THE LOWDOWN

El Cerdo Tapas Bar Maidenhead tapas near me

Welcome to small plate paradise. El Cerdo Tapas Bar in the cosmopolitan Waterside Quarter in Maidenhead has made quite the splash since swinging open its doors in March 2023. Founded by restaurateur Lynne Moran, the inspiration behind the venture is fuelled by nostalgic family trips to Spain where she loved the cuisine so much, she just had to bring a sprinkling of Spanish spice back to the UK.

El Cerdo Tapas Bar Maidenhead tapas berkshire

The authenticity nail has been hit well and truly on the head – from the food to the service, this is a glittering gem in Berkshire’s foodie crown. No wonder the locals go loco for it, with Lynne telling me some travel from as far as London to get a piece of the small plate pie. But considering it’s just a zippy 20-minute ride on the new(ish) Elizabeth Line, it’s well-worth escaping the big smoke for.

But what makes this place particularly special is the fact every dish on the menu is homemade with exception of puds like the brownies (which come courtesy of the fabulous Berkshire-based Epic Brownies). The ingredients themselves are fresh, locally sourced and seasonal, and sets the quality bar high. Lynne, a keen foodie herself, keeps her eyes and ears firmly on competition in the form of tapas bars up and down the country. Rest on her laurels she does not. The El Cerdo menu is changed three times a year, undergoing a rigorous 8-step process to stay on top of the biggest food trends and keep her legion of regulars on their toes.

If you reeeally can’t get enough (understandable), they have a second location in Bourne End which sits pretty as a peach on the banks of the River Thames. Summer quite frankly, never looked so good. Aperol Spritz on the terrace anyone?

THE VIBE

El Cerdo Maidenhead tapas restaurant near me

Less siesta, more fiesta. Lynne tells me come late Friday and Saturday nights the place comes alive to the point tables are pushed back and people let the dance moves loose. At the time of my visit, a Thursday, while no shape throwing, the vibe maintained a buzzy feel, and the place was stacked. Inside, there’s around 45 covers and once you’ve got an Estrella in hand, you could quite frankly be in Barcelona.

The interiors were actually designed by Lynne herself and are a total triumph. They look and feel the part, taking inspiration from Spain (obvs) with patterned tiled flooring around the bar, glossy yellow wall tiles, exposed brick walls, and an alcove with a big table perfect for a group gathering. The bar is definitely the focal point, decked out in whimsical fairy lights with a cubby hole through to the kitchen where you can spy the chefs cooking up a storm. Fancy sitting up the bar? Done. There are high stools for more casual scoffing (that can’t be booked FYI) and your regular tables scattered around too.

Lynne definitely lucked out securing this spot which overlooks the canal, and there’s outside space for diners to eat al fresco in the warmer months too. just shut your eyes and your basically on holiday. If not, the ample floor-to-ceiling windows are the perfect spot to hunker down and watch the world go by.

Aside from the décor, you’re guaranteed a warm welcome at El Cerdo, and staff will go out of their way to give you a meal to remember. With the redevelopment of the Waterside Quarter, Maidenhead has seen an influx of trendy young professionals over the past few years, with the tapas haunt attracting a wide range of guests from cool couples to big families of all ages. It’s truly a place for everyone.

SCOFF & QUAFF

Full disclaimer: I’m not ashamed to say I’m a bit of a tapas snob. It’s by far my favourite cuisine for no other reason than the fact you get to stuff your face with an assortment of dishes that make your mouth do the macarena. Or maybe I’m just greedy. You choose. So, were the expectations high? Yes, yes they were.

The menus at El Cerdo offer a bit of everything, from their extensive al a carte offering containing cold and hot tapas, to a kid’s menu, and £22 and £28 set menus. For lunch and early dinner, you can grab two tapas for £12.50 or three for £17.50 which is practically a steal.

So, where to start? Cocktails of course. Make a note: they have a cocktail club everyday (5 – 7pm) where you can sling back two for £18. The cocktails are works of art, so naturally I had to sample two of them – the Roca De Rio and the Rio Sol. Both were insanely delicious with the latter served on literal fire. Meanwhile, my fellow foodie went for an Estrella to start, followed by a glass of the Matsu – a red wine we both love for its full-bodied, smooth character, and in fact, have an entire case of back home. Oops.

