Nieves Barragán and José Pizarro, Basque and Extremaduran respectively, with their numerous restaurant ventures, have been pioneers for about two decades in introducing tapas to the British capital. Today, this format of small dishes to share is one of the most popular in London’s dining scene, and establishments of all nationalities have adopted it without hesitation. Moreover, several British chefs, such as Tomos Perry or Ed McIlroy, have set out to interpret Spanish cuisine with their own projects.
For anyone whose gastronomic homesickness awakens, here is a selection of Spanish restaurants in London:
Flavor & Legacy
The Basque chef Nieves Barragán began to gain popularity when she earned her first Michelin star in 2013 at the helm of Barrafina, the tapas bar that did not take reservations and that revolutionized London’s dining scene.
In 2018, already at the helm of her first own restaurant, Sabor, she earned another star just a few months after opening, and the same happened a few days ago with Legado, her latest opening. Barragán proposes through both projects a journey across Spanish geography, from Segovia’s suckling pig to Galician octopus, with top-quality produce and a know‑how that has crowned her as one of London’s essential chefs.
