Bar Iberico

You'll smell the garlic and paprika before you even step inside this narrow Carlton Street tapas bar. The Spanish owners have crammed every inch with hanging jamón legs, dusty sherry bottles, and enough ceramic tiles to transport you straight to Andalusia. The tortilla española arrives as a doorstop-thick wedge that's gloriously runny in the middle, while the croquetas burst with proper béchamel that hasn't been sitting under heat lamps. The wine list leans heavily into natural Spanish bottles you won't find elsewhere in Nottingham, and the staff actually know the difference between a Tempranillo and a Garnacha. It gets properly rammed on weekend evenings, so either book ahead or prepare to hover near the bar with a glass of Albariño until a table opens up.