Bristol’s culinary landscape has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past decade, with the city’s appreciation for Spanish cuisine playing a pivotal role in this ever burgeoning restaurant revolution. While London may have the numbers, Bristol’s tapas scene punches well above its weight, offering everything from Michelin-recognised excellence to down-to-tierra neighbourhood haunts that could have been plucked straight from the backstreets of Madrid.
We’ve traversed the city’s hills (and there are many) and endured an inordinate number of fried things to bring you our attempt at something approaching a definitive guide to Spanish food in the city. From the maritime-influenced offerings of the harbour to the cosy corners of Cotham, here’s where to find the best tapas in Bristol.
Paco Tapas
Ideal for traditional tapas with personal interpretations from Michelin starred Chef Peter Sanchez-Iglesias…
Paco Tapas is one of only a handful of Spanish restaurants in the UK to have held a coveted Michelin star. What is more extraordinary is that they won it less than a year after opening; a mean feat by any restaurant’s standards. Strangely and inexplicably, they lost their star in last year’s guide, but Paco will always sparkle to us.
The cooking at Paco Tapas is assured and confident, precise without being restricted by technique. Stuffed and barbequed quail is a particular highlight, and the classics, such as simple tortilla espanola or ham croquettes, are delivered unpretentiously but with perfect aplomb. Of course, there’s a stacked sherry list, too, and each pour comes with a story.
If you’re only to go to one tapas bar in Bristol, it should be here.
Address: 3A, The General, Lower Guinea St, Bristol BS1 6SY
Website: pacotapas.co.uk
Gambas
Ideal for a tapas bar that places a heavy focus on all things prawn…
Alongside Tokyo’s Corridor-dori and Lyon’s rue du Boeuf, Bristol’s Wapping Wharf must be right up there in terms of the highest concentration of Michelin-awarded restaurants per square metre in the world.
And perhaps our favourite of all (yep, we have) the eateries housed in shipping containers here is Gambas, a tapas bar that places a heavy focus on all things prawn.
Inspired by Valencia’s Mercado Central, there are a few better ways to spend an afternoon than by taking a seat at the counter here. Roll up your sleeves, and prepare to nimbly peel burning hot prawn shells blistered by the grill, suck the rich, ruddy brains out of the heads, and generally get messy.
For those not in thrall to the sweet, briny flavours of the ocean, there’s still plenty to enjoy from Gambas’ De La Tierra (‘of the earth’) section of the menu, which despite its rather lofty subheading, is essentially a roll call of tapas bar classics. So, that’s patatas bravas arriving draped in all the right colours, presa Iberica quickly seared in a smoking hot pan, and some truly divine aubergine crisps, served adorned with a sweet and sticky reduction.
Though we’ve only visited in winter, we can only imagine how joyous an evening spent on the restaurant’s terrace would be during the warmer months; Summer 2023, we’re coming for you!
Address: Unit 12, Cargo 2, Museum St, Bristol BS1 6ZA
Website: gambasbristol.co.uk
Bravas
Ideal for an warm, unpretentious tapas experience…
Authenticity is the buzz word at this Redland institution, where the owners cite regular staff trips to Spain as the inspiration for their fine renditions of tapas bar classics. Bravas is rammed to the rafters regularly – even on school nights – and you’ll often have to wait for a seat. The wait is rewarded, though, with highlights like hake from the plancha or a sweet, crisp aubergine, perhaps. The patatas bravas from which the restaurant takes it’s names are a fine, thoughtful rendition.
The heart of Bravas lies in its bar area, where solo diners and couples perch on high stools, watching the kitchen team work their magic while nursing glasses of txakoli or vermut. It’s here that you’ll often overhear snippets of Spanish conversation from homesick natives who’ve found their slice of home on Cotham Hill. The constant buzz of chatter, punctuated by the sizzle of the plancha and the pop of wine corks, creates exactly the kind of atmosphere that makes tapas dining so addictive.
