A slice of Spain is landing by the sea, and Bondi’s ready to dance till late.
On Sunday, 1st March 2026, ESCA Hospitality Group—the team behind Nour, AALIA and Henrietta—opens Besa, a 65-seat tapas bar promising to bottle the energy and warmth of Madrid and pour it into the heart of Sydney’s most famous beachside suburb.
Named after the Spanish word for kiss, Besa aims to capture the passion and conviviality of Spanish dining culture—clinking glasses, shared plates and a soundtrack that keeps the conversation rolling long after dinner’s done.
“I was drawn to how people gather, eat, drink and linger around the table long after the plates are cleared,” says Ibrahim Moubadder, ESCA’s co-founder and creative director.
“It’s loud, energetic and full of life—that’s the feeling I want to bring to Bondi with Besa.”
A New Chapter In ESCA’s Sydney Story
As a result, the new venue expands the group’s footprint and solidifies their reputation for venues that marry bold design with a deep sense of hospitality.
Inspired by Madrid’s late-night bars and coastal kitchens, the menu—led by head chef Alan Kropman (ex-AALIA, Sean’s Panorama) and executive chef Ibrahim Kasif (ex-Porteno, Bodega, Stanbuli)—pays tribute to Spain’s tapas tradition with a Bondi accent.
“Tapas is about expression and community,” says Kasif. “Every region in Spain has its own language when it comes to food, and we wanted to honour that while cooking in a way that feels natural to Bondi.”
Flavours Of Spain By The Sea
On the menu: blue mackerel with butter leaf and encurtidos; raw beef carpaccio layered with white anchovy and goat’s cheese anchoïade; and a dramatic fideuà negra of squid ink noodles with grilled chicken and aioli.
Additionally, even dessert will be a revolving door of Spanish classics—from Basque cheesecake to churros and flan—keeping repeat diners guessing.
The drinks program is no less thoughtful. Besa’s wine list champions regional expression, offering twenty wines by the glass and sixty by the bottle, with Spanish selections leading the charge. Moreover, Australian and New Zealand producers fill out the list, joined by a handful of European and South American bottles for adventurous pairings.
Specifically, for cocktail lovers, the bar dives deep into Spanish literature. Each drink takes inspiration from a chapter of Miguel de Cervantes’ Don Quixote, with creations like El Compañero (vodka, limoncello, citrus and blood orange sorbet) paying tribute to Sancho Panza, and El Regreso (mint-washed sherry and Crème de Menthe) embodying Don Quixote’s quiet return home.
A Modern Spanish Hideaway
Designed by architect Matt Darwon, Besa’s fit-out channels a moody, mid-century Madrid atmosphere; meanwhile, red tones washing over timber walls, intimate booths hugging the space, and a chrome DJ booth that turns up the tempo from Friday through Sunday with Spanish-inspired funk and house.
Nestled in The Hub alongside Da Orazio, Salumerie and sibling venue Henrietta, Besa opens for lunch, Friday to Sunday and dinner, Tuesday through Sunday at 75-79 Hall Street, Bondi.
Finally, Bookings are available now via their website.