Please note that Angels & Gypsies is now closed. Time Out eating & drinking editors, Sep 2016.
Angels & Gypsies remains an outpost of cool in gritty Camberwell, making booking essential. Dark wooden tables, pews and chairs bearing cross motifs are arranged around a tiled horseshoe bar, with stunning stained-glass windows looming over proceedings. Atmospheric low lighting adds to the ecclesiastical vibe. A display of sourdough loaves and hanging serrano hams herald what is a reliably impressive gastronomic experience.
Tapas are prepared with flair and creativity, and peppered with niche ingredients (cuttlefish, ’nduja, hand-dived scallops) and Galician influences. Albóndiga arrived in an unappealing-looking broth, which belied the dish’s subtleties and strengths; inside the meatball was a soft, sweet apricot and the broth (spicy and saffron-infused) was marvellously moreish. The flavours also shone in a simple salad of goat’s cheese, sweet beetroot and peppery watercress. Gigantes – roasted butter beans with tomato and wild cep oil – didn’t have the punch to stand up to the preceding dishes, however, and should have been delivered first.
Sherries make a significant appearance on the predominantly Spanish wine list, where you’ll also find cocktails and sangria. At lunchtime, there’s now a menu devoted to street food of Mexican extraction, namely burritos (with own-made masa harina tortillas) or tacos – an excellent choice for great-value A&G cooking on the fly.