PIN The Copita

Perch at the bar for a few tapas

This Spanish tapas bar was last year awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand Guide and provides a great setting to consume plenty of tapas. The Spanish culture of eating either standing up or on stools at bar level works well and there is a very buzzy atmosphere within.

The menu is constantly evolving with a particular focus on sourcing great ingredients. Copita means `small glasses` of which there are many providing an ample opportunity to consume lots of their fine wines and sherries. The food comes in bite sized portions of famous Iberian favourites.

According to the house policy the restaurant does not take any reservations at the bar (only at tables) but anyone is welcome to try find a place there. The menu is continuously reviewed and improved to incorporate new tastes and seasonal favourites.

The Copita has a little sister in the Fitzrovia area named the Barrica where you can the same ambience in Noho surroundings.

The food & drink

It is quite excellent compared with some other tapas joints in many parts of Central London and it is really good value and high quality. The spiced carrots (£2.50) and crunchy purple-sprouting broccoli with not-quite-enough blue cheese (£3.50) are small but excellent. The duck-egg yolk with piquillo (a pepper from north Spain) and white truffle (£5.95) are highly recommended. The winter vegetables and quince (£4.50) include a wonderfully roasted beetroot and well worth a try out.

Boquerones – large anchovies – come with onion and garlic (£2.50) and are good but the scallops in a fishy butter sauce (£5.50) are just great. All food comes replete with lashings of oil and baskets of bread

There are sherrys from £4.20 to £9.65, which is about right for a place whose name means "sherry glass" and white and red wines from £18 a bottle.

How to get there

A quick walk from Oxford Street seems to be the best way to go into the heart of Soho. There are numerous buses heading this way and it is equidistant from both Tottenham Court Road and Leicester Square.

Opening hours

Monday to Friday:
Noon - 11pm (kitchen close between 4.30 - 5.30pm)

Saturday:
Noon - 11pm (kitchen close at 10.30pm)

TripTide Thoughts

Nice intimate surroundings with lots of vibrancy.

Owner

Killian Trimatis

I am a visitor to London from Nice. I love the vibrancy and energy of this city which I feel everytime I connect with its pavements. I am spending a six month internship in the city and learn something new about London every day - sometimes I disc...