El Pirata feels like a discovery; it’s tucked away on Down Street, close to Green Park, and I’d have never found it if I wasn’t in a black cab. In an area known for polished dining rooms and high price tags, this long-standing Spanish restaurant operates with quiet confidence. It is a favourite of the city’s well-known chefs, and it’s easy to see why; by 6.30pm, it was already buzzing and most of the tables were taken.
El Pirata: The Lowdown
Set over two floors, the layout works in its favour. The ground floor bar is the right place to start the evening. It’s compact, well run and draws a crowd early on. Downstairs, the basement dining room is dark and cosy without being cramped. Tables are close enough to create atmosphere but not so tight that you feel like you’re sharing your starter with a stranger. There’s a couple of booths set towards the back that suits both a catch-up with friends and a low-key date.
El Pirata, doesn’t try too hard; it understands its identity. The menu reads like a roll call of Spanish classics, the sort you would expect to see in Madrid or Barcelona, alongside a few small updates. There’s no attempt to reinvent the wheel here. Instead, the focus is on doing familiar dishes well.
My date and I were looking forward to a long overdue catch up, and we started the night with a selection of tapas and a couple of drinks to keep us going while we got up to speed.
A Taste of Spain in Mayfair
Croquetas de jamón Ibérico arrived first, crisp on the outside with a smooth, savoury centre. They were textbook. Patatas bravas followed, cut into generous chunks and potentially needed to be a little crisper. They were served with a punchy sauce that meant I overdosed on the dipping, but it was too good to be restrained. Gambas al pil-pil came sizzling, the prawns cooked in an olive oil peppered with garlic and chilli. Nothing felt like it had been adapted to suit a generic London palate.
The paella was the highlight. I chose chicken, a version that can often be an afterthought next to seafood variations. The rice had the right bite, the flavour deep and developed, with a proper socarrat at the base of the pan. It’s easy to claim authenticity; it’s harder to deliver it. As someone who actively seeks out Spanish food and has tried more than a few paellas in Spain and in London, this was exceptional. It held its own and was better than some I’d had on holiday.
Good Spanish food can be surprisingly difficult to find in central London. There are plenty of tapas bars, but not many places that capture the balance of generosity and restraint that defines the cuisine. El Pirata successfully gets this right. Portions are sensible, seasoning is confident, and the kitchen isn’t distracted by trends.
Why El Pirata is Worth a Visit
Service matched the quality of the cooking. The team are efficient, friendly and read the room well, knowing when to give you enough time to relax and chat as well as keeping on top of replenishing drinks and clearing plates.
Our waiter offered some great recommendations and steered us towards a mix of dishes that worked well together. While we were waiting for the paella to cook, he kept us going with some exceptional nibbles including Mini Bun Chorizo y Huevo and Pan con Tomate — who doesn’t love a portion of this morish staple? While it was a busy Thursday evening, we never felt rushed and if anything were encouraged to stay for an extra drink and desert. I wanted to dive into the Basque Cheesecake (a firm favourite of mine), but I had indulged already so had to leave it to my friend, who assured me it was worth hanging back for.
There’s also real value here, particularly given the postcode. The recently introduced set menus, including an express lunch from £16.50 and a Saturday and late-night option at £37 per head, make the restaurant accessible in a part of town that rarely is. For groups, the Menu de la Fiesta offers a structured way to sample a broad range of dishes.
After more than three decades, El Pirata doesn’t need to prove anything. It does the basics properly, keeps standards high and delivers a consistently good experience. In a part of London that often prioritises style over substance, this is somewhere you come for the food first. If you’re looking for Spanish cooking that feels true to its roots, it’s worth making the effort to find it. It may fly under the radar for some, but once you’ve been, I bet you return.
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All photography is courtesy of El Pirata.
