A Spanish-Italian hybrid, Dehesa offers classy, well-executed small plates and a great wine list just off Carnaby Street. It’s the place to come for inventive and creative modern tapas in London, we think.
Like all good small plates affairs, the menu at Dehesa responds to the seasons; on our last winter visit, a roasted hake with caramelised celeriac and crispy kale was sublime. When it comes to mainstays on the menu, the signature deep-fried cheese-stuffed courgette flowers, a perfect balance of crispiness, savoury and sweet, is a particular highlight.
The restaurant also does the classics well; the crisp and creamy jamon & manchego croquetas are not to be missed, nor are their gloriously garlicky pil pil tiger prawns.
For the quality of food on offer, Dehesa is a refreshingly informal dining spot, ideal for a light bite of cheese and charcuterie or a full blown tapas feast, equally.
If you’re looking to sit outside, their heated corner terrace is the largest in Soho and is the perfect spot to take a load off while watching the colourful world of central London go by.
Address: 25 Ganton St, Carnaby, London W1F 9BP
Website: saltyardgroup.co.uk