Restaurants from Spain Award 2021 + 2022

It’s not every day you get to go to the Spanish Embassy and, even better, to be amongst a handful of restaurants to receive an award promoting the quality and authenticity of Spanish produce, wine and culture. So how thrilled we were to receive it, (for the second year running!), and be able to celebrate such a special moment with Team Camino.

The award was given to each Camino site and Bar Pepito as well.

At Camino there has always been an absolute love and passion for Spain and its food and drinks from all around the country. Our aim from the outset was to recreate the Spanish experience in London, and an enormous amount of energy and enthusiasm has poured in to help showcase some of the best aspects of the Spanish bar culture and gastronomic lifestyle.

To immerse the whole team into this Spanish way of life, we take our staff on wonderful trips with our suppliers, visiting the bodegas we source our wines from and eating fabulous food, whether it be huge arrays of tapas, or amazing restaurants. These trips are illuminating, educational and also of course huge fun. We all come back thinking YES this is why we do what we do, and share our joy of all things Spanish with our customers back in London.

Though unwittingly, Camino was conceived in 1984 when founder Richard went on a road trip across Spain driving from north to south and back in a little black Mini in the blazing heat of high summer. Struck by the wildness, diversity and extremes of the country, he dived headlong into the bar and restaurant culture wherever he ended up, from Catalunya and Aragon in the north, Andalusia in the south via the plains of the meseta, then back up through the fabulous cities in Extremadura and then Madrid. A love for the country was born, and over countless holidays and adventures since, Spain has become a second home.

The enthusiasm for the country made Richard change course in his hospitality career in 2007 when some other bars were sold and Camino was born in the heart of King’s Cross. Despite being an insalubrious area at the time, a year later it won Observe Food Monthly Best Bar in Britain, and moved up another gear or two when Nacho del Campo, our executive chef to this day, joined the team.

Nacho hails from the Basque Country, often referred to as the gastronomic heart of Spain. He has ensured through his kitchen creations that the restaurants are packed with hungry diners craving the authentic and delicious delights produced by his loyal brigade.

To match the food we of course need some excellent wines, and offer a succinct range showcasing superb wines of differing styles from the best wine producing regions the length and breadth of the country. Our bars are as important as our restaurants, deliciously cold beers, cocktails and of course a great selection of ‘GinTonics’, all contributing to the vibrancy that emulates Spain’s lively bar scene.

Thanks so much to all at the Embassy for the recognition. We’ll be working as hard and enthusiastically as ever to maintain the standards!