Client: Brindisa

Greig + Stephenson Architects (GSA) worked with Brindisa, on the creation of a tapas bar and restaurant next to the Borough Market in Southwark.

Brindisa specialises in the import of foods from Spain, especially the highest quality cheeses, olives, fish and Iberian hams. The tapas bar, created from a disused potato warehouse on the corner of Stoney Street and Southwark Street, acts as a showcase for the products sold in their shops at Borough Market and Exmouth Market. The challenge was to create a vibrant and authentically Spanish style venue in the scant 105 sq m available, while accommodating storage, display areas, kitchen facilities and room for customers.

The bar and restaurant includes seated dining areas as well the central, higher, Spanish style poser tables, varying the levels in the bar. The kitchen, raised slightly above the bar and dining area, is framed by a proscenium formed by the high, wall mounted black walnut storage boxes and display alcoves. Also deliberately clear to view are the chilled ham display case and feature ham carving area.

The space is broadened visually by a full breadth wall mirror, and the use of horizontal alternate bands of black walnut and iroko in the bar front and the banquette seating. The walls are finished in Brindisa's corporate blue, red and creamy yellow.

For the summer, 50% of the shopfront is designed to be totally open to the street, with broad window ledges providing further seating areas - some facing inwards to the bar and the food displays, and others facing outwards to the street and the animated Borough Market surrounds.