Like the sound of some especially savoury if rather sloppy Spanish foodie fun on a Sunday afternoon in South London? Celebrate Calçotada at Boqueria. A calçot is a type of onion, kind of like a large scallion or small leek, with a mild, sweet flavour that grows in countryside around the Catalan city of Tarragona. Here celebrations known as calçotadas take place during winter and early spring bringing folks together to grill calçots, dip them in romesco and slurp heaps of them down paired with plenty of cava – traditionally served from a porrón, a wine pitcher with a spout for fun and potentially very messy drinking.
Excellent quality food and with every penny. Must try the suckling pig, pork shoulder and the chorizo.
Impressive menu and interesting desserts. Will definitely go back!!
Anyone who’s ever been to Spain will know what good quality tapas should taste like. There are few places in London that are able to live up to the same level of quality that you get in Spain. Barrafina in my books has been a great example of good tapas and recently I came across Boqueria. Boqueria, unlike Barrafina, does take reservations and I was seriously blown away during my visit! This is rare for me when it comes to restaurants because the more I eat, the pickier I become.
It’s no secret that small plates give me big joy. So when faced with the challenge of picking a venue for the father’s last dinner in London, Tapas seemed like a safe bet. Considering we were spending the night at my uncle’s near Brixton, whose food scene I’m less familiar with, the raving reviews about Boqueria gave us little need to contemplate this decision.
You may have already read about Fiona’s amazing trip to Catalan for the day to try out the seasonal festival of La Calcotada. We were both intrigued and envious, and so thrilled to be asked to Boqueria in Brixton for their version. We have been to Barcelona many times as we have friends who live there, but hadn’t been in the calcot season, so this was something completely new to us.
I have driven past Boqueria countless times and said 'I love tapas, can we go' to Mr D until I was blue in the face. Finally, an evening of catching up with the wonderful Johnson's and Holdstock brothers meant sharing food was ideal so, I booked the Acre Lane eatery and we went full force into the menu...and booze!
Came here as I had heard great things.
To be honest the staff were not great. One waiter in particular was quite rude who was tall and dark.
The food was quite tasty. The goats cheese with caramlized onion was really yummy. The bravas sauce was so delicious. The cheese board is a bit too pricey for what it is- a couple of slices of cheese.
They are missing some form of chicken dish as I found it hard to choose a meat dish.
It is tasty though!
I love Spain, especially the food, and having lived there briefly I like to think I know a good Tapas when I see (or taste) one. Tapas is particularly awesome as you get to try lots of different dishes, it’s very social and all about sharing. With this love for Tapas in mind it had taken me far too long to try Boqueria, which opened about a year ago and has been raved about by Time Out since and recently winning in the Food and Drinks awards in the best cheap eats category. Now I’ve been, I can see why, I shared a generous amount of Tapas and a good bottle of red wine for under £30 a head.
A few weeks ago, I finally managed to visit the much - albeit quietly - talked about Boqueria in Brixton. Oddly situated along Acre Lane (but close enough to Clapham North) the restaurant is a well-known secret among foodies with a quasi "cult-favourite" status due to its relatively silence on promotional marketing. They must've been doing well, though as they've recently opened another branch in Battersea.
Excellent tapas, service disappointing. Really tasty tapas with fresh ingredients and big flavours. Service levels however well short of the mark - team appeared stretched and basics such as topping up water lacking entirely. A big wait for the bill at the end of the meal furthering the disappointment. Will be back for the food and hopeful of better attention on the return.
Brilliant! Best spanish tapas in London. Better than Jose. Very reasonable prices. Dishes a little bit on the small side, but great taste.
Very friendly local Spanish restaurant. I went here the other night for a quick bite, and to see if the food was good as it looked from the menu. It was - the Pan con Tomate was moist and very filling, and the ribs were delicious. Best of all though, the service (at the bar) was just as friendly as you'd expect in Spain. It's a lovely restaurant with a long bar for drinkers or solo eaters, and very smart dining at the back. I'll definitely return!
It’s named after Barcelona’s extremely popular food market , and is located a little further out from the hub-bub of Brixton’s centre towards the Clapham end of Acre Lane. Inside it’s contemporary, bright, sleek and the night I go with my friend, Paul – rammed! Paul doesn’t eat meat or fish – I very much do, so instead of sharing our tapas we decide to order separate dishes for ourselves. I order: octopus on a bed of potatoes, suckling pig, and prawn and monkfish. Paul: grilled vegetables, Padrón peppers and one of the specials of the day; goats cheese with a tomato marmalade. Each dish is served as soon as it’s cooked. I confess that my fork might, just mi
The plates were excellent on the whole (especially the monkfish, octopus and meatballs, less so the pork croquetas which were slightly bland) and were generous portions (five dishes was plenty enough for two of us). This was really good quality food, with fantastic service and reasonably priced @ £55.30 excluding service.
