Jose Tapas Bar

Address: 104 Bermondsey Street, (corner Leathermarket St), London, SE1 3UB, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)20-7403 4902
Email: pizarro@josepizarro.com
Website: view Jose Tapas Bar’s website
Door: Go early
Style: Tapas bar
Food: Tapas/plates & dishes

Review

José is a wonderfully authentic sherry and tapas bar occupying a tiny corner shop mid-way down Bermondsey Street.

As well as hailing from the home of sherry, owner José Pizarro is an acclaimed chef so expect superb tapas to perfectly complement a small but well-chosen range of wine and sherry. Ask the friendly staff for pairing recommendations such as freshly cooked clams with the saltiness of manzanilla, richer palo cortado with more meaty dishes. Chefs busily operate behind the marble bar counter satisfying orders from the two chalk boards displaying the day's menu.

The list carries four finos, two manzanillas, three palo cortados, two amontillados, four olorosos, two pedro ximenez and two moscatels. There are about ten red and white wines and a couple of rose and cava - all available by the glass or the bottle, including the house Chardonnay and Syrah wines.

Patrons queue patiently outside for to eat whilst standing, let alone for one of the few bar stools at the narrow marble counters that run around the brick walls and windows which look out onto Bermondsey Street. The food's that good.