We haven’t visited this independent, family owned business in Chester for a good few years now. But upon researching the best local places with allergen friendly menus, the Bluebell popped up. In the heart of Chester, in a beautiful old building, the restaurant serves tapas from all over the Mediterranean and lists everything on the menu with all allergens clearly labelled. It’s also dog friendly which we never knew about. We will definitely be going back with the furry babies in tow!

We were given a window seat and quickly seen to by the lovely staff. We are total piggies when it comes to tapas and ordered a good selection each, with me only choosing three tapas that Steve definitely couldn’t eat. For everything else we chose the gluten and dairy free option where applicable.

Our order consisted of:

Pan de la Casa- warm gluten free house bread with oil and balsamic vinegar.

Chorizo Frito Picante – pan fried spicy chorizo cooked with fresh chillies

Croquetas Jamón Iberico- Iberico ham croquettes (just for me these!)

Solomillo y Padrons – strips of fillet steak with fried Padron peppers

Calamari Andalusia – deep fried squid rings with homemade aioli

Patatas Bravas – fried potatoes sprinkled with paprika and topped with homemade spicy salsa and aioli

Halloumi fries – drizzled with a herby yoghurt dressing and fresh pomegranate seeds (just for me!)

Gambas Pil Pil- king prawns with garlic, chilli and paprika

Some regular chips, and the stuffed mussel and blue cheese special (just for me too!)

Honestly, the food was of an outstanding quality and I enjoyed every single mouthful. The Halloumi fries are the best I’ve had and everything else was just packed with flavour. I even managed to squeeze in a beautiful desert….

The staff were so helpful and welcoming I’d encourage anybody to visit. I’d recommend trying the homemade orange and limoncello too yummmmmmmmm. We love visiting Chester, it’s nearby and the food scene just seems to be getting better and better. I just hope gorgeous little independents like The Bluebell stay put.

Find the Bluebell website here