Drake's Tabanco

Drake's Tabanco sits on Windmill Street in Fitzrovia, a four minute walk from Goodge Street station. It is a sherry tavern modelled on the tabancos of Jerez in Andalusia, where sherry is poured straight from the barrel alongside plates of Spanish food. The barrels stacked behind the bar are not decoration, they are the list.

This is a bar for the curious drinker who wants to understand sherry beyond the sweet stuff. The room is intimate and the focus narrow, which is the appeal. If you came for cocktails, this is the wrong door. If you want one of London's most authentic fino stops, this is it.

The room channels an Andalusian hideaway, with big wooden sherry barrels, hanging legs of ham and a snug, low lit feel. The Infatuation describes the food as excellent across the board and singles out the cauliflower salad as a must order, while placing the sherry program at the heart of the experience. The space is small and fills quickly.

The Windmill Street location tucks it onto a quiet Fitzrovia side street just off Tottenham Court Road, which keeps the mood calm and conversational. It works as a destination rather than a passing stop.

The draw is sherry served straight from the barrel, the defining feature of a Jerez tabanco, run across fino, manzanilla, amontillado and beyond. The kitchen pours a wider Spanish wine list too, and the food leans Spanish with a British accent. One note from reviewers, sherry is now sold by the glass rather than carafe, and prices have crept up, so check before ordering several.

The crowd is a Fitzrovia mix of sherry enthusiasts, dates and small groups in for a relaxed tapas dinner. The staff draw repeated praise for being charming and knowledgeable, happy to steer newcomers through the barrels. Evenings are busiest, and the small room can fill fast.

Find more with our London wine bars guide and the London bar guide. Pair Drake's Tabanco with Bar Pepito in Kings Cross, Bar Termini in Soho, or Seed Library in Shoreditch. For more reading, see our best wine bars in London pillar and our best cocktail bars in London guide, or browse the bars near me hub.