La Charcutería at Hay St
If you missed out on a Euro summer (or you’re just trying to pretend you’re still there), the perfect solution is about to arrive. Introducing Eat Spain, Drink Spain Festival – a nationwide celebration of the very best of Spanish gastronomy! The festival is running from September 4 to October 4 and there are plenty of events and offers to add to your radar. To make things a little easier for you, we’ve pulled together a list of some of our faves!
Events:
These are the spots hosting themed dinners, tastings and special events during Eat Spain, Drink Spain Festival!
1. Wednesday Tasting Series at Paripé
Every Wednesday in September, Paripé is offering a guided 7-pour pairing journey for $95 per person. Expect to discover premium Spanish vermouths, regional wines and traditional tapas, with stories about each pairings origin along the way.
2. Paella Weekends at Percy
Percy is hosting Paella Weekends every Friday and Saturday throughout the festival, where you’ll get to dine on some of Spain’s most iconic rice dishes. You can enhance your meal with a paired cocktail menu, and of course, make sure you leave room for delicious Spanish desserts.
3. Thursday Night Paella at Gildas
Gildas is bringing the flavours and spirit of a pintxos taverna to Sydney during the festival. Visit on Thursday nights for paella, which pairs very nicely with a glass of vino del dia. There will also be an extensive selection of sherries on offer from Jerez.
4. ‘El Camino’ at Letra House
This one-night only event on September 22nd will take guests on a culinary journey through Spain, with iconic plates from Galicia, Andalusia and Catalunya. There’s an optional Spanish wine and drinks pairing on offer as well. If you can’t make it, Letra House will also be offering up a special Spanish-leaning menu for the entire festival duration for both walk-ins and reservations.
Paripé
5. Wine and Dine at Caness
These three experiences combine Spanish flavours with the restaurant’s distinct Middle Eastern touches. For the entire festival, you can choose to order from a special food and drink menu – expect to discover four Spanish regions with delicious pairing options. On Sundays throughout the festival, you can also take part in Picoteo Sundays. For $60 per person, Caness invites guests in to enjoy Spanish grazing over a Sunday lunch from 12-4pm.
This five-course Spanish degustation menu pairs perfectly with ten Spanish wines. Expect to taste your way through the diversity of Spanish cuisine and wine with this curated dining experience.
Letra House
7. Spanish Wine Masterclasses at Wine inTuition
Wine inTuition is hosting two exclusive masterclasses with Master of Wine Andrea Pritzker and ICEX Spanish Wine Ambassador Markus Patz. On September 9, “Rethinking Spain” takes guests beyond Rioja and Tempranillo to explore six wines from across the country. Then on September 17, “Garnacha, Spain’s Greatest Story Yet to Be Told” marks International Grenache Day with six wines showcasing the grape’s many faces.
8. Spanish vermouth & Wine Tasting at Bacari
On September 9, Bacari is celebrating Spanish wine and vermouth with a special tasting. Guests can look forward to a curated selection of Spanish vermouths, sparkling wines and regional varieties including Albariño, Verdejo and Tempranillo, highlighting the diversity of Spain’s wine growing regions.
Special Offers:
Here’s where to go for daily discounts, drink upgrades and fixed-price menus during Eat Spain, Drink Spain Festival.
1. Balcón by Tapavino
Order the signature entree of chorizo & sobrasada to receive a $7.50 Alhambra beer.
2. EnCasa
You may need to make a few stops at EnCasa during the festival, as they’ll be offering up a rotating menu of special tapas – the perfect way to explore the many different flavours of Spain.
3. Iberica
Throughout the entire festival, Iberica will be offering up tapas classics and grazing boards, including special pairings with Spanish wines.
4. Born by Tapavino
When you order a chorizo slider or a paella de born, you’ll receive an Alhambra beer for just $7.50!
Besa
5. Glass Brasserie
Stop by after work for a pop-up wine bar tapas menu! There will be tableside jamón slicing, Sangria spritzes and Basque cheesecake on offer throughout the entire festival.
6. La Charcutería at Hay St
A 4-course set menu is on offer for $75, complete with paired Spanish wines.
7. Besa
Throughout the festival, you can order a curated tapas sequence paired with a 4-glass regional wine flight.
8. Bar Hernandez
Visit between 4:30-6pm and order a $33 tin of Ortiz Cantabrian Anchovies to receive two free glasses of Espinaler Rojo Vermut.
9. Deux Frères
From the 4-9 September, Deux Frères is offering up specials throughout the day. Visit during lunch for the paella special or pop by in the evenings for a San Sebastián-style pintxos counter.
Caness
Bring Spain home
Beyond all the restaurants and events, there’s plenty of shopping to be done as well – both online and in-person!
1. Direct from Spain (Online)
Take 15% off site-wide on Spanish wines, conservas and gourmet pantry goods.
2. Rodriguez Bros (Villawood)
Stop by for tasting samples of stuffed Bernal olives, imported straight from Alicante.
3. Simon Johnson (Woollahra, Northbridge, Alexandria & Subiaco)
All four stores are set to host free Saturday in-store tastings throughout the festival with the Alexandria store also welcoming customers for Friday wine & cheese sessions from 2-4pm.
Simon Johnson, Northbridge
4. The Artisan Cheese Room (Paddington)
The spot to go to for hard-to-find artisan Spanish cheeses as well as conservas, vermouth and guided tastings and workshops.
5. United Cellars (Online)
Use the code ESDS10 – this exclusive discount code will work across Albariños, Verdejos and Rioja Gran Reservas.
6. Hispanic Pantry (Online)
All online pantry staples are 10% off, including paella rice, meal kits and gift hampers.
7. Platinum Fine Wine (Online)
Curated especially for Eat Spain, Drink Spain, Platinum Fine Wine has put together curated packs for shoppers to discover new Spanish drops.
Hispanic Pantry
8. The Canned Company (Online)
Get 10% off all Spanish products and stock up on tinned seafood straight from European producers.
9. Vermut Australia (Online)
Order Padro & Co tasting kits to try one of Spain’s most distinctive drink categories at home!
10. Something Fishy (Online)
The tinned seafood specialist is offering up themed tasting packs and promotions on Bonito del Norte and anchovies.
Interstate spots:
Don’t worry if you’re travelling during the festival dates, you’ll find highlights of the festival all around Australia.
11. El Portón (Gold Coast)
It’s all about paella at El Portón! Indulge in a delicious Spanish dish and take 50% off all paellas on offer. If you visit here on wine night, you’ll also be able to take part in a guided tasting through Spain, one region at a time.
12. Meninas Grill (Perth)
Get ready to feast on a curated sharing menu that has been crafted to celebrate regional traditions and authentic Spanish ingredients while including premium Australian produce.
Dining and Cooking