Best Tapas in Bath
Posted on: 01 Aug 2017There is always a new restaurant opening in Bath or on the horizon for the future (if you walk down Milsom Street at the moment you'll see signs for the new Ivy Brasserie restaurant due to open later this year!). There have been a few new tapas restaurants opening recently so we thought it would be a good time to re-assess the tapas offering in Bath and show you the best places in town for a Spanish snack...
We popped into this new SouthGate restaurant not too long ago and were blown away by the tastiness of the tapas as well as the big portion sizes. It’s the seventh restaurant in the chain and is owned by Spanish chef Omar Allibhoy who started making desserts at the age of four! The wonderful staff were some of the best we've ever had the pleasure of meeting, and some of our favourite tapas dishes included the Castillian ewe’s milk cheese served with quince jelly, and the crispy fried aubergine with a spiced honey and thyme dressing. They also serve fresh paella and some unique desserts including the delectable Torrija which is a caramelised brioche bun served warm and soaked in custard!
Address: 20A St Lawrence St, Bath BA1 1AN
Pronounced 'pin-cho' this new tapas and sherry bar situated near to the Theatre Royal brings fresh flavours straight from San Sebastián. It is run by a husband and wife and has received a lot of praise by the locals already even though it only opened this year. We went to review it recently and although it is a much smaller restaurant than many others, it has a garden so you can enjoy a drink outside in the summer, and the added twist of drinking sherry with the delicious tapas was beautiful. We especially loved the Piquillo peppers filled with tuna and onion mayo and the spider crab and saffron croquettes. The Pedro Ximenez sherry is fabulous, with its very sweet notes of raisin, fig and caramel.
Address: 31 Barton Street, Bath BA1 1HG
Koh Thai is much more established in Bath than the previous two and shouldn't be forgotten about just because there are some new restaurants in town. The food consistently wows and is made with a lot of care and attention. You'll never find a bland dish here as every morsel of food is packed full of a variety of flavours. Their pad thai is some of the best we've ever tried and they have a huge range of vegetarian options which makes them stand out from competitors. Some of tour favourite dishes there include the cashew stir-fry which is made with crispy greens, smoked chilies, cashews and pineapple pieces in the house stir-fry sauce, and also the prawn stir-fry which was beautifully flavoured.
Address: 36 Broad St, Bath BA1 5LP
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This award-winning restaurant serves everything from breakfast to dinner, and doesn't look like a typical Spanish restaurant when you walk past it, but they serve some of the best tapas in the city. It was opened in Bath in 2002 and is an independent family-run restaurant near to the bustling Milsom Street. A cafe by day, it turns into a restaurant by night and serves a range of wonderful wines to go with your tapas. Some of the tapas they offer include the unusual Braised Octopus with Lime and Coriander Cous Cous, as well as Crispy Pork belly with Broccoli, Honey and Mustard.
Address: 7a Prince's Buildings, Bartlett Street, Bath BA1 2ED
Another one of Bath's established Spanish restaurants, up until recently it had little competition and was hailed by many as the best tapas in Bath. But now with the new kids on the block it might have to work a little harder to keep that title, but there's no denying their food is mouth watering. The tapas is made using imported ingredients so the flavours are authentic, and they house a good selection of Spanish wines so you can get the full experience. Some of the tapas you might get there, which features on their sample menu, includes pan fried goats cheese served with tomato marmalade and black olive dust, and Spanish air-dried and smoked beef topped with bitter chocolate and arbequina.
Address: 12a North Parade, Bath BA2 4AL
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Born in Bath, Safia has lived on the outskirts of the city her whole life. After studying journalism in Bristol she now spends a lot of her time searching for new things to see in Bath and soaking up the beautiful culture. You're most likely to find her sipping a soya latte in a lovely little independent cafe! Call Safia on 07468 516375 or email editor@365Bath.com.