Dining
Every Barrafina in London, Ranked
Five London Barrafinas ranked by the room and by how you get in: a walk-in-only original, a Victorian coal store, railway arches, and two Covent Garden counters.
In short: our top picks are Barrafina, Barrafina Coal Drops Yard and Barrafina Borough Yards. 5 places in total, chosen on merit, with the full reasoning below.
Barrafina is a counter restaurant, so you are booking a stool more than a table, and that changes how to choose between the sites. All five London branches cook the same Spanish repertoire off a specials blackboard built on the day’s produce. What differs is how you get in and what you are looking at while you eat. The original on Dean Street takes no reservations at all. The other four take both, in rooms that run from a Victorian coal store to a row of brick railway arches. Here is the order we would go in.
| Place | Area | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Barrafina | Soho | ££ |
| Barrafina Coal Drops Yard | King's Cross | £££ |
| Barrafina Borough Yards | London Bridge | ££ |
| Barrafina Drury Lane | Covent Garden | ££ |
| Barrafina Adelaide Street | Adelaide Street | ££ |
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Editor’s choice
Barrafina
Why we pick itThe original Barrafina, and still the only one that takes no reservations at all. A standing bar serves drinks and snacks while you wait, and a covered, heated terrace at the front is seated first come, first served. It is worth the queue; arrive early rather than late.
Worth knowingWalk-in only, so managing the wait is part of the evening.
The original, walk-in only
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Barrafina Coal Drops Yard
Why we pick itA former Victorian coal store beside Regent's Canal, with exposed brickwork, a lofty ceiling and a black marble counter on the viaduct level. A private dining space looks out over the canal and the gardens, and a few outdoor tables are kept for walk-ins in fair weather.
The Victorian coal store
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Barrafina Borough Yards
Why we pick itThe first Barrafina south of the river, set in reimagined Victorian brick railway arches, with high tables looking onto the open kitchen and a partly enclosed snug lit by one big window for larger groups. Bar Daskal, the sister bar next door, is the place for a drink before or after.
Worth knowingGroups of up to six can book the main dining room 14 days ahead.
First one south of the river
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Barrafina Drury Lane
Why we pick itPlant-filled windows and a long marble counter running the length of the room, in the middle of theatreland, which is the reason to pick it before curtain up. A downstairs private room becomes a dining room for bigger parties when it is not booked out.
Worth knowingThe heated terrace opens in the warmer months only.
The one before a show
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Barrafina Adelaide Street
Why we pick itWraparound windows and a sandy, horseshoe-shaped marble counter that winds through the dining room, with a warmly lit private room and open kitchen for larger parties when it is not booked out. A short walk from Charing Cross and Trafalgar Square.
The horseshoe counter
Before you book
Dean Street is the only walk-in site, and its standing bar and heated front terrace exist to make the wait bearable. Everywhere else takes reservations and walk-ins. Each branch keeps a specials blackboard, so ask about it rather than reading only the printed menu. Evening service runs to 11pm from Thursday to Saturday at Drury Lane and Adelaide Street (and Tuesday to Saturday at Dean Street), and to 10pm at Coal Drops Yard and Borough Yards, which close earlier on Sunday to Tuesday.
Common questions
Which Barrafina is best in London?
Barrafina is our editor's choice: The original Barrafina, and still the only one that takes no reservations at all. A standing bar serves drinks and snacks while you wait, and a covered, heated terrace at the front is seated first come, first served. It is worth the queue; arrive early rather than late. Barrafina, Barrafina Coal Drops Yard and Barrafina Borough Yards lead the guide, with 5 places in total, all chosen on merit.
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