El Molino

Since the late 80s, Holloway’s El Molino has been ahead of the curve when it comes to the current craze for Spanish tapas that has only recently achieved real prominence in London. Located up Holloway Road, El Molino does everything Spanish, from tapas to mains, always using only the finest and freshest ingredients, and always at prices that suit everybody’s budgets. As veterans, El Molino can afford to quietly offer up some of the best Spanish in London.

El Molino has long been a default destination for Holloway locals looking for an after-work drink with a Spanish twist, or with students seeking out good eats at prices that won’t break the bank. El Molino has been on Holloway Road since the 80s, and is one of those restaurants that is simply integral to the local landscape. The fare is unpretentious (a blessing in the current tsunami of trendy tapas bars in London) and authentically Spanish. Rustic meat and fish dishes sit comfortably alongside steaming paella, proper tapas crafted by the head chef, and a standalone vegetarian menu that does Iberian wonders to the freshest produce available.

Besides the wide-ranging regular menus, El Molino’s chef’s specials are of particular note. There’s simple, Spanish-tinged T-bone steaks, grilled seabass, and lamb shanks, plus an extra-special dish called lenguada mar y terra. This last takes fresh Dover sole and submits it to a distinctive Spanish treatment involving mushrooms, garlic, and wine. Proper Spanish cuisine, and tapas, is deceptively simple, and it’s this rustic approach, plus welcoming premises along Holloway Road, that has made El Molino’s name in London’s Spanish dining scene. Something of a Holloway institution by now, El Molino is also a popular spot for private hire, be it for birthdays, weddings, functions, or even a Christmas feast (perfect for injecting a little bit of Spanish sunshine into our annual midwinter proceedings).