What do you know about Copita
It's a new restaurant set up by the people behind award-winning Barrica (in Fitzrovia). It's going for an authentic Spanish tapas bar style, something similar to Jose in Bermondsey. It's a small room with no bookings, ideal for a quick stop in Soho.
Who's it aimed at?
More so than traditional Spanish restaurants in London, it's definitely aimed at the casual diner. There are no individual tables, just plenty of bar space and stools (hence the no-booking policy). It was heavily populated by Spanish speaking diners on our visit - so it's definitely getting something right - and we think it'll appeal to anyone needing a quick tapas fix in the centre of London. The wine list is interesting enough to pop by for a quick drink and a snack too.
The evenings are certainly busy, so be prepared for a loud bustling crowd, but we do hear that lunchtimes are somewhat more sedate.
So where should I meet up with friends?
It's right in the middle of Soho - so there are a plethora of places to meet up if you don't fancy staking out a couple stools at Copita.
And where should I sit?
We had something of a debate about this one... The seats by the window are blessed with a ledge for weary feet, but you do miss something of the vibe by staring out into the street. So we'd compromise and say either sit in the middle tables or the window seat if you're afeared of stools and need more comfort.
At the time we visited, there were no stools at the bar - they're on the way, but we rather liked the authentic standing only area.
So, is bread included?
It isn't, and is charged at £1 for a basket of rather dinky bread chunks. We'd say that at least one basket of bread is mandatory, as you'll need it to accompany the meats and to mop up various dishes.
And what should we order
It's a tapas joint, and the menu changes regularly, so we'll give an idea of what we ordered. One thing that is worth mentioning is that some of the plates are really quite small, so you should bear that in mind when ordering. We had eight dishes - plus a couple of desserts - and could have easily eaten more. This means the bill can start to mount if you're not careful, but no more so than a standard Soho restaurant.
Of the plates that we chose, particular highlights were:
- the iberico pork ribs, a decent portion of ribs that fell away from the bone
- the foie gras and fig stuffed quail - as good as it sounds, with the rich flavour of foie gras permeating the meat.
- the burrata and cime de rapa - the burrata and broccoli worked particularly well and made us feel better that we were eating at lease one decent vegetable among all the meat.
Also worth highlighting is the warm custard tart as a dessert, a perfect end to the meal. We could easily have devoured another dozen.
What about the wine?
The drinks list is significantly longer than the food menu and has a specific focus around the differentiation between new and aged wines. There's a good amount available by 125/375ml glass or bottle - with the cheapest being the Molino Loco Macebeo at £3/£9/£19. We were particularly taken by the Sisquella Albarino, in the "something different" section of the wine list for £35.
Overall
We loved the vibe at Copita. It's only been open a few weeks and it's already rammed mid-week and firmly part of the Soho scene. The tapas were inventive, service was friendly and helpful when it came to the wine list, and - always a good sign - was packed with Spanish folk. If you're looking for a quick bite in Soho with some good, well priced wine, it's worth checking out.
Hot Dinners were invited to eat at Copita. Prices are correct at the time of writing.
