Colin Ward

This could be the joker in our pack. A Londoner held up as an exemplary conjuror of tapas? Yet somehow Gambrinus - situated in Plaza de la Reina, Valencia’s most illustrious square - is quintessentially Spanish. It nets large family groups for Sunday paella and a constant flow during the rest of the week for its succulent tapas. In the summer, the overflow is accommodated by pavement tables from which diners can muse on the Gothic cathedral, its octagonal bell-tower and the truth behind its Holy Grail.