Can Cava Pintxos & Wine Bar was the first venue of its kind in Bondi. Kind of like tapas for the individual, pintxos restaurants (pronounced “pin-choss”) are common in the Basque region of Spain. Individual portions of food are displayed across the bar. You pick your snacks, then pay at the end by counting how many colour-coded pintxos toothpicks you’ve accumulated. It’s the same method common at sushi trains.

But NSW’s Food Authority legislation prevented using the traditional method, so all pintxos at Can Cava are made to order. There’s a special pintxo on offer every few days, such as a goat’s cheese croquette with rosemary salt and honey; pork belly and chorizo cooked in cider; and lamb rib with mojo verde.

Offerings such as the tuna tartare; tempura prawn with smoked paprika togarashi, and the chickpea frite with bravas sauce (spicy tomato sauce) and manchego are reflections of the varied nature of Australian cuisine. The wine list is 100 per cent Spanish.

The space feels comfortable and welcoming. Fitted by Studio Ally.M and Hatch Constructions, there’s small, round, marble-topped tables, mismatched stools, terracotta-washed walls and lots of hand-painted Spanish tiles. ’90s Spanish pop music usually serenades your meal.