It’s All About Wine & Pintxos at Can Cava, Bondi’s newest Spanish Tapas Bar.
Quitting your job to follow your dream of opening a wine bar at any time in life is a ballsy move. Especially in this day and age, in the overcrowded Sydney bar scene. But with courage comes reward. For those who take the leap of faith and those lucky enough to enjoy their offering. So say hello to the ballsy Bondi local who quit her corporate job earlier this year to open a Spanish pintxos bar in Bondi called Can Cava.
You’ll find Dani Steger on the floor most nights greeting locals with a contagious smile. Along with her partner Tristan Terry and their Spanish friend Oriol Cortes Fuste they have brought a little piece of Spain to the corner of Hall Street and Glenayr Avenue. And the locals can’t seem to get enough. The tables are full and clip board busting with names waiting to be seated on a rainy Friday night. It might be gloomy outside but inside Can Cava the mood is just right with soft, yellow lighting, chilled out tunes and flowing red wine.
Think of Can Cava as a wine bar with small bites as opposed to a restaurant. Just as they do in Spain, here the two go hand in hand. While Spanish tapas is nothing new to Sydney, Can Cava have put their own spin on things focusing their food menu on the humble pintxos. Historically pintxos consisted of small portions of food served on bread when you bought a drink. Visit the university city of Granada in Spain and a night out ordering beers subsequently meant ordering dinner. The fancier the bar, the fancier the complimentary pintxos served alongside your drink.
Can Cava have taken that idea along with some classic pintxos combinations to form their menu. Pop in for a drink and a snack or settle in and build your own mini degustation of Spanish delights. Everything is individually portioned so if your idea of a satisfying dinner is ordering one plate to yourself this isn’t for you. But if grazing and trying different dishes is, then order a way.
Start with the tuna tartare served on a crisp potato skin chip ($8). The goat cheese croquettes ($4) are a must! Topped with rosemary, salt and a little bit of honey they have that addictive sweet and salty combination. The menu is set to change with the seasons but we’re told these two dishes are a popular staple and not going anywhere. A small piece of grilled octopus served on a halved kipfler potato and topped with romesco sauce is beautifully presented and oh so Spanish. The lamb rib with mojo verde ($7) is really fatty on this occasion but cooked well.
You can also order cheese and charcuterie boards along with other pintxos including spiced meatballs, pork belly and anchovies. The menu is short so if in doubt (and hungry) order one of each! The desserts need a bit of work so if you’re after a sweet finish order a sherry.
Like the food menu, the drinks list is succinct. Perfect for Friday nights when you don’t want to make too many decisions. They have house made sangria along with a selection of Spanish wines. They also have four different types of cava (Spanish sparkling) for you to make your way through.
Bookings at Can Cava can be made for groups of eight or more guests which would fit nicely on one long table outside on the street. Inside, it’s smaller and more intimate. Perfect for a cheeky date night or one on one catch up.
Can Cava
101 Hall Street, Bondi Beach, NSW 2026
02 9130 6062
Open Mon – Fri from 5pm, Sat – Sun from 12pm
Website