Bravas Tapas

Bravas Tapas | Family Run Tapas Restaurant in St Katherine Docks 

Peruse any respected list of London’s top foodie destinations, and you’ll almost certainly find that St Katherine Docks – an idyllic oasis of calm which lazes, peppered with expensive yachts, in the shadow of Tower Bridge – isn’t on it.

A Spanish Hobbit called Bilbao Baggins was particularly put out by this fact when he visited London last summer. Proud of himself for having not only escaped the touristy hullabaloo that enveloped the Tower Of London but also for having unexpectedly happened upon the tranquil sanctuary of loveliness that is ‘The Docks’, he shuffled between chain restaurants asking himself one question, over and over:

“Dónde están the good restaurants?”

If only the little fella could be there now… he’d see that it’s still full of chain restaurants.

Only now, there’s one sparkling exception.

Welcome to Bravas Tapas, an independent, family-run restaurant which you can happily expect to caress your senses with the sights, sounds and tastes of Spain as soon as you step through its doors.

Head chef Victor Garvey honed his craft at some of the great restaurants of the Basque country, from Mugaritz to Akelarre. And his menu here – which features dishes like seared Mediterranean seabass fillet with Donostiarra sauce, classic croquetas and chipirones, and rocoto pepper ceviche – is complimented by Spanish-themed cocktails courtesy of George Matzaridis (ex-Hakkasan), a long sherry bar and a terrace overlooking the Docks.

It’s a good combination.

Fusing rustic, crumbling hacienda-style décor with Spanish music, friendly, upbeat staff and Garvey’s modern Spanish cuisine, Señor Baggins would have flipped out if he’d stumbled across it last year…

But it wasn’t there. So he didn’t.

NOTE: Bravas Tapas is open daily from noon. You can book a table, and find out more, HERE.

Bravas Tapas | St Katherine Docks, E1W 1AT

Like quirky restaurants? Check out our guide to unusual restaurants in London.