Address: 7 Cotham Hill, Bristol BS6 6LD
Website: bravas.co.uk
Bar 44
Ideal for modern Spanish cuisine with a Welsh twist…
Started by Welsh brothers Tom and Owen Morgan, Bar 44 began in South Wales before expanding first into Cardiff and now onwards to Bristol’s Clifton Village. Their time living and working in Spain shapes every aspect of the place, from the cooking to the wine list. The space combines the polish of a smart restaurant with the easy-going feel of a Spanish bar – teal leather banquettes line the walls beneath backlit shelves of bottles, while vintage Spanish posters in faded reds and yellows add a distinctive hue to the space.
The kitchen handles both traditional and contemporary tapas with confidence. Their jamón Ibérico croquetas come crisp-shelled and creamy-centred, while the tortilla maintains that crucial runny middle. Things get even more interesting with dishes like the artichoke with almond romesco and truffled Manchego, or the ex-dairy ox cheek braised in Rioja until it falls apart. The triple-cooked potatoes with bravas sauce and sherry alioli have become a signature dish for good reason.
The extensive sherry list reflects the owners’ deep knowledge of Spanish wine. Newcomers should try the ‘First Time Tastes’ flight, which moves from dry to sweet across three different styles. Yours for £12. More experienced drinkers might opt for Solera 44, featuring toasted dry sherries, or commit to The Mega Flight – a comprehensive tasting of eight different expressions for just shy of £30. The bar stocks some genuine gems, including a 10-year-aged Xixarito En Rama Manzanilla, and the staff know their stuff when it comes to recommending bottles. Gaviscon at the read, let’s drink!
Address: 18-20 Regent St, Clifton, Bristol BS8 4HG
Website: grupo44.co.uk
Poco
Ideal for a British seasonal tapas menu…
Not to be confused with Paco, Poco is a very different beast and although the term ‘tapas’ may be a stretch, their commitment to ethical sourcing and practice makes this place a fine proposition indeed. The menu spans all corners of the globe, arriving in small plated, concise form; a condensing of the world’s finest flavours into a few manageable bites, if you will. Poco won the Best Ethical Restaurant at the 2013 Observer Food Monthly Awards, and their commitment to conscientious cooking continues still.
The kitchen demonstrates remarkable finesse with vegetables, coaxing extraordinary flavours from seemingly simple ingredients. Their treatment of Crown Prince squash with house-made labneh and clever date ketchup exemplifies their approach to seasonal cooking, while dishes like Brixham hake with blood orange salad or wild boar croquettes with paprika aioli showcase their ability to blend British ingredients with Mediterranean influences. This isn’t a traditional Spanish tapas bar – instead, it’s something more intriguing: a restaurant that takes the convivial spirit of tapas dining and applies it to the British larder.
Website: pocotapasbar.com
Address: 45 Jamaica St, Bristol BS2 8JP
El Rincon
Ideal for music and tapas…
El Rincon has a homely, almost-shambolic feel that draws you in and doesn’t let you leave until you’re full, drunk and happy. The menu is brief, but that’s fine by us; tapas menus seem to benefit from brevity, as everything always sounds so appealing. That said, the options here are always supplemented by a special or two; and if there’s ever a paella on at El Rincon you’d be crazy to miss it. Of added interest, the restaurant offers Spanish lessons and regular Latin music nights; the opportunity to go full native then, is very much there.
The real magic happens late in the evening, when the kitchen starts sending out plates of chorizo al vino and tortilla to fuel the impromptu flamenco sessions that frequently break out. The walls, plastered with vintage Spanish movie posters and football scarves, have absorbed years of stories and laughter, creating the kind of lived-in atmosphere that money can’t buy. It’s the closest thing Bristol has to a genuine Spanish taberna, complete with all the cheerful disorder that implies.
Website: www.elrinconbar.com
Address: 298 North St, Avon, Bristol BS3 1JU
