Besa

15/20

Updated October 26, 2026,first published April 29, 2026

15/20

Spanish$$

Dinner and drinks? Drinks and a snack? Just snacks, no drinks? It’s all possible at this intimate, moodily lit tapas bar.

Brought to you by Esca – the group behind Aalia and Joji in the CBD and Nour, Henrietta and Ito in Surry Hills – Besa specialises in small plates of deeply flavourful, refined Spanish food. Its appeal, in part, lies in its flexibility. Drop in for a gilda (today’s one-bite skewer is sweet red pepper, anchovy, green olive and gherkin, punctuated with a guindilla) and an apricot spritz. Come back for just-set tortilla stuffed with fluffy confit potato and a pan con tomate featuring charred sourdough covered in oxheart tomato, grated to order and seasoned with oil, Spanish vinegar, pepper and garlic.

There’s no denying the energy in this dinky 65-seat space; it’s tightly packed, with deep-red colouring, shaggy surfaces and a chrome pillar at the centre, plus DJs on weekends. But the real hits are on the plate, from patatas bravas to raw pink snapper in vinegary gazpacho – a win with a Michelada, no doubt. In a group? Keep an eye out for a Valencian spin on paella, featuring egg noodles coated in squid-ink, tossed with calamari and topped with grilled chicken, or pick a banquet. Like we said, it’s all possible.

Good to know: Besa offers bottomless lunch with a banquet on weekends.

Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can’t pay for a review or inclusion in the Good Food Guide.

Last visited: August 2026

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