España is a low-lit, intimate tapas bar in Vancouver’s West End near English Bay, focused on Spanish small plates made with locally sourced ingredients, alongside a strong selection of sherries and craft cocktails.
The $47 three-course Dine Out Vancouver dinner menu opens with options such as Marinated White Anchovies on Toast, which are briny and silky with a clean finish; Patatas Bravas with spicy tomato sauce and aioli, offering crisp potatoes with a steady heat balanced by creamy richness; or Beets with Ajo Blanco, citrus, fennel, and dill, a lighter starter with earthy sweetness and gentle acidity.
Mains include Sherry Braised Beef with porcini mashed potatoes and piquillo peppers, slow cooked until tender with a savoury sauce that feels warming; Roast Ling Cod with pil pil sauce, artichokes, salsa verde, and marcona almonds, where the fish stays moist and delicate against the garlicky sauce and nutty crunch; or Charred Winter Squash with beetroot jam, labneh, coriander, pine nuts, and brown butter, a composed vegetarian dish with natural sweetness and subtle richness.
Desserts include Basque Burnt Cheesecake with pear jam, dense and lightly caramelized; 12-Month Aged Manchego with toast and honey, savoury and firm with a lingering finish; or a Vegan Chocolate Mousse with PX sherry oranges and marcona almonds, smooth and chocolatey with gentle bitterness and citrus notes.
Cocktail and non-alcoholic pairings are available and worth while!
The atmosphere feels cozy and refined, well suited for relaxed evenings and share-style dining.
My ideal three-course would be the Patatas Bravas to start, followed by the Sherry Braised Beef, and finished with the Vegan Chocolate Mousse, a progression that moves from crisp and bold to rich and comforting, ending on a balanced, not overly sweet note.
España Restaurant is located at 1118 Denman St, Vancouver, BC.