Gambas al Ajillo in London: Spanish Garlic Prawns Explained
What are Gambas al Ajillo, what makes Spanish garlic prawns so good, and where can you try them in London? A guide from Jamon Jamon.
Gambas al Ajillo are one of the quickest ways to recognise a Spanish tapas table: prawns arriving hot, glossy with olive oil and full of garlic.
They are simple, aromatic and made for sharing. At Jamon Jamon, they sit naturally beside potatoes, croquetas, cured ham and a glass of Spanish wine.
What are Gambas al Ajillo?
Gambas al Ajillo means garlic prawns. The classic idea is straightforward: prawns cooked with garlic and olive oil, served hot so the aroma reaches the table before the first bite.
Good versions balance three things: sweet prawns, plenty of garlic and enough olive oil to carry all that flavour without making the dish heavy.
Why they work so well as tapas
Garlic prawns bring a completely different texture and flavour to a tapas spread. They are juicy and aromatic rather than crisp or creamy, which makes them a useful contrast to dishes such as Patatas Bravas or Croquetas de Jamón.
What should you order with Gambas al Ajillo?
A strong combination would be Gambas al Ajillo with Padrón Peppers, Croquetas de Jamón, Patatas Bravas and Chorizo al Vino. That gives you seafood, vegetables, something crisp and creamy, potatoes and a richer meat dish.
Padrón Peppers are especially useful alongside the prawns because their blistered, lightly bitter flavour cuts through the garlic and olive oil. Read our Padrón Peppers guide if you want to know why one pepper is sometimes unexpectedly hot.
Where can you eat Gambas al Ajillo in London?
Gambas al Ajillo are one of the Spanish favourites regularly featured at Jamon Jamon. You can build a full tapas meal around them at our Soho or Belsize Park restaurants.
Gambas al Ajillo in Soho
Jamon Jamon Soho is at 3 Caxton Walk, London WC2H 8PW, in the West End. The prawns work particularly well as part of a quick pre-theatre tapas meal or a longer evening that continues downstairs at one of our events.
Gambas al Ajillo in Belsize Park
Jamon Jamon Belsize Park is at 177 Haverstock Hill, London NW3 4QS, close to Belsize Park station. It is a relaxed option for a longer lunch or dinner built around several shared plates.
Try Gambas al Ajillo at Jamon Jamon
Order them hot, add a few contrasting tapas and keep some bread nearby for the garlicky oil left in the dish.