JOSÉ TAPAS BAR,  104 BERMONDSEY STREET, LONDON, SE1 3UB

Jose says this:

José Tapas Bar was my first solo venture: a tapas and sherry bar on Bermondsey Street in London. It’s small and cosy, inspired by the bustling tapas bars around La Boquería market in Barcelona and the traditional tapas bars in the hot, dusty towns and villages of Andalucía. The daily menu depends on what looks good at the market on the day. You’ll see a mix of new dishes as well as old favourites. We maintain a diverse wine and sherry list from both established and small producers of Spain. You will find wines and sherries here that you won’t see anywhere else. Come on down and have a pincho!

Of note:

• No Booking
• Free Wifi
• Quite a few window seats, bar seats also nice
• Come close to 12 at lunch, to be sure of a seat, fills up 12.30 to 1pm
• Super friendly staff from my experience

How good is it? It's my favourite of his restaurants because it has such character and the walk-in nature of it gives a different vibe, a touch of the market. The cooking is not super flash, but the sourced ingredients are super great, which feels spot on for tapas.  Many years ago, Jose was at Brindisa, which still has a tapas place near Borough Market - but that's more frenetic. This tapas bar is still cosy, but it's a slower pace here and the people going up and down Bermondsey St. make for compelling people watching, great to let your mind wander creatively. The damage is below: