One of my all-time favorite types of meals is called tapas. In Spanish, it means small dishes of food. It involves mixing a few plates together to create a pleasant, well-rounded meal. There is one restaurant that caters to this style of eating and has stolen my heart. It is down a little alley in Portsmouth and could easily be missed if not for the floor to ceiling windows. When you peek in from the alley, you see a romantically little lite wine bar that looks cozy and appealing. My partner and I went here for one of our very first dates.

Tapas in CAVA

If you have not yet made your way to New Hampshire, that’s okay, but be sure to add Cava the rustic looking wine bar to your trip. Their menu is entirely based on small plates, and each one of them is like a piece of art put together and done with the intention of being perfect. The chefs nail it. You can tell each, and every chef loves what they do, and they love bringing beauty to each table.

What to Try at Cava?

Char Grilled Baby Octopus

Admittedly, baby octopus may not sound appealing, but it is incredibly delicious. Each octopus comes covered in tomato sherry sauce that drips off each bite. It is served with a side of tomatoes and potatoes. Now the texture may get some people, it is very chewy, and they come as a whole uncut octopus. If you can get past the texture, it is worth trying. This is by far my favorite dish that Cava serves, and I recommend it to anyone who is an adventurous eater.

Artichoke Hearts-

These aren’t just any artichoke; these are only the most tender and juicy hearts picked from each artichoke. It comes covered in lemon and garlic herbs, topped with sofrito sauce. Sofrito sauce is a tomato-based sauce with extra seasoning creating a mouthwatering smell and taste.

Seared Sirloin-

This comes served in the best chimichurri sauce and a side of polenta. If you have never had polenta, it is a type of grain that is usually served hot. It is almost like having mashed potatoes only with much more texture.

Cava’s Gazpacho-

This cold soup is a tradition in Spain and a delicious one. It is worth trying in the summer when you want soup without the extra heat. They out their own New England twist in this soup by adding lobster and serving it with a few slices of bread. It is one of the must-haves when stopping into Cava.

Kristin’s Famous Churros-

Some of the best churros you will find in Portsmouth. They are fried to perfection and rolled in sweet sugar with a hint of cinnamon and served with warm chocolate sauce. It is the best way to end a perfect date night. You can end on the classic sweet note.

By the time you get out after dinner, it will be a romantically lit alleyway. You will walk down the brick path under low lit lamps, and it will set the mood for the rest of the night. This restaurant is also a wine bar and can help you pick out a glass of wine for each course or a cocktail that will go with the whole meal.

Final Thoughts

I love tapas because you can choose multiple small plates to split with the person you are with and can get a full taste of almost everything on the menu. In Portsmouth, a few other restaurants serve this style of menu that you may want to try after visiting this one. Cava is one of the most romantic places you could end up in downtown Portsmouth, and I highly recommend it.

	10 Commercial Alley Portsmouth NH 03801
	https://www.cavatapasandwinebar.com/
	603.319.1575