It’s winter. The chances are, you’re craving a bit of the Med – sun, sea, sand, and probably tapas. Luckily for you, and us, you can get that taste of Spain right here in Manchester, at the wonderful Maricarmen Tapas.
The Spanish tapas bar hidden away in Ancoats invites you to a warm and authentic Spanish experience, with a variety of tapas dishes made with the best ingredients, complemented by a broad selection of wines and cocktails. Maricarmen is raring to share their passion for food and culture with you, promising a lovely time with the best tapas.
Menus are a thing of the past when it comes to ‘El Tableo‘. Picture an authentic tapas experience where you don’t need to order. Tapas boards will find their way to your table and all you need to do is select the ones that you want to try.
The best part? Each tapas is £3! At the end, they count how many tapas boards and plates you tried for the total bill, and olé! Job done. The El Tableo experience is available at Maricarmen every Wednesday and Thursday, 6pm – 11pm.
For the rest of the week, choose from the delectable Maricarmen menu. Tapas include classics such as patatas bravas, huevos rotos (fried egg with chips), croqueta of the day, and castellana meatballs. There are also plenty of intriguing dishes to try, and it’s tapas, so why not? The salmorejo and burrata sounds incredible to us, fusing creamy tomato soup and burrata with pesto, and the arroz negro is giving authentic Spanish: squid’s ink rice with squid and alioli.
Maricarmen Tapas, which takes over the Cocoa Cabana site in Ancoats on an evening, even has a selection of delicious charcuterie to choose from, offering half and full boards to give you maximum choice. Options include an Iberico cold meats board, Iberico ham board with breadsticks, and veggie heaven in the form of a Spanish cheese board with grapes and nuts.
As you’d expect, Maricarmen also boasts a gorgeous drinks menu, providing the best in Spanish produce. Red wines span Rioja, Toro and Manchuela, with bottles between £22 – £28, and with bargain tapas you have more money to spend on quality wine! Of course, it wouldn’t be a Spanish menu without Cava, if you’re celebrating, and specialty Sherry wines provide an option for the connoisseurs out there.
White wine options bring to the table a selection of bottles you’d be hard pressed to find in the supermarket, with Rueda, Rias Baixa, and Jumilla, and if you’re in the mood for something pink, the rosés on offer are sublime, too.
If you’re into your cocktails, hold onto your hat because there are plenty to go around. From Spanish classics like Tinto de Verano, Agua de Valencia, and Rebujito, to crowd-pleasers like Mojitos, Negronis and the Old Fashioned, alongside a healthy dose of Sangria, of course, Maricarmen Tapas has you completely covered.
Pull all of this goodness together with a friendly and lively environment, and the option to take the experience al fresco when the weather allows, and you’ve got probably as close to being in Spain as is possible, without actually being in Spain, of course.
Find Maricarmen Tapas at 7 Murray St, Ancoats, Manchester M4 6HS.