Salty Olive
Our Story
Salty Olive
Our Story
Our Story
Susannah Stewart been heading to the Costa Brava for more than 50 years, and over that time completely fell in love with Spanish culture.
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One summer, in the little beachside town of Calella, she stumbled across a new spot called Calau. They were serving amazing fresh pinchos and tapas, with huge flavours, and before long the place had queues stretching down the street, every day.
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Something about that mix of simple, fresh food, a relaxed atmosphere and friendly service just stuck with Susannah; it was more than great food, it brought people together.
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Fast forward to 2023 — she decided it was time to stop talking about it and finally do it. So she left her corporate career behind and opened Salty Olive here in Wokingham, hoping to bring a slice of that Spanish magic to our own community.
The First Pincho (pintxos)
Picture San Sebastián in the 1940s: lively bars, bustling streets, and a bar owner with a clever idea. He started threading olives, anchovies and pickles onto toothpicks; easy to eat, easy to share, and eye-catching when lined up along the counter.
Locals loved them, and before long every bar in town was doing the same. That’s how the very first pincho was born.
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Not long after, the film Gilda hit the cinemas. It was bold, scandalous for its time, and turned Rita Hayworth into one of the biggest stars in the world. People in San Sebastián saw something cheeky in the resemblance.. the new pincho was green, salty and a little bit spicy… just like Rita’s character.
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So they named it the Gilda, and soon you couldn’t step into a bar in the Basque Country without seeing trays of them on the counter. From there, pinchos spread across Spain — and the rest is history.
