A glowing, open wood fire burns behind the counter at Alma. That signature feature doesn’t just permeate the food with smoky depth, but also gives the entire restaurant a cosy sense of hearth and home. From the moment you step inside the door of this restaurant, the dining room, with its copper tones, textured tiles and earthy pottery, makes you feel as if you’re in some balmy, sandy corner of southern Spain: tired from a day in the beating sun, ready for the cool of evening and a crisp glass of wine. Or, ideally, a few more glasses from the impressively extensive range of wines by the glass served at Alma — perhaps a refreshing but aromatic albariño to start, and a juicy tempranillo-garnacha-malbec blend with dinner. 

The cooking by Jo Pearson, Alma’s head chef and owner, is small on fuss but big on flavour. Inspired by the vividly seasoned cuisine of Andalusia, which incorporates flavours and ingredients from neighbouring regions, the menu is dotted with North African accents, like preserved lemon, harissa and ras el hanout. Along with the Yemeni zhoug, these add a herby, salty, spicy punch. All this goodness has made Alma a stalwart of the Britomart dining scene, a perennial favourite for business lunches, after-work drinks and special occasions. The service is understated but well informed, so rely on your server if you’re unsure how much to order, which wine to pair with their infamous beef tongue, or just what that unfamiliar word on the menu means. Our advice: start with a glass of sherry and the anchovy and tomato tostada — a salty, umami-packed morsel to jump-start your appetite. Then accompany one of the warming, satisfyingly meaty mains with a plate of shaved courgette with tarragon crema and mint (perfectly refreshing) and potatoes with chilli and aioli (because who does potatoes better than the Spanish?).