Chef Grayson Corrales’s homage to her Galician grandmother took over the former Cafe Presse space in 2022, during a tumultuous time for new restaurants. Maybe it was a hunger for sharing in the wake of social distancing, or maybe it was just the fact that every plate at MariPili Tapas Bar is a technical and creative feat, but the fledgling restaurant was an instant hit, and remains one of the best spots in the city to go when you want one of everything.
Dimly lit and cozy with charming nautical decor touches, this is a good date-night spot, but the optimal experience involves a big group with big appetites so that you can try everything on the menu.
We beseech you, do not skip dessert. In fact, you could come here just for dessert and a cafe con leche. Corrales’s culinary background is primarily in pastry, and it shows. If the sherry pie ($15) is on the menu, it’s a must; aged sherry and sherry vinegar bring acid and deep caramel notes to the silky richness of condensed milk, and the Biscoff and almond crust adds nuttiness and crunch.
Grayson Corrales’s Galician tapas bar offers gorgeous, gussied-up takes on classic Spanish dishes. The menu includes cured meats and cheeses, a rotating selection of entrees that are literally bursting with creative uses of pork (scallops served with candied pork jowls, squid stuffed with Iberico pork, even a whole Spanish suckling pig set was in the mix at one point), and of course, patatas bravas and croquettes. The wine comes from Spain and Washington, the cocktails are intricate, and Estrella Galicia beer flows from the tap. MariPili now has a mini-outpost at the Frye Art Museum serving sandwiches, salads and small plates.