Boqueria tapas bar is a real hidden gem on a quiet residential street in Brixton. However, its reputation precedes it and just as we visited a few nights ago, it was named Time Out Eating & Drinking Awards 2012 Best New Cheap Eat.
Named after Barcelona’s famous food market, Boqueria has been born out of a desire to showcase the very best of Spain. Opened by Barcelona-born Jaime Armenter, the bar and restaurant provides a contemporary setting that has been designed to show off the modern image of Spain – no doubt influenced by Jaime’s mere 24 years of age. A theme of stylish simplicity runs throughout the venue with large handmade tables and doors, as well as photo exhibits to add warmth and colour. Stripped wooden floors are flooded with light from the skylights in the dining room, creating an easy-going atmosphere and a sense of open space. Visiting on a normal Sunday evening just a few weeks after its opening, Boqueria had clearly made a positive impression on more than a few locals, having been completely full of a jovial crowd – always a good sign. Adding a little experience to the young team is head chef Enriqe Canadas, with 12 years of service behind him in restaurants across Spain. The menu is a cross bet
We Love Food, It's All We Eat
+3.5
Boqueria is named after the famous food market in Barcelona so we had high hopes for this one, also Jay Rayner had tweeted that he’d had a great lunch there recently. We decided to go and celebrate my birthday, and were heading to Barcelona a few days later so it was turning out to be a Spanish themed affair. The restaurant is based in Brixton, we’re not familiar with that area in the slightest, so much so that we thought we were in Clapham (worth getting a cab from the tube). After a slightly tense walk out of our comfort zone through a (shall we say dubious) residential area we came across Boqueria. The sleek-fronted establishment looked quite out of place, first sight inside looked good though, a long stretch of bar leading into the dining room that was out the back. And it literally is just a room, possibly the plainest room we’ve ever eaten, known to most as ‘modern’. I know it’s not all about the decor, but it’s nice to have things to look at with an atmosphere and a bit of a buzz. There was nothing, and pretty much no one dining with us at first, but then it was a Tuesday. We found it to be the total opposite to its gastronomic namesake market which we visited a few days later, buzzing with people, colours, smells and an abundance of all kinds of food imaginable, the best market I’ve ever visited.
For We Love Food's full review and more pictures go to... http://welovefood-itsallweeat.com/2012/06/03/boqueria-192-acre-lane-london-sw2-5ul-tel-020-7733-4408/
The food was fantastic - clams with white beans, garlicky, unctuous and so tasty. The best dish was the iberico pressed pork with goats cheese, foie and truffle. We only ordered 5 dishes, one of which was a very thinly sliced tomato, a bottle of red wine and two sherries and the bill was £62.00 (incl service). This is not cheap eats but very good, you could get enthusiastic and perhaps over order. The service was excellent - tap water brought and topped up, wine topped up, everything was with a smile and attentive.
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London has no shortage of options when it comes to tapas. Whether it be the genuine article (Barrafina, Jose, Brindisa), or the multitude of tapas ''fusion'' places such as Kopapa, Imli, Bocca di Lupo, Bodega Negra... the list goes on and on! So I must admit I always have a slight apprehension when it comes to trying new tapas places. Don't get me wrong, I've had some of the best meals of my life sitting atop cramped bar tops in Barcelona, but it's rather difficult to differentiate yourself from other places when there's two-a-penny serving the exact same dishes on every high street in the city.
What I immediately liked about Boqueria was its location. This is also likely to be its biggest drawback to be honest. Some will find the location a bit out of the way to go for tapas, but I think that sometimes London is a bit to hub-by for its own good, with restaurants tending to cluster solely in ''trendy'' areas. I think this is less true in other cities, where you can chance upon great finds in the most unlikely places. And good quality, convivial, socially inclusive dining seems like a great way of creating a focal point for the local community.
The cochinillo was the highlight of the entire meal for us. The meat was very tender, whilst the skin was just crunchy enough. The flavour combinations were really cool too, combining the meat with the more typical apple sauce and more untypical lemon sorbet. The latter was a real relevation, breaking through the fat from the meat really nicely and providing a nice hot-and-cold contrast to the dish with the apple sauce somewhere in between. I could have eaten the parsnip crisps on their own too! Fantastic dish.
If I lived in the Brixton, Clapham or Stockwell area of London, I think it would definitely be worth the trip for good tapas and nice, modern vibe. The service was fantastic on the night. The waiter who served us was really receptive to all our questions and really friendly overall.
