Bar Douro is an authentic Portuguese small plates restaurant in Flat Iron Square by London Bridge. When the opportunity arose to go for a fairly spontaneous solo dinner I immediately knew Bar Douro was the choice because I love small plates (or tapas style) restaurants and I’m really intrigued by Portuguese cuisine.

The vibe in Bar Douro is exactly what you’d expect from a modern small plates restaurant. Counter seating around a vibrant kitchen with friendly chefs and even more friendly staff. Now, the food…

The menu is somewhat minimal, but it has a few dishes that I recognise from my years-long quest to find the best Spanish tapas restaurant in London… which is just as fun and delicious as you’ll imagine. 

Snack

The croquetes were good. I expected the filling to be creamier but it was fairly dry. I’ve had plenty croquetes with dry filling and this was one of the best… particularly because the pastry itself was delicious. 

Sea

The octopus was perfectly grilled for a really good texture. It tasted scrumptious as well, especially because of the sweet potato purée and the slightly spicy green sauce. 

Ohhh, fantastic. The prawns themselves were crisp and succulent, but it’s all about the incredibly tasty sauce that’s poured over and around the prawns. When I was done with the prawns, I had some bread to mop up the sauce. Well good. 

Land

So, I smiled after the first slice of lamb. It was so succulent, rich with flavour, and salty as well. A mouthful of yum! I ignored the kale☺️😂. 

The pork cheeks were good, but I was expecting more a bit more from the flavour. Melt in the mouth soft though, but lacking that something extra to make it an outstanding dish. 

Dessert!

I loved this. Everything about the tart was delicious… buttery sweet pastry and equally sweet creamy custard. Uhhh. I wanted more! The cinnamon ice cream was solid too, but the tart!

Verdict

I really enjoyed my dinner at Bar Douro. The vibe is excellent, really casual and friendly, and the food is fantastic. Only gripe I have is that I think I’ve enjoyed all those flavours before at restaurants that are not “authentic Portuguese”. I recommend for a casual date, foodies, and mid to large groups for a good catch up over excellent food. I hear the wine is good as well, but I don’t drink so couldn’t try it for you. Bar Douro is moderately priced.

Cuisine: Portuguese small plates
Dress Code: Casual
Amen’s Star Dish: Gambas/Lamb Rump/Pastel de nata
Price: £20-£30pp (excluding alcohol)
Rating: 5 out of 5

Bar Douro
Arch 35b Flat Iron Square,
85b Southwark Bridge Road,
London SE1 0NQ
Reserve at OpenTable,
Or call 0207 378 0524