Robert Burns Hotel

The verdict

Robbie Burns might seem like a strange little find at first: an authentic, traditional Spanish kitchen housed in an open-brick bar that’s been around since the 80s. But the longer you stay, the more you’ll come to love him.

The Robert Burns Hotel has strong roots in Spanish cuisine, with Spanish-born Urbano Gutierrez introducing the vibrant cuisine to the pub back in 1984. The space unravels the further you venture, with areas designed for group and family dining, cosy fireplaces, intimate two-person booths and an outdoor courtyard among other nooks and crannies.

The menus are designed for the rotating door of patrons. Sit up at the bar and enjoy bites including rump streak with chimichurri and rustic fried potatoes, or crispy chicken burgers. For nibbles up to a full dinner, the tapas menu of crispy croquettes of the day, pan-seared scallops with sweet sofrito and Galician octopus is a winner.

The full-menu has plenty of stars, but if you’re with a picky eater (you know who they are), make a beeline for the paella for two. Dished out at a per head price, an aromatic pan of prawns, calamari, mussels and clams will have everyone’s mouth watering at the table.

The news gets better too—Robbie runs classic Wednesday steak nights and happy hour Monday to Friday. You might as well clear the first half of the week for this.

Image credit: Michelle Jarni for The Urban List