Since the opening of La Barra de Cañabota, this more informal version of Michelin star restaurant Cañabota, by Juan Luis Fernández and the Guardiola brothers (Tribeca), has become a local favourite. Stylistically it’s similar to the original, with lots of white tile giving a sense of a light and airy space, and the day’s supply of fresh fish and seafood on display, adding to the whole fishmonger feel. There’s a long bar and a few tall tables with stools in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows. There’s also a curious “sala de despiece” dining area at the back with low tables, and a sidewalk terrace out front.

The menu is short and well-balanced, with a few daily specials, as well as the “catch(es) of the day”. There are several cold dishes such as ensaladilla de gambas, silky raw sea bass in manteca, and boquerones al vinagre in the counter top displays to whet your appetite. All the food we tried over several visits has been predictably excellent, including whole fried squid, choco meatballs in squid ink (I’m not usually a fan, but these were exceptional), garlicky gambas al ajillo, and possibly the best pavía de bacalao I’ve ever had. And of course the must-try signature marinated sardine, which Juanlu has been doing to perfection for as long as I’ve known him and which has recently been updated. I never think it can get any better, but somehow Juanlu manages it.

Excellent food and an excellent wine list too. I like asking the staff to recommend wines for different tapas as there’s always a very good selection available by the glass.

Bread/Service Charge: 1.50€ PER PERSON

Orfila 5
Tel 954 91 34 32
Open 13.30 – 16.00 / 20.00 – 23.30 Tuesday – Saturday
€ € € €

Food 9 | Wine 9 | Service 9 | Ambiance 9

a perfect gilda

Cantabrian anchovies on toasted bread with smoked butter

ensaladilla de gambas

cod with tomato

oysters

 
THAT sardine

spinach and sea weed croquetas

piparras fritas

gambas

salazones: mojama de atún; huevas de mújol y atún
cured tuna loin; grey mullet and tuna roe

salad of silky cod liver, baby spinach, slivers of mushrooms, toasted hazelnuts

clams in sherry sauce

mussels

gambas blancas from Huelva

pavía de bacalao

citrusy raw swordfish carpaccio with green beans, pickled red onion

pez limón (amberjack) encebollado

tosta de atún mechado: larded tuna topped with shaved frozen pork fat

stuffed chipirones with ink sauce

garlicky chipirones a la plancha

silky slices of raw corvina (sea bass) in manteca

deep-fried sea bass

tuna loin montadito with manteca

cuttlefish albóndigas with ink sauce

langostinos de Sanlúcar al ajillo

hand-caught chipirones de anzuelo gallego

sargo frito

garlicky gambas al ajillo

cigalas and langostinos

chipirones fritos

calamar de potera

glazed tuna “jarrete” with potato parmentier

whole fried sea bass

Back to Top

Updated January 2026