The Best Spanish Tortilla in the UK

The Best Spanish Tortilla in the UK: A Madrid Food Lover’s Quest

Tortilla de Patatas... A hidden gem in Spanish gastronomy

You all know it, I’m from Madrid. Since I was a kid, I remember standing at the bar, ordering a fresh orange juice and a pincho de tortilla (a slice of Spanish omelette) for breakfast… or maybe when I was allowed a small beer and the same pincho de tortilla for lunch or as an afternoon snack.

MALAGA TAPAS WEST END GLASGOW: On my last trip to Glasgow (October 2025), I had the opportunity to make a Spanish omelette at Malaga Tapas with Chef Pedro, a 67-year-old Mallorcan with incredible energy and a deep love for tortilla de patatas.

The Tortilla de Patata (Spanish omelette) is definitely a big tradition in Madrid’s bars, but it didn’t actually start here. In Navarra (Villanueva de la Serena or Betanzos, depending on who you ask) you can find the first written mentions. In the Basque Country and the north of Spain, people perfected the juicy version, served in small pieces, known as pintxos, especially famous in San Sebastián and Bilbao.

For me, the tortilla is like a thermometer of a restaurant’s soul. I almost have a rule: if the Tortilla de Patata is good and made with love, the rest of the food will probably be good too. So if you find a place where the tortilla is tasty and cooked with care, you’ve found a good spot to eat....simple as that!!!

Sometimes, the tortilla brings more debate than the paella itself… with onion or without? firm or runny? can you add other ingredients or not? But I’m not writing this ''Tortilla Guide'' to argue. I want to celebrate all the restaurants in the UK that care about the Tortilla de Patata, that cook it with love, and that give this classic Spanish dish the respect it deserves.

EL FOGÓN DE RIAZA (SPAIN): I still remember the lunches I had while living in Riaza. Every morning, I would enjoy a piece of tortilla with some Burgos black pudding at El Fogón de Riaza... an absolute treat!!!

Because of my work, I visit a lot of restaurants, and I promise you, Tortilla de Patata is always part of my order. I love it!!!

There was a time when I used to stop, around noon, at the legendary El Pirata in Mayfair, just to have my tortilla slice. A true madrileño of traditions goes where there’s good tortilla!!! My friends Jose (manager of El Pirata) or Chef Rosi always made it for me with real care.

I also remember with great affection the one they used to serve at Hispania (they don’t make it anymore, what a shame). I would even change my work route just to stop by for a good pincho de tortilla.

So now I want to share my tortilla journey in the UK with you, and of course, I’d love to hear your opinions and your favourite spots too!

Let’s build together the #WIKiTortilla, a live map of the best Spanish tortillas in the UK.

BAR KROKETA (LONDON):My idea is to rate the tortilla based on the parameters I’ve defined — the extra ingredients won’t affect the final score. I love tortillas with extras, like this amazing one with chorizo from Bar Kroketa in London.

And to keep things clear, I’ll be using my own tasting sheet I’ve designed, so every review follows the same method, and you know exactly what I’m looking at when I taste each tortilla.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

We’ll only add to WikiTortilla the tortillas that truly deserve a shout-out, the top scorers. Everyone can have a rough day in the kitchen, and we’re not here to bash anyone. Our mission is to highlight the people who cook their Tortilla de Patatas with love. We’ll just skip the spots that don’t bring that same passion.

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TASTING SHEET WIKITortilla

Here’s an example of the tasting sheet I’ve put together for my hunt for the best tortilla in the UK. Feel free to send me your thoughts!!! If you share photos and comments, I’ll upload them to the blog and give you a shout-out. I think it’s such a nice way to enjoy a true Spanish classic.