Salt Yard Borough

Warm and inviting, the interiors at Salt Yard Borough seem to usher in a new era for the mini restaurant chain that has provided solid tapas for Londoners for more than a decade now. An open kitchen adds theatre, while exposed brick walls and comfy green banquettes help create the laidback ambiance. 

Unusually there’s an equal spread of vegetarian, fish and meat dishes that mean dining in a mixed group doesn’t feel unfairly weighted in favour of carnivores. More unusually the bread is the best bit. It’s a large plate of crisp, fired flatbread, branded with thick char marks and coated in a thick layer of garlic butter. It also has decency to arrive big enough to share. Once cool enough to tear into it’s the perfect vehicle for shovelling in other vibrant things like a plate of creamy buratta paired with the zip of grapefruit or a tomato salad tossed through with cubes of sweet melon.

The requisite croquetas are lovely little cheese bombshells and the patatas bravas are easily quaffed despite their rather squiffy presentation. Sauce lovers should note they also happily come with both bravas sauce and alioli which is light relief in the face of many a potato doomed to be doused in just one. Gambas pil pil come a little blue but once sent back reappear bubbling and with a good kick of chilli. They’re also sans shells around the middle for easy eating.

If bread gets best in class in the food stakes, margaritas come out on top for the drinks and the staff are a solid gold medal too. Earnest and warm, they seem to genuinely care about each guest’s experience.

Desserts are – to put it frankly – okay. Churros are good in the way that all deep-fried dough is going to be but aren’t anything mind-blowing. Ditch the desserts and all-in, Salt Yard is a reliable spot to have up your sleeve next time you’re passing London Bridge.

Hungry for tapas? Us too. The good news is that Salt Yard Group is ever-expanding, and you can now find another of its Spanish and Italian tapas bars in Borough Market, just off Winchester Street. Explore its summery Mediterranean menu of authentic sharing plates featuring the best seasonal ingredients, as well as a regional wine list and a ton of awesome cocktails.  

The striking venue is designed to transport guests to the intimate tapas bars of Spain and Italy, with its interiors featuring exposed brickwork, rich brass, green velvet banquettes and high tables to create a buzzy and sociable ambience. The restaurant is split over two floors, with the ground level featuring floor-to-ceiling windows for a light and airy feel, while the downstairs bar and basement offers a moodier tone perfect for sipping one of its signature cocktails. 

The menu spans a selection of sharing plates focused around meat, fish and vegetables. Start with something snacky, such as an artisan cheese or charcuterie selection, grilled flatbreads with herb butter or marcona almonds.  

Further authentic dishes include lamb pintxo with smoked ricotta and tarragon and caper pesto, wild seabass crudo with coriander aguachile, brown crab and avocado and coal roasted cauliflower with romanesco and pickled sultanas. Guests can also choose from a range of traditional tapas-style dishes including patatas bravas with aioli and spicy tomato, prawns ‘pil pil’ with grilled guindilla chilli and roasted garlic and courgette flower with goat’s cheese and fermented honey. To finish, look out for a tempting-sounding salted caramel custard tart with cherry and milk gelato. 

In the area for a quick drink? Guests can choose from a menu of cocktails including classics and Salt Yard signatures. Check out the Salt Yard Cooler, Padron Margarita and The Winchester Sour, as well as an impressive wine list from regions across Italy and Spain.