1 Princes Street
Edinburgh
EH2 2EQ
Tel: 0207 813 8016
www.barrafina.co.uk
reception@barrafina.co.uk
Open:
Monday – Saturday
Lunch: 12 noon – 3.00pm
Dinner: 5.00pm to 11.00pm
Sunday: Closed
Click for Map
Following their triumph with Fino in Charlotte St (a must-visit for any tapas aficionado, and also blessed with an excellent range of sherries), which has been wowing critics and public alike for four years, Sam and Eddie Hart set their sights on creating a more affordable alternative with the emphasis firmly on drinking with food.
The result is Barrafina. Set in the heart of Soho, the accent here is on traditional tapas with excellent British ingredients. Inspired by the legendary Barcelona tapas bar Cal Pep (to which it bears more than a passing resemblance), Barrafina continues the Hart’s good work at Fino and was deservedly short-listed in the Time Out Eating & Drinking Awards 2007.
Given its popularity, it’s no surprise that the lure of the L-shaped marble-counter, seafood on display on crushed ice and spot-on service – not to mention the affordability of the dishes – are drawing in crowds. Limited space and a no bookings policy mean queues are virtually inevitable at peak times; it is, however, worth the wait.
The food ranges from the strictly authentic – from small nibbles such as tomato-rubbed bread and almonds to tortilla cooked to order, and set to moist perfection - to the sublime, with dishes such as lamb’s sweetbreads with capers, and morcilla with piquillo peppers eliciting audible coos from the punters lining the counter. Don’t expect anything elaborate though – there’s no gimmickry here just excellent ingredients cooked with precision.
There are seven types of Sherry available served in tasting glasses to give a more rounded experience than the familiar "copita" style. The menu offers the perfect opportunity to experience the full range of food and Sherry matching from a tangy “La Gitana” Manzanilla with Sardines a la Plancha to a super-sweet raisiny cream with a robust chocolate tart.
The result is Barrafina. Set in the heart of Soho, the accent here is on traditional tapas with excellent British ingredients. Inspired by the legendary Barcelona tapas bar Cal Pep (to which it bears more than a passing resemblance), Barrafina continues the Hart’s good work at Fino and was deservedly short-listed in the Time Out Eating & Drinking Awards 2007.
Given its popularity, it’s no surprise that the lure of the L-shaped marble-counter, seafood on display on crushed ice and spot-on service – not to mention the affordability of the dishes – are drawing in crowds. Limited space and a no bookings policy mean queues are virtually inevitable at peak times; it is, however, worth the wait.
The food ranges from the strictly authentic – from small nibbles such as tomato-rubbed bread and almonds to tortilla cooked to order, and set to moist perfection - to the sublime, with dishes such as lamb’s sweetbreads with capers, and morcilla with piquillo peppers eliciting audible coos from the punters lining the counter. Don’t expect anything elaborate though – there’s no gimmickry here just excellent ingredients cooked with precision.
There are seven types of Sherry available served in tasting glasses to give a more rounded experience than the familiar "copita" style. The menu offers the perfect opportunity to experience the full range of food and Sherry matching from a tangy “La Gitana” Manzanilla with Sardines a la Plancha to a super-sweet raisiny cream with a robust chocolate tart.