Sabor

Nieves Barragan Mohacho spent a decade running the kitchen at Barrafina before opening Sabor on Heddon Street in 2017, and the restaurant she built reflects a chef with nothing left to prove in London’s Spanish dining scene. Bare brick walls and unvarnished wooden floors keep the room deliberately plain, spread across two floors that operate almost as separate restaurants under one roof.

The ground floor counter, first come first served, serves tapas and fresh seafood from an in house fishmonger, small plates built for grazing rather than a set menu structure. Upstairs, El Asador takes bookings and specialises in the food of Galicia and Castile, centred on a wood fired grill, with a whole roast Segovian suckling pig and octopus cooked slowly in vast copper pans among the dishes regulars return specifically for. The two floors have distinct atmospheres, the ground floor loud and quick, the upstairs room calmer and better suited to a longer, more traditional meal.

Sabor holds a Michelin star, awarded for cooking that manages to feel both technically serious and genuinely joyful, a combination that does not always coexist at this level. Croquetas and prawns from the counter are simple in concept and exact in execution, the kind of dishes that reveal a chef’s skill more clearly than anything elaborate could.

The wine list runs deep into Spanish regions rarely seen on London lists, and staff are generally well versed in guiding diners through it without steering everyone towards the same few bottles.

The honest caveat is that the two floor, two format setup can create confusion for first time visitors unsure whether to queue downstairs or book upstairs, and the upstairs tasting focused Asador menu, while excellent, runs considerably higher than the more casual counter experience below. Know which version of Sabor you actually want before you arrive, and either one delivers.