Mar I Terra restaurant

Please contact the restaurant directly for bookings of more than six people.

London’s craze for Spanish tapas is in full flower by now, but Mar I Terra is a rare spot down Waterloo’s Gambia Street where you can indulge in the delectable, shareable Iberian small plates within easy distance of public transport (Southwark tube station and Waterloo East), and a whole host of the capital’s cultural landmarks: the Tate Modern, the Globe Theatre, the Imperial War Museum. That said, many find that a prelude to sightseeing spent at Mar I Terra turns into a long, languorous afternoon during which Spanish wine and tapas tend to trump plans for a walking tour. You’ve been warned.

Classic tapas, postres y queso, vinos. The first is famous, and needs little introduction. The second translates to desserts and cheeses, another coup for this rather special Waterloo Spanish tapas bar, while the third is our familiar friend wine. Starting with Mar I Terra’s wine is a very good place to start indeed, and here, tucked away down London’s Gambia Street, just south of the river, you’ll find a fully annotated wine list referencing a cellar amply stocked with fantastic vintages from suppliers that know Mar I Terra’s proprietors – and diners – well. Add to this an equally informed selection of authentic Spanish brandies and liqueurs and you’ve got liquid refreshment covered.

And Mar I Terra’s boutique offering just keeps on giving, with a renowned cheese board laden with aged Manchego, Picos Azul and the Catalan goats’ cheese Carat, served with crackers, grapes, membrillo (a quince jelly), fig and almond bread, and intended – as for tapas – to be shared amongst friends and family. Lest we forget the main event at this Waterloo tapas bar, Mar I Terra’s small plates offer a comprehensive picture of Iberian cuisine – starters, meat and fish dishes that are liable to change with the season, just as we like it. A highlight is undoubtedly the specially imported jamon Iberico, a lightly salted, long-aged (for up to three years) ham made from free-range, acorn-foraging black foot pigs in the hinterlands of Salamanca. It’s silky texture and complex, nutty flavour is unlike anything we’ve yet sampled in London’s many tapas bars.