The Beeswing Wine Bar and Kitchen

The Beeswing is special. It taps into the refined atmosphere that you’ll find at places like Erst and Stow, but a touch less pomp, and a dash more chill. To misquote Leary, it’s a great place to drop-in, kick-back and dine-out. 

At heart, it’s a wine bar with a tapas menu, but one that gets all the elements right. Think relaxed backstreet-in-Barcelona rather than hectic modern ‘Manny’ – a miracle considering it’s smack dab in the city centre. The staff are happy and helpful, the venue is laid out beautifully, and there are wine bottles everywhere. An oenophiles delight. 

Foodwise, they’ve just launched a seven plate, set sharing menu. A bargain at £22.50 per person, and a must for courting couples – this is food more sensual than an old-school Marks & Spencer advert. 

Bulging olives, dangling padron peppers, juicy prawns splashed with sherry, all designed to be fed to your boo, Basinger-Rourke-style. Remember, kids, romantic meals out are for life, not just for Valentine’s Day. 

But it’s not all romance – although The Beeswing is probably one of the best date-night restaurants in the city, certainly in this area – they do a mean line in sausage rolls too. 

Chorizo sausage rolls to be exact, and while there’s only one mini-one each, they make a big impression. Made with Basque chorizo and pork from black Iberian pigs, the meat is potent and almost fiery – an ideal match for the low-key pastry and lightly tangy homemade aioli. A true, true highlight. 

If you’re not chorizo-ed-out, go for the chicken and chorizo stew. The final course is a choice between this and the still-excellent gambas pil pil, but the stew edges it. A considerable portion of Castellano chickpeas and slow-cooked meat, it’s a powerful, memorable end to a superb meal. One minor quibble – it doesn’t come with bread, so best to request some, so you can dig out every last atom of the sauce. 

Finally, for years, I’ve referred to The Beeswing as ‘the bee swing’, as in: a swing in a park, shrunk down so a little bee can use it. It’s a nice image. Then my partner pointed out that, maybe, just maybe, it’s ‘the bee’s wing’, as in the wing of a bee. Who can say? 

Linguistics aside, a trip to The Beeswing is always, always a treat. It’s the highpoint of Kampus, in both senses of the word: it’s up the stairs, a world away from the student-heavy rank and file, and it’s also the best thing in the whole complex. No small claim, considering Madre and Pollen are a minute’s walk away, but The Beeswing is a cut above.