Pimlico couldn’t be further from Spain with its quintessential Englishness. Enter Goya Pimlico – a taste of Spain when you can’t face an Easyjet flight.

The Venue
Located in a plush part of Pimlico and benefiting from being located within one of the stunning marble buildings that dominate the area, Goya Pimlico seems pretty far from Spanish from the outside, instead resembling a quaint English eatery. Appearances can be deceptive though. Upstairs is a laid back tapas bar, with a Spanish style that’s hard to put your finger on. However, it’s downstairs in the restaurant where they have really pushed the boat out. The basement boasts delicate archways, creating a feeling of dining in seclusion whilst yellow walls add a cheery appeal to the room and flashes of foliage make it feel less like a basement in Pimlico and more like a Spanish villa. The white tablecloths are pristine and the gleaming glassware give the room an upmarket air.

The Atmosphere
A popular spot for intimate business lunches, the restaurant tends to attract an older, wealthy clientele judging from the Armani suits and Prada bags on display. Upstairs, however, you’ll find a younger, more vibrant crowd of people looking to enjoy a low-key night out. It’s a mix that works particularly well, especially given the area that it sits in. The staff are super efficient in the restaurant and you’ll barely take a sip of your wine before it’s refilled. Dangerous at lunchtime!

The Food
The tapas here is excellent although they do offer a selection of main meals like steak, veal escalope and rack of lamb priced between £10 and £20. The tapas menu is lengthy – almost too long – and is well priced with most dishes coming in at the £5 mark. Gambas al Ajillo (£5.95) offers plump, juicy prawns in a rich olive oil with a strong but not overpowering flavour of garlic, rounded up nicely by the heat of the chilli. Calamares a la Romana con Ali-Oli (£5.95) is a dish of perfectly cooked, tender deep fried squid rings in a delicate, well-seasoned batter served with a rich, heavy ali-oli with an almost overpowering garlic hit. The Albondigas is a better choice for £4.95 comprising big meatballs with a rich beef flavour that comes out thanks to perfect seasoning accompanied by a beautiful red wine and tomato sauce. Finally, Champinones al Ajillo (£3.65) offers earthy plump mushrooms in a rich garlic sauce that only serves to heighten the flavour of the mushrooms rather than disguise them. In all, it’s a fairly consistent selection that impresses for the price point.

The Drink
It’s all about the wine at Goya Pimlico and they have an excellent selection with some stand out Spanish bottles. The house wine starts at just £12.50, keeping to the affordable nature of the restaurant. However, the house specialty of Sangria for just £13.50 a bottle is highly recommended. The light, typically Spanish drink has a spicy fruit flavour that complements many of the tapas dishes.

The Last Word
If you’re after decent, well priced tapas washed down by sangria then Goya Pimlico is a fine choice. Highly recommended for chilled out business dinners.

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