Barrafina Borough Yards

The original Barrafina opened back in 2007 if you can believe that, and this pacey Iberian tapas bar has been the bottom line in great Spanish food ever since, in London at least. Borough Yards is the fifth site for Harts Group and alongside two Parrillans, three El Pastors and Bar Daskal, the Harts’ operation is getting pretty extensive.

Barrafina Borough Yards inhabits an old brick railway arch and has made itself at home with the usual mix of marble floors, sleek steel bar stools and a signature long, open kitchen. Behind the counter, chefs thrum like bees in a hive, flipping endless tortillas on the stove and shouting for service. Atmosphere has always been a Barrafina calling card and it’s alive and well at Borough Yards.

The menu strays from northern Spain and further towards the Balearics in search of something new and exciting. Still, if you love the classics, the para picar menu has plenty to be getting on with - sultry ham croquetas are as good as ever, as are angry, blistered Padron peppers, Marcona almonds and simple yet incomparable banderillas.

There’s plenty on the menu to peruse, and alongside changing specials, you could come back here many times and not have tried everything. Alongside the snacks, top marks go to a lively serviola tartar - a pile of diced raw yellowtail, heaped with little bursts of green apple, confit shallot and a citrus dressing - as well as a dish of sauteed seasonal mushrooms with soy-cured egg yolk; the latter is not immediately recognisable as Barrafina-fare but it’s welcome nonetheless.

We came across a few dishes - notably the fried baby squid and tortilla de camarones - which were a tad under seasoned and lacked the same revelatory oomph as in previous Barrafina visits. We suspect that we may have caught the restaurant on a busy off night, but the ever-friendly service and cracking sherry lineup were more than enough to dispel any minor blips.

A true Tapas staple in London, Barrafina has gone from strength to strength. The chain's fifth opening finds itself in Borough Yards, London Bridge's new shopping and dining district, alongside other Harts Group openings such as Parrillan and Bar Daskal. The space is set within a series of railway arches, viaducts and warehouses. A mere stone's throw from Borough Market and the Southbank, this is an area already brimming with excellent food and drink, so naturally, Barrafina is right at home here.

Barrafina's other four branches in Dean Street, Adelaide Street, Drury Lane and Coal Drops Yard have all enjoyed consistent popularity. Their marble-topped bar allows guests to observe the culinary creations from their red leather stools. Menus offer authentic regional dishes from Spain alongside daily specials that vary from branch to branch. The wine lists feature Spanish bottles, alongside sherries and Cavas.

Cofounders Sam and Eddie Hart were born into hospitality to Michelin-starred parents. The brothers wanted to create something inspired by Cal Pep in Barcelona (this eventually became Fino). In 2007, they opened the first Barrafina on Frith Street. 

Since 2017, menus at Barrafina have been spearheaded by Barcelona born Angel Zapata-Martin, who himself has worked all over the world, including at the three Michelin starred restaurant Can Fabes in Barcelona. He did a stint of private chef work, before heeding the call back to bustling restaurant kitchens to work with Barrafina. 

Highlights from Barrafina's menu include tantalising nibbles like pan con tomate, chipirones (whole deep-fried baby squid) and ham croquetas. Mains offer something for everyone, such as cured monkfish, chorizo with potato and watercress and fennel with ajo blanco. Desserts round things off nicely with entries like Santiago tart or crema Catalana (a Spanish twist on creme brulee, made with milk and corn starch rather than cream and flavoured with orange and cinnamon).