Restaurant Review: Brindisa London Bridge. Homeboy and I wanted a lunchtime treat, so we walked up to Borough Market and spotted a table free at Brindisa London Bridge. If you’re looking for tapas restaurants in London Bridge, the best places to eat near Borough Market or Spanish food in Southwark, try Tapas Brindisa.
“Taste heavenly Spanish ingredients as you sample delicious tapas in London’s historic Borough Market, a must for all food lovers,” Homegirl London
Brindisa London Bridge Tapas Menu
From selling Spanish produce to chefs, Monika Linton (founder and owner) set up a shop in Floral Hall Borough Market. In 2004, the corner site at Borough Market became available. This was London’s first tapas bar with no reservations which has paved the way for Spanish gastronomy in the UK.
Piquillo Pepper And Walnut Pate With Picos De Pan Mini Breadsticks
Start with a few nibbles to get your taste buds in working order. You’ll find green olives hand-stuffed with fresh orange and oregano, Galician padron peppers with rock salt and smoked anchovy finger toasts with black olive tapenade on the menu. We sampled the piquillo pepper and walnut pate with picos de pan mini breadsticks. The pate was delicious, and the mini breadsticks were super cute.
Salad
Anyone who loves meat is in for a real treat! Make sure to order the Jamon Ibérico de Bellota 22. Or you can try the selection of Ibérico charcuterie served with sourdough bread and olive oil. We were debating the selection of cheese with preserves and fruit but wanted to save room for dessert.
Goat’s Cheese With Honey
From the cold tapas selection, we ordered the Spanish tortilla which was firm and filling, and I’m glad to say wasn’t runny inside because this is a big turn off for me. The wilted spinach with shallot, pine nuts and raisins was the best I’ve ever tasted. When the dish arrived, I wondered why I’d ordered a bowl of spinach because there are some lovely sounding salads on the menu. But as soon as I tasted it, I discovered the hidden depths of shallot, pine nuts and raisins and patted myself on the back for ordering this. We also tried a delightful salad of shaved courgettes, slices of apple and cubes of cheese.
Wilted Spinach
From the hot tapas, we tried the patatas bravas which I always love. I could eat these all day long. Homeboy enjoyed his calamari which was fresh and perfectly cooked. I appreciated the heated goat’s cheese with honey and beetroot crisps. Meat eaters might like to try lamb chops with salsa verde, smoked chorizo with piquillo or ribeye steak with shiitake and brandy sauce. Otherwise, it is spatchcock quail with raisins and PX sherry or monkfish with butter bean broth and garlic breadcrumbs.
Calamari
We shared the Crema Catalana for dessert. It’s very satisfying breaking through the crunchy caramel top to discover the cold yet rich and creamy citrus custard underneath. Other dessert options were a homemade Galician almond tart with vanilla ice cream. The moon lemon Arroz sounded interesting. This is rice pudding, moon lemon cream and cinnamon crumbs.
Crema Catalana
To give you the idea of price points nibbles are £4.25-6.50, the cured meat selection is £23, the cheese selection is £16.75, cold tapas is £5.50-7.50, hot tapas is £5.50-18.50 and desserts are £6. Drinks include Spanish wines, sherry and more. We tried the homemade lemonade, which was very refreshing. I thought the meal was very reasonably priced for high-quality ingredients.
Brindisa London Bridge Interiors
Restaurant Interior
This restaurant occupies a corner spot so benefits from an expanse of windows overlooking the busy junction. There are a few tables and chairs outside, so you can sit and watch the city workers and market traders hurrying by. You’ll notice the bright red awnings with ‘Tapas’ in large letters so you can’t miss it. The decor is simple and unfussy. There is a lot of wood panelling on the walls and an ample wine shelf behind the bar counter. The place feels homely with a Spanish vibe unless it’s winter and then you’ll probably notice that you’re in London!
Brindisa London Bridge Information
Restaurant Exterior
To find out more about the restaurant, go to the Brindisa Website. The address is 18-20 Southwark Street, London SE1 1TJ. The nearest stations are London Bridge and Borough. Check online for current opening times. You can visit the Brindisa Shop in Borough Market afterwards and buy yourself some lovely Spanish food to take home. The other restaurants are located at South Kensington, Soho, Shoreditch, Rupert Street and Battersea. Enjoy your tapas treat!
Author: Homegirl London. Photographs: Homegirl London food images and exterior, the interior image is from the restaurant website. Thanks: Homeboy for dining with me.
