Spanish chef and restaurateur José Pizarro to open restaurant in Abu Dhabi

The chef who owns and operates the José Pizarro Group of restaurants, tapas bars and bistros will open José by Pizarro at the Conrad Hotel at Etihad Towers in Abu Dhabi later this month.

The 46-room restaurant, which will be located within the Hilton Hotel in Cornice in the city centre, was inspired by his eponymous tapas bar José and Pizarro on London’s Bermondsey Street.

The menu will showcase the Spanish chef’s best dishes at his restaurants, with small plates including salted anchovies, Cantabrian catarina, bread and butter; spicy chicken croquettes; and potato tortillas with caramelized onions ; dried beef, fried almonds and olive oil.

It will also offer a selection of traditional dishes such as Spanish red tuna tartare, traditional vinaigrette, potato cream; lamb in orange sauce; and white wild prawns with chilli and garlic oil, as well as larger portions of suckling lamb, mashed potatoes, yoghurt aioli and fresh herbs; chicken and paella with roasted red peppers.

“I like that we called it José by Pizarro because it was inspired by those two restaurants,” Pizarro said. “It’s both my favorite number one name in the UK and has a similarly fun feel to it, while also being inspired by the best of Pizarro.”

Pizarro is among a growing number of British restaurateurs looking to expand their portfolios in the Middle East.London-based Sri Lankan restaurant brand Hoppers recently Opened the first international branch ofLast November in Doha, the capital of Qatar, Italian restaurant group San Carlo cooperated with Sunset Hospitality Group to open a restaurant Mr Sassi in Dubai ofIn spring 2023, it will be the group’s third Middle Eastern outpost, after Qatar and Riyadh.