Bar San Juan

Bar San Juan is a wine bar and tapas joint in Chorlton which revels unashamedly in the little Spanish bubble it has created around itself. Perched on a corner of Beech Road, it seems to take up no space at all, and the inside is pretty miniscule. But what it lacks in space it more than makes up with colour, character and flavour – for this is a true slice of sunny Spain in (not so sunny) south Manchester, where the staff, interior, wine and beer all combine for a real experiencia española.

The wine and beer gives more than a nod to Spain, and the tapas are just about as authentic as they come. There is the traditional patatas bravas, paella, chorizo in red wine, manchego, meatballs, whitebait - and a welcome choice for vegetarians, too. Because space is so limited, there is an unwritten 'sit down to eat; stand when you are finished' rule, and later into the evenings it is pretty much standing room only. It's brilliant for couples and friends at any time of day though - especially if you are in the mood for a bit of Spanish guitar music.