Along with Bomba, the recently relaunched Movida Aqui and Bar Lourinha, Spanish food lovers now have another spot to add to their CBD hit list. Say hola to Beso, a brand new buzzy restaurant housed within the stylish boutique Hotel Indigo.
Across the road from Southern Cross Station, it’s planting a 'kiss' (the English translation of the word 'beso') on the end of Flinders Lane that's historically tended to get a lot less attention, with its bold new approach to contemporary Spanish cuisine and glamorous dining room.
The kitchen is spearheaded by Ana Cortes Garcia, who formerly earned her stripes as the head chef at acclaimed Lee Ho Fook, with each dish a reflection of Garcia's reverence for Spanish tradition, globally inspired culinary techniques and premium local produce. The ambitious chef brings with her a strong cultural pedigree, having spent eight years cooking in Spain and soaking up all the wisdom of her local food culture through relationships and on-the-ground experience.
Wandering into the airy, elegant dining room, you can anticipate a broad array of modern Spanish-inspired dishes split into tapas, share-style raciones and hot dishes from the Parilla-style grill. A date night meal could start with plates of juicy chicharrones (pork jowl, desert lime togarashi and picos), spicy morcilla toasties and blistered okra with Moroccan lemon, before progressing into a course of heartier eats. Think oxtail dumplings with potato and Lanzhou chilli oil, escabeche mussels with grilled sourdough, and Wagyu hanger steak with Southern Cross mushrooms and grelos. But don't feel you have to whip out too much from your wallet to enjoy a night out at Beso.
The restaurant, despite offering much more than what you'd get at a typical tapas bar, is just as suited to shorter visits as it is to long, languorous dinners. Step in at the end of the day to explore an enticing range of Tapeo Hour snack and drinks deals – pair a $10 Rojo Spritz with housemade ham tostadas, for example – and a selection of cured meats and cheeses straight from Spain, perfect for grazing over a post-work drink. Garcia will take your palate on a journey through sobrasada, queso, tuna loin and 48-month jamon Iberico, with splashes of vermouth and your fave Spanish reds to wash it all down.
A curation of creative desserts round out the menu (the featherlight caramelised chocolate mousse is a must-try), while the drinks list shines a light on quality sherry, wine, vermouth and European-inspired cocktails. There's also a semi-private dining room if you'd like to book in for a more formal affair.
Beso is open Tuesday to Saturday, from 5pm until late. Make a reservation at the website.
