About Our Restaurant?

El Sabio in Winchester has been opened by Attila Vanko and his wife Viki along with Richard Toth and his wife Eva.

Meet the chefs behind El Sabio

The two young chefs who have sunk their savings into a project to convert the old Mash Tun pub into a family-run Spanish Tapas Bar and Restaurant are not what you'd expect. They are neither Spanish nor English, but Hungarian!

If you're wondering what possessed Attila Vanko and Richard Hoth to open a Spanish restaurant, you are not alone. Having trained in Budapest, they came to Britain to run the kitchen of a very successful Tapas Bar and Restaurant in Surrey. It was here that they developed their enthusiasm for Spanish food.

"Our desire was to combine authentic Spanish ingredients such as Chorizo sausage and Manchega cheese with fresh local produce. A fusion of flavours that people will really enjoy. Having our own restaurant now enables us to achieve that." said Attila.

Getting the restaurant ready for its planned opening has not been easy for Attila and Richard, or for their wives Vikki and Eva. Major renovations were needed on the old building and both couples moved into the upstairs of the premises so they could keep a close eye on the builders and decorators.

There have been the inevitable administrative headaches which needed to be overcome in order to open on time, and the chefs did not have the benefit of being part of a chain with departments to sort out the planning problems, the phone connections, upgrading of the cellar equipment etc. "We have had to do everything ourselves and sometimes I could not believe how difficult it was to get people to do the things they promised. We also found it more difficult than we imagined to find the right local suppliers of meat and vegetables. We were keen to get fresh produce that hadn't travelled half way around the world, but we have had to talk to dozens of local producers to find what we needed at a sensible price."

With Attila and Richard running the kitchen and wives Vikki and Eva in the bar and restaurant, El Sabio will undoubtedly have a unique, family-run feel so different from the usual chain restaurants. We hope you'll come and see for yourself.

You'll find us very friendly and keen to provide you with excellent value, good food and attentive service.

Please come and give us a try.