Celebrated table

Cambio de Tercio

A 1995-founded Old Brompton Road staple recognized by The Good Food Guide for its rigorous approach to contemporary Spanish cuisine and an extensive wine cellar.

The story

Cambio de Tercio Delivers Modern Spanish Cooking in London

Kitchen and Origins

Abel Lusa founded Cambio de Tercio in June 1995 to establish a reliable home for contemporary Spanish cuisine in London. The native of Rioja applies precise modern techniques to traditional recipes while importing core ingredients directly from Spanish producers and local British farms. This disciplined approach to sourcing and execution has earned repeated mention in The Good Food Guide. The menu rotates seasonal additions without drifting from its foundational focus on authentic regional profiles.

Signature Plates

Guests typically begin with around twenty tapas that emphasize contrasting textures and bright seasoning. Crisp ham croquetas encase a creamy filling, while a raw prawn ceviche arrives inside a fried taco shell. The kitchen finishes whole sea bream with a quick blowtorch sear, topping the flesh with seaweed and a citrusy aji amarillo reduction. Heartier selections feature beef Wellington enriched with truffle and Madeira, alongside grilled pluma Ibérico served with roasted pineapple and chard.

Dining Room and Cellar

Black slate flooring and deep leather seating anchor a space decorated with vivid crimson and yellow walls. Matador-inspired oil paintings hang above tables where a whole acorn-fed Iberian ham rests on a wooden counter. The beverage program complements the kitchen, featuring five hundred wines specifically curated for Spanish cuisine pairings, with red varieties receiving primary placement alongside aged reserves like Vega Sicilia Unico.

Recognition

Awards & accolades

2026
The Good Food Guide
Good

Details

At a glance

The Good Food Guide 2026 — Good
Cuisines Spanish

History

On the record

2026
The Good Food Guide — Good

Flagship of the three-strong Cambio de Tercio group, this Spanish favourite has been a fixture of the Old Brompton Road scene for almost three decades. A distinctive yellow logo on a black background announces the place and the warm, comforting dining room isn’t short on character, with black slate tiles, black leather seats and matador-themed oil paintings on vividly coloured walls (deep yellow, crimson, raspberry). A whole, acorn-fed Iberian ham from Jabugo stands proudly on the counter, while the menu offers some 20 tapas, ranging from must-order ham croquetas (crisp on the outside, cheesy within) to a crispy 'taco' loaded with a ceviche of red prawns from Huelva. New items appear regularly too: we enjoyed an innovative plate of sea bream (its skin quickly blowtorched) topped with seaweed and lifted by a light, citrussy yuzu and aji amarillo sauce. However, a dish of confit leeks with a rosemary vinaigrette and olive oil was let down by undercooking. Larger items include beef Wellington with truffle and Madeira sauce (a Spanish twist on a British classic) as well as grilled ‘pluma Ibérica’ pork with roast pineapple, prunes and chard. There’s a ‘catch of the day’ too, plus a handful of desserts (hot Spanish chocolate and churros pastries, say). Owner, Abel Lusa hails from Rioja and takes his native wines seriously: with some 500 bottles to choose from, this may be the largest Spanish list in the UK. Reds are given greater prominence than whites, and there are some fine old vintages from Vega Sicilia Unico, the 'royalty' of Spanish estates.

Established

Location

Find us

161-163 Old Brompton Road, Earl's Court, SW5 0LJ
London, United Kingdom
020 7244 8970
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Map showing Cambio de Tercio