - Patatas Bravas (£4.00): Potato chunks, served with alioli and a spicy tomato sauce. - GREAT - Pollo al Limon (£5.25) Chicken breast skewers, marinated in garlic and lemon. - good but a little dry - Champiñones al Ajillo (£4.75) Grilled mushrooms, marinated in garlic and parsley. - GREAT - Tortilla (£4.50) A timeless classic, the Spanish omelette made with potato and onion. - GREAT - Calamari (£5.50): Fresh Billingsgate calamari, coated in our home prepared beer batter then deep fried to a golden brown. - GREAT - Albondigas (£5.50): Home made beef meatballs in spicy tomato sauce. - GREAT While the food was a little on the luke warm side, it tasted REALLY DELICIOUS. The service was good, the food was good, the drinks were good. This place is definitely a hidden little gem. The only thing that marred the experience was the patrons, one of whom was laughing like a hyena the entire night (think Janice from Friends).

A great spot for a tet a tet over some drinks and tapas. The food is top quality and the staff…read moreattentive and considerate. The menu is extensive so there is sure to be something everyone likes. When our food was taking longer than they thought it should to be prepared we were offered bread and olives on the house. The indoor part of the restaurant is very small but on a summers day the large outdoor area would be a fantastic place to enjoy the food, drinks and coffee on offer at Le Pont. However when inside it is very cozy and comfortable. I look forward to going back again.

This tapas takes me back to Spain. I love all the locations. Food is consistently good across them…read moreall. Excellent and fresh ingredients. The flavors boom. The drinks are vast and complement the food so well. I always make a stop here during my visits to London, which are a few times a year!

Great tapas spot! We came for a post Pilates bite and got a few dishes to share, followed by a…read moreglass of sangria before leaving. The bruschetta specifically stood out. The tomatoes were so decadent and the bread so fresh and soft. We also really enjoyed the arancini for something a bit more savory. The tortilla was also great and a bit heavier of a dish for those who are hungrier. The staff seemed a bit uncoordinated but overall friendly. It's a very modern vibe and I loved the open concept kitchen.