Where to find Sydney’s best crepes
08 Feb 2023
08 Feb 2023
Found. Small plates that are big on flavour.
Tapas have taken the world by storm, and what’s not to love? The Spanish plates are fun, flavourful, and creative. Great for both adventurous foodies and people who like to play it safe, there’s something for everyone and what’s better is that they make for the perfect sharing option. Great tasting on their own and even better when accompanied by drinks, here are all the best spots in the city where you can indulge in authentic tapas and grab quality drinks to go with ‘em.
Here is where you’ll find great tapas in upscale surrounds…oh, and enough wine to crack just about any connoisseur. To say Balcon’s has a deep Spanish wine list might be somewhat of an understatement. Helmed by the same team behind wildly popular Tapavino, the carefully curated selection of Spanish wines here has been a dream long in the making for owner Frank Dilernia.
Take your tapas feast out on their contemporary 80-seater terrace, and feast you will as on the menu here you’ll find Jamon serrano with buffalo milk curds, wagyu beef cecina, pan con tomate, and freshly shucked Pambula oysters. There’s also a range of Spanish cheeses for curd-lovers and a selection of authentic larger main plates like baked bomba rice and charcoal oven-baked Josper chicken.
Wondering what should be in your tapas order at Balcon by Tapavino? Dish Cult recommends the $32 Grilled WA Octopus ‘Galician Style’ with Kipfler Potatoes.
The decor at this modern eatery speaks of authentic Spanish, and you’ll find exposed brick walls and industrial bulbs thrown in for contemporary good measure. At the helm of Despaña is ex-Astral head Chef Tony Gibson (a name that’s more than enough to inspire confidence) with a menu that features Spanish charcuterie, and of course, the tapas we came for.
The range of small plates available sees the likes of prawn & chorizo skewers, braised beef cheek, patatas bravas (delectable fried potatoes served with tangy bravas sauce and aioli) and spiced cauliflower fritters. For sharing plates you can order a storm of seafood paella and mussels drenched in tomato broth. Beef cheek comes fall-off-the-fork tender and skewers are served charred and hot off the grill, so no matter what you pick, great satisfaction is in the near future.
Looking for recommendations? Get the $15 Patatas Bravas into your tapas order at Despana. It gets our thumbs up approval!
A casual spot in Coogee Pavilion, Una Mas is the perfect place to grab a plate of some of the best tapas around with a matching glass of Spanish wine to go with it. A spot perpetually teeming with life, this Bondi hideout ticks all the right boxes: authentic Spanish comida, a beautiful space with stellar wall art, and open till late.
The bar offers a smattering of inspired cocktails, and you can also get glasses of Vermouth and Vino in a pinch. Plates here include the likes of yellowfin tuna with bull’s heart tomato, cuttlefish with harissa peppers, and Galician-style octopus to share. Larger plates like lamb saddle with capers and pork collar with spring vegetables will leave you in a happy food coma daze. Well worth it.
The $24 Pulpo a la gallega is a must try on Una Mas’ menu.
The heart behind Bar Tapa is authentic family recipes passed down across generations, and the flavours here reflect the heavy-handed emphasis on Spanish lifestyle and heritage. The exposed brick walls here are lined with striking art and traditional knick-knacks that transport you right to the streets of Barcelona in the middle of Darlinghurst.
The menu is a mix of classic recipes that are unapologetically Spanish, and you’ll find tapas like Albondigas a la catalana (meatballs in a tomato & nut sauce), huevos rotos (fried potato slices with eggs & crispy jamon) and grilled squid with garlic & parsley. End a long night of drinks and food with postres, Spanish desserts in the form of the churros we all known and love.
Bar Tapa’s $13 Gambas Al Ajillo is a favourite of ours.
The team at Mercado cut no corners and most everything that you get here is made in-house, with meat and bread that’s their own. Mediterranean and Spanish flavours fuse seamlessly here into a contemporary menu that proves indecision is a real problem.
This eatery is romantic and intimate, and you’ll find waiters flitting about with plates of seared tuna and scallop, Spanish cold cuts, Wagyu beef tartare and duck liver parfait. Tables call in orders of pumpkin paella as they toast to life and friendship over cheese boards, dessert, and champagne by the glass.
To be wowed, make sure you order Mercado’s $27 Seared tuna & scallops in your next experience there.
Wyno x Bodega
Argentinian, Latin American
Image credit Wyno x Bodega
Here two worlds collide: the famed tapas selection from former Surry Hills Spanish institution Bodega, and choice wines from bottle shop Wyno. The interior is artsy and chic, with a low intimate vibe that’s made buzzy by the ever-loving crowd.
Tapas here comes with a slew of modern twists like their take on ricotta dumplings with chives and brown butter, pork sausage with cider sauce and pork belly with clam vinaigrette and morcilla peas.Wines here are dime a dozen, and all of them are great choices for a spanking night on the town.
Wyno x Bodega’s $22 Grilled octopus with mole iceberg salad comes highly recommended.
Certifiably one of Sydney’s finest tapas restaurants, this moody Spanish bar serves tapas and jamon for hungry masses seeking more than just another forgettable feed.
The experience at Tapavino is entirely good, from the efficient waitstaff to price points that don’t empty your wallet, and of course, their addictively good tapas plates and large vino list.
If you like to eat at places that have you raving from start to finish, you’ll have a field day at Tapavino with the likes of prawn bomba with chilli, catalan tostada with jamon, and stuffed piquillo peppers. Pick your favourites, or go for everything and throw in a dulce le leche tart while you’re at it (because why not?).
Tapavino’s $7 prawn bomba will prove a hit on your tastebuds. Get onto it!
