We all know that Manchester does small plates well, and it's clear that two staples lead the charge when it comes to Spanish snacking: gildas and croquettes.
A gilda is a skewered hit of salt, acid and fat. Anchovy, olive, and a sharp little chilli called a piparra. Variations riff on that base, with some spots swapping in white anchovies, adding gamba, playing with pickles or cheese. Regardless, the idea stays the same: punchy, briny and gone in two bites.
Croquettes go the other way. Warm, soft, and built on béchamel. Fold in chicken, jamón, cheese, or whatever the kitchen fancies, then crumb and fry until the outside cracks and the middle flows.
Here are five places in Manchester doing them properly...
Bar Posie
Gildas, but not as you know them. Bar Posie's take on the Med staple is super playful without losing the salty snap that makes a gilda worth eating. Everything lands at £4, with combinations like rhubarb mignonette, piña colada granita with lime oil, and a fried version with fennel mayonnaise. It sounds chaotic but it works.
Unit 1, 17 Marble St, Spring Gardens, Manchester M2 3AW
Maricarmen
Maricarmen's Northern Quarter site puts on a proper spread of gildas. The clásica keeps things tight with anchovy, olive and piparra. But you can also choose from a number of other spins on the classic. Boquerón brings white anchovy. Matrimonio doubles up with smoked. Camarón de la isla throws in gamba and quail egg. There is even a meat-free de la huerta that still hits the right notes. Prices stay friendly, starting at £1.30 and topping out at £3.
1st floor, 104 High St, Manchester M4 1HQ
La Bandera
A staple for Spanish cooking in the city, and the croquettes are a big reason why. Four to a portion, always changing, always crisp outside and properly soft within. Ask what is on that day and trust the answer. £10 well spent.
2 Ridgefield, Manchester M2 6EQ
Bar San Juan
No fuss, just good habits. The San Juan croquettes come four at a time, built on a classic béchamel with chicken and jamón. Golden shells, rich centres, gone in minutes. £8.90 and no regrets.
56 Beech Rd, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester M21 9EG
Porta Salford
Small, busy, and always worth squeezing into, especially if you can nab yourself a table in the Bexley Square terrace during a balmy summer evening. Croquetas del día arrive three to a plate for £5.50, changing with the kitchen’s mood. Expect deep flavour and a light hand with the frying. Order a second round early.
216 Chapel St, Salford M3 6BY