Brothers Ben and Joe are the duo behind Porta Tapas. The pair come from the village of Oscroft, just a few miles east of Chester, and despite pursuing different paths early on in their career — Joe as a chef in the Northwest and Ben setting up a noughties dotcom, their shared passion for food led them to reunite in 2006 to pursue their own venture. In 2012, fueled by their lifelong love for the flavours of the Iberian peninsula, they launched Porta, a tapas bar located next door to their flagship restaurant. The simple yet charming set up and menu is complemented by the wine selection and relaxed service style, then this Altrincham branch opened in 2016.
The pair still lead the team – Joe has the role of executive chef, supporting kitchen teams, crafting daily specials, refining menus, and mentoring staff. Meanwhile, Ben manages business administration and operations, splitting his time between the office and various sites, equipped with a camera and a plethora of tools.
The tapas menu begins with gordal olives and sweet pickled guindilla chillies, along with salted Valencian almonds, salted corn nuts, and fried padron peppers with Maldon sea salt. Also on the menu is jamon iberico, air dried beef cecina with pickled chillies and chorizo charcuterie. Charred hispi cabbage with romesco sauce is a delicious plate, as is the roasted butternut squash with manchego and almond pesto. For bigger appetites, try the chorizo and lentil stew, the grilled wild Atlantic prawns with ajillo dressing and queen scallops with chilli, lemon and garlic butter and herb crumbs.