On to the main event. The Galletas De Queso (artisan cheese biscuits) and Panceta De Cerdo (pork crackling) both helped set the tone perfectly – morish, salty, and beautiful. Soon enough, delicious plate after delicious plate of tapas quickly followed starting with the Gambas Pil Pil – a tapas essential that’s comprised of garlic and chilli king prawns fried in olive oil. The flavour was anything but subtle. In fact, this one slapped you right in the chops. It was fiery, succulent, and the prawns were cooked to perfection. We ordered some artisan sourdough bread to come with it so we could soak up the excess oil, and let me tell you, it hit the spot. Let’s be honest, it would be a crime to waste something this good.

It’s always hard knowing how much to order, but we were recommended three or four plates each. The portion sizes are generous and turns out three each was the perfect amount. With every dish, it was glaringly clear the food was homemade with a whole lotta love. Next came the BBQ spicy chorizo cooked in cider and red wine which also had a little bit of a kick. The food is on the spicy side here, but as someone who’s a bit of a wet wipe with this kind of thing, I absolutely loved it. For a bit of greenery, we also ordered the braised Hispi cabbage with salsa holandesa and Mediterranean tahini which was stunning in both texture and flavour, complementing the rest of the plates well.

At this point, I must urge you to leave room for the patatas bravas (fried potatoes in a tomato and aioli sauce). I’ve tried many patatas bravas in my time and this was up there. The sauce was rich, and yep, you guessed it, it had a spicy, warming undertone.

We also grabbed the Pluma Iberica – one of the restaurant’s bestsellers. In fact, when it was once taken off the menu, there was such an outcry Lynne had no choice but to put it straight back to serving. And I can see why. It simply melted in the mouth, served sliced and gently pink. The chimichurri was also gorgeous. The dish comes with a divine chargrilled baby gem lettuce in case you’re needing a bit more veg to jazz up your meat feast. Highly recommended.

To complete the banquet, we finished with a showstopper from the homemade specials board – the chuleta with sweet potato purée. Essentially two tender lumps of some of the softest beef I’ve ever tasted that was swimming in a lake of yum. SOS – by now the waistband was officially at full capacity. There’s nothing worse than underwhelming tapas, but the food at El Cerdo is anything but. Flavour is clearly what they do best (*bows down).

Surely, she couldn’t manage a pud? Well, there you are wrong my friend. After a 30-minute siesta, the dessert menu was clutched in my gluttonous paws. Okay fine, I couldn’t manage a full one to myself, so I shared the milk and dark chocolate brownie with Seville orange essence, swirled with orange marmalade, and finished with vanilla ice cream. Worth. Every. Calorie. Dreamy, sweet, and creamy, if there’s anything you take away from this, it’s leave room for dessert.

OUT & ABOUT

You’re in the centre of the new Maidenhead development, the Waterside Quarter, so there’s plenty on offer including high street shopping and restaurants Bombay Story, Sauce & Flour, and Presto Italian within walking distance. If you’ve got the car, you’re not far from Norden Farm (about a 10 min drive) for a slice of cracking culture including fun and entertainment for kids and adults alike. It’s also only 10 minutes in the car to nearby Cookham for river walks and the Stanley Spencer Gallery, and 15 for boutique Marlow.

THE MUDDY VERDICT

Good for: The tapas-obsessed! It’s about as authentically Spanish as you’re going to get – from the food and wine to the levels of attentive service. This is a place that’s passionate about what it serves. Settle in, you’ll never want to leave.

Not for: Those who don’t like sharing. While sharing is half the fun, you can of course always dabble in your own ensemble of Spanish delicacies, because really, no judgement here.

The damage: How hungry are you? Starters begin at £4, and tapas dishes range from £7 to £21 a pop. The value is fantastic, and I promise it’s worth the splurge.

El Cerdo Tapas Bar, The Colonnade, Waterside Quarter, Maidenhead SL6 1QG

Review: El Cerdo Tapas Bar, Maidenhead

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