Bar Kroketa

Bar Kroketa is a Spanish bar serving a daily changing menu of croquetas, bar snacks and tapas classics, alongside Spanish wines, vermouth and cocktails.

What's the draw?

Some things are just a good idea. Going to bed early, paying your bills or opening a restaurant dedicated to one of Spain's best exports – the croqueta. The latter is the exact venture of Bar Kroketa, a casual tapas bar from the team behind Brindisa, located on Beak Street in Carnaby. It's a lively and casual spot, housed in a small wooden dining room that has been taking notes from the great date spots manual. Alongside a menu dedicated to these deep-fried balls of rapture, there are 'kounter' and 'kitchen' plates which consist of tapas favourites like gildas, tortillas, charcuterie and cheeses. Tapas joints might be two-a-penny in London, but bar Kroketa offers something genuinely exciting and totally delicious.

What to eat?

The clue is in the name really – as many croquetas as humanly possible. Although it's hard to order wrong here, some croquetas take the crown – the prawn ones dunked in prawn head aioli, those stuffed with calçots which are then lathered in manchego cream and finally the ones filled with lardo and migas (a hearty mixture of bread, sausage and veg). The sweet croquetas stuffed with salted caramel, although probably a cardinal sin among tapas purists, are also quite divine. Aside from croquetas, several menu mainstays and specials should be on your hit list, including the deep-fried sardines with mojo verde, mussels with pico de gallo and crab toastie – loaded with a devilishly generous portion of filling. Order a portion of the crips and pickles to graze on with a drink while you peruse the rest of the menu.

Bar Kroketa, Beak Street

What to drink?

Although a crisp glass of Estrella Galicia is the obvious choice for a feast of fried things, the cocktails at Kroketa are fiendishly good. In particular, the Krok spritz (fino, fig liqueur, cava) and Bamboo (vermút, fino, orange bitters) are must orders. There's also a concise but lovely selection of Spanish wines and vermouths alongside artisanal soft drinks.