Besa

Hall Street is getting a taste of Madrid after dark. Opening Sunday 1 March, Besa arrives from ESCA Hospitality, expanding the group’s Bondi footprint with a Spanish tapas bar built around packed tables, flowing wine and music that keeps the room in motion.

Rather than replicate a traditional tapas bar, the team has focused on capturing the feeling of one. Time spent in Spain (particularly Madrid) is the source of this inspiration: intimate rooms, close-set seating, food landing fast and drinks topped up without prompting.

Architect Matt Darwon translates that energy into moody red tones, spotted gum timber and banquettes wrapping the perimeter, while a chrome DJ booth signals that this is as much about the soundtrack as the supper. From Friday to Sunday, Spanish-influenced funk and house take over.

In the kitchen, executive chef Ibrahim Kasif and head chef Alan Kropman lean into regional Spanish references, interpreted through a coastal Sydney lens. Smaller plates lead the charge: blue mackerel with butter leaf and encurtidos, raw beef carpaccio with white anchovy and goat’s cheese anchoiade.

From there, the menu moves into the heavy-hitters—squid ink fideuà threaded with grilled chicken and aioli, confit potato tortilla layered with onion and egg. This structure invites you to build the table gradually, one plate at a time.

While tapas is certainly the main event, the wine and cocktail lists have been curated to move alongside each dish without tension. Spanish producers form the backbone, with around twenty wines available by the glass and a broader bottle selection spanning Spain, Australia, New Zealand and parts of Europe.

Cocktails, meanwhile, take their cues from Don Quixote. Each serve references a character or storyline, moving between bright citrus profiles and sherry-based combinations with mint, plum verjus and fizz. 

Set within The Hub alongside Henrietta, Da Orazio and Salumerie, Besa represents another considered move from ESCA in Bondi. Expect tightly packed tables, generous pours and some seriously good food—exactly what you'd expect from the hospo experts of the East.

Image credit: Jiwon Kim | Supplied