Take a quaint cafe on a bowling green, give it a spruce-up and introduce an evening menu and the result is some of the best tapas we've tasted this side of Spain.

The Bowl Inn has been part of the Worthing cafe scene for many moons. Once better known for serving afternoon tea to bowlers and ice cream to children in the holidays, it's now known to serve up wholesome lunches, as well as divine tapas of an evening.

The people responsible for this revamp are husband and wife Juan and Maxine.

Veterans of the restaurant trade, this is the 13th restaurant the couple have run together, in England and Spain. Previous businesses include the upmarket Sussex Pad and Frooms, in Worthing.

A master of tradition, Juan, originally from Grenada, Spain, is a delectable host, who enjoys a chat and joke with his customers. However, when it comes to service, he's serious and has been known to sprint across the restaurant floor if he spots a diner pouring their own wine.

He says the secret of good tapas is freshness: "You must cook at the exact moment," he says. "There's no point cooking an omelette then heating it in the microwave – it will bounce against the wall. The same goes for chorizo, steak – everything.

"I have three chefs in the kitchen and they use no prefabricated food and nothing is heated up in the microwave."

It's worth leaving room for the desserts – all home-cooked by Maxine herself, they've become somewhat of a draw. Homely and cosy, the interior is a bit like your mum's front room, with vases of flowers and quirky ornaments dotted around.

There's a lounge area, too, complete with huge sofa, cushions and cuddly toys.

There is also a garden, used for lunch and dinner, weather permitting.

Review by Leila Nicholls