El Cortador Tapas Bar
About This Spot
El Cortador Tapas Bar is a charming neighborhood haven nestled along Folkestone’s Old High Street, where warmth and a genuine love for Spanish culinary tradition come effortlessly together. As you step inside, there’s an inviting buzz—a gentle hum of conversations unfolding over shared plates, accompanied by the clinking of glasses and the aromatic waft of garlic, herbs, and smoky spices. Time seems to slow here, offering a comfortable pause from the busyness outside.
The atmosphere embraces a casual yet intimate rhythm, perfect for lingering with friends or enjoying a quiet moment alone. The friendly team’s attentive but unobtrusive presence adds a personal touch, making each visit feel like a welcome return rather than just a meal. This is a place where hospitality feels heartfelt and easy, reflecting in the small details: from a knowing smile as plates arrive piping hot, to the spontaneous moments that turn simple dinners into memorable evenings.
The menu unfolds like a culinary journey through Spain, offering a balance of comforting classics and vibrant surprises that invite tasting and sharing. Whether you arrive for a glass of sangria or continue with sizzling gambas bathed in garlic and chili, the dishes are crafted with care and freshness that shines through every bite. The thoughtful pairing of food and wine adds a natural flow to the experience, encouraging guests to explore while savoring the moment.
El Cortador is not just about food—it’s about the spirit of connection found in shared tables and cheerful exchanges. It’s a spot where laughter mingles with the rich textures of paella and the gentle heat of padrón peppers, and where a simple outing can unfold into a joyful celebration of good taste and company. This is Folkestone’s warm embrace of Spanish flavours, inviting discovery one tapa at a time.
What’s Available Here
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Outdoor seating
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Dine-in
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Delivery
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Great coffee
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Great dessert
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Great wine list
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Lunch
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Dinner
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Solo dining
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Wheelchair-accessible entrance
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Wheelchair-accessible seating
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Assistive hearing loop
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Wheelchair-accessible car park
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Alcohol
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Beer
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Cocktails
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Coffee
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Free water refills
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Healthy options
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Late-night food
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Quick bite
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Small plates
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Spirits
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Vegan options
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Vegetarian options
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Wine
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Lunch
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Dinner
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Dessert
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Seating
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Table service
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Bar on site
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Gender-neutral toilets
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Toilet
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Wi-Fi
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Wi-Fi
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Casual
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Cosy
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Romantic
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Trendy
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Family friendly
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Groups
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LGBTQ+ friendly
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Tourists
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Reservations required
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Dinner reservations recommended
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Accepts reservations
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Credit cards
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Debit cards
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NFC mobile payments
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Credit cards
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Good for kids
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High chairs
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Paid parking lot
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Paid street parking
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Parking
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Dogs allowed
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Dogs allowed inside
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Dogs allowed outside
Location & Hours
| Monday | Closed | |
| Tuesday | 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM | |
| Wednesday | 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM | |
| Thursday | Closed | |
|---|---|---|
| Friday | Closed | |
| Saturday | Closed | |
| Sunday | Closed |
Funcle Marek 16 Dec 2025
The dining experience was very nice featuring excellent food and significantly improved service. It’s an ideal spot for enjoying a small bite to eat along with a glass of wine as you head out to a gathering or celebration. This place truly enhances the journey to any party!
Jo Weir 07 Dec 2025
What a brilliant find. A lovely warm welcome, excellent service from our waitress Sarah, she was lovely & friendly and very helpful with regards to the menu with nothing being too much trouble. Every dish we chose was delicious. We’ll definitely be coming back and will be recommending to friends & family!
Taz Roy 22 Nov 2025
Went for dinner here mid week and hadn't been for a while. The tapas food is still delicious really good quality ingredients, fresh and cooked perfectly. The service is efficient and the atmosphere is great too. It's a great little spot halfway up yhe high street and it's not too busy. We had various dishes including the chicken skewers, sizzling king prawns in garlic and chilli (yum!), peppers, patatas bravas and a few others too. Great price, lovely wine selection and would recommend!
ruby quarney 27 Oct 2025
The best tapas I’ve had and I’ve had a lot !! Great food, great service & overall great everything!! The Espresso martini is a must have. Staff are so welcoming, looks like they have a very close knit happy team which says a lot about how great this restaurant is. The food comes out steaming hot. They could charge double on each dish and it would still be worth the money. I can’t say enough good things about this place I would travel to Folkestone just to come back!!
Sarah Dijksman 23 Oct 2025
Absolutely fantastic tapas restaurant! ALL of the staff were incredible and even helped me embarrass my partner, by getting the whole restaurant to sing happy birthday to him (at my request) Cannot fault the food or service, best tapas we have had in a long time, and my partner is Spanish! We cannot wait to visit again! Just make sure you book, as they book up very quickly and now we know why!!! 5*****
James Frinzi 18 Oct 2025
I have walked by this place many times, and decided to stop. It's nice. Yes, I gave it 4 of 5. The food was good but not 5 star. The chicken in the mixed Paella was dry. The dish was good, but not great. The patatas bravas was okay. Usually it's crispy, these were slightly fried. The padron peppers were delicious and as good as anywhere else, and the manchego was very nice. They have gluten free Estrella which is one of the best GF beers. It's great! The staff is very cool, charming, and attentive. The atmosphere is authentic to Spain. It's a cool place. I don't think I'd order the paella again. I'd like to come back for the Tortilla Espanola, which is a classic staple for Spanish food. Funny enough, the best one I ever had was in Dubai. But you can be outside of Spain, and have great Spanish food. If you have never been to Spain, or eaten at a Jose Andres restaurant, you'd probably give this place a 5 out of 5. So a 4 from me is still pretty good.
Laura Dickens 09 Oct 2025
We had an amazing couple of visits here recently on a holiday to Folkestone. Extremely friendly staff and an excellent set of dishes and drink options. They were amazing at helping when I experienced a diabetic hypo and also in amending the specials so that I could have them with my vegan diet (and there were a lot of choices on the menu for vegan diets!). My mother is gluten free and had plenty of options on the menu. We visited for a dinner and also at lunch time. There’s an excellent atmosphere and it’s located in a vibrant and safe environment. What made our trip special was the staff - they were beyond amazing and I can’t wait to go back next visit.
Hector Borja Serrano 27 Sep 2025
Will come back for sure! Excellent food, great and very friendly service and good price.