AN AWARD-WINNING tapas restaurant which was launched in Ilkley is about to open its third venue in Horsforth.

La Casita, which translates as Little House, already has restaurants in both Ilkley and Boston Spa.

Now La Casita’s owners, Simon Miller, Oliver Renton and Ben Riley, are keen to build on their success with a new branch on Town Street in Horsforth.

Simon, who hails from Menston, was previously the sous chef at Ilkley’s Michelin-starred The Box Tree and was a quarter-finalist on BBC’s MasterChef in 2012. He has also held the head chef position at The Fleece in Otley and Piazza by Anthony Flinn in Leeds.

He said: "Opening a restaurant in a new area means we need to listen to what people want. For Horsforth we're launching a fantastic bar area inside the tapas restaurant. The 50-cover tapas bar is at the back of the venue and is very private. The large bar at the front will be bustling, and will offer a specialist selection of drinks including a wide collection of Spanish gins and a rare Cava drunk by the King of Spain."

The Royal tipple Kripta costs £59 bottle and comes in a bottle which doesn't stand up.

Simon and his team will offer a range of traditional and star tapas dishes from soft shell crab to octopus and chorizo stew, Iberico pork cheek to Manchego Spanish sheep's milk cheese, and chorizo popcorn. Spanish craft beers, cavas, sherries, sangria and gin have all been carefully chosen to pair perfectly with each dish.

The central Horsforth venue is being renovated in a sympathetic Spanish style using local contractors and suppliers plus imported products and memorabilia from Spain to add a European flavour to the local atmosphere.

Oliver said: "Tapas is all about sharing with friends, and enjoying a fabulous atmosphere. La Casita Horsforth continues the great reputation we've built already of excellent food and drink and a brilliant atmosphere, plus we have sourced some amazing products including beer made from sea water; Xoriguer, Minorca's most famous gin first made in 1708 and still made from mountain herbs, and the mouth watering Cecina de leon nieto, which is smoked beef slow cured in the Leon mountain air and smoked with oakwood."

La Casita Horsforth will be open from July 22 for drinks and tapas seven days a week, both at lunch time and in the evenings. In addition, its courtyard and inside dining areas will all available to hire for private functions.