Read more on: http://www.foodoverlondon.com/2013/02/de-barcelona-brixton.html
Really great experience. I booked ahead for St Valentine's night and got a table for two. The staff was very nice to us and quick (they took our food and drink orders a few minutes after sitting us down). The place is a bit small and crowded for my liking, we were sitting pretty close to other people. For drinks we got sangría, which I though was not cold enough. We ordered some croquetas for starters, and they came out really quickly. The truffle croquetas were very good (super crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside). The normal ones were not the best, but decent. We got a paella for 2 and I must say the size did not disappoint. As a Spanish person I have to admit it was not the best paella, but really good regardless. After eating the whole thing we felt like finishing off with a delicious cheesecake and crema catalana. Overall great food, good portion sizes, friendly and quick service, good atmosphere, and the best, is not as pricey most Spanish restaurants in London.
Great Deco with very nice environment and flamenco background music. Food is very well done and very tasty. Only it's a little pricy for such a small portion. Highly recommend the arroz negro (black rice), which is not too salty and has more content than any other Spanish restaurant I have had so far. Staff is very friendly.
The quality of food is good. Foods didn’t come at the same time so some of our friends had to wait for their food like 10-15 minutes after us. Dishes are pricey. Staff are very nice and friendly.
Best Spanish restaurant I've been in London hands down.
Great food, great staff it was just top in my book.
Go if you have the chance as it's worth it completely.
Very nice and beautifully decorated Spanish restaurant. A good selection of food at decent prices, although one assume the portions could be a little bit bigger than was actually served.
The 'Tarta de tres Chocolates' was a particularly scrumptious dessert.
Will visit again.
One of (if not) my favourite tapas places in London. You can tell the food is freshly prepared with lovely attention to detail. They also have a range of changing specials which are always delicious. Dishes are also reasonably priced (for London) - would recommend for small and large groups as then you can share more dishes! Have been twice and will definitely visit again
Amaizing typical Spanish restaurant😍 we are Spanish cuisine lovers and all places were closed around our area because of COVID-19. This place was the one opened, we've ordered online and collect it from the place, which is great! All members are Spanish. The dishes are tasty and very traditional! The pork was delicious and Spanish house wine is magic😊highly recommended!!! Thank you Boqueria for the great Valentines Day🥰
We loved our date night dinner here. Such a cool spot with sophisticated dishes. Will certainly be back!
Authentic Spanish food outside of Spain. Fantastic service. We stayed in the quieter area by the front window. The restaurant is massive if you go in
My photos won’t do justice to this place. The light is dimmed somewhat and it can be pretty busy and loud at times but the food is ridiculously delicious. The Croquetas are smooth and buttery as they should be, the Presa Iberica is rich in flavour, the crispy aubergine is crisp and spicy yet sweet, all the basics are fantastic. We tried the pulled pork tacos and the burrata from the specials and both were incredible. Best tapas I’ve had in London.
My partner and I have fond memories of this place; we came here many years ago just after a trip to Spain and found the food really authentic and delicious! This time round perhaps it was a little bit lacking in that charm. Although most of the dishes we had were outstanding - the arroz negro for example - I found the calamari to be a little lacklustre. The service was alright but felt a little pushed to keep ordering, and the food ended up being way too much for us. The sangria was not the best I’ve had. However, all in all a lovely visit with some great tapas.
Great spot on a Friday evening. Highlight was the mushroom and croquettes. Very welcoming staff make it a spot worth visiting with great food and drink.
Really good selection of traditional, modern and daily special tapas dishes and drinks. Cannot fault the quality of the food for the price and the vegetarian selection is really delicious. Gets busy in the weekend so make sure you book in advance!
Fabulous upmarket tapas restaurant. Great service, and every dish was packed with flavor, sensitivity, amazing technique and sensational ingredients. Loads of specials on the board, well worth investigating. Thoroughly recommend.
Had the lovely pan tomate and paella with a friend. Paella is a huge portion. Also a great tapas selection. Great service also
Delicious, authentic Spanish food. Only drawback, the restaurant seems to be a victim of it's own success. The service became progressively more incompetent as the evening wore on.
The best spanish food in London (and better than many places in Spain), perfect food, great service, nice atmosphere. If you are spanish you will love this place.
Relaxed venue with an eclectic selection of simple and delicious tapas. Great for catching up with friends but a fair walk from both the Northern or Victoria line tube stations.
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Look at the size of that Paella! This was meant to be a portion for 3 people but I reckon those enormous Langoustines could satisfy all of Brixton by themselves. We joined a group of friends at Boqueria to celebrate a birthday in the best way possible; namely consuming our bodyweight in delicious Tapas. We clinked our Margaritas in honour of the birthday girl and readied ourselves for a feast.
Salty Padron peppers and beautifully piquant patatas bravas as standard, followed by Calamari a la Romana that harmoniously married crispy with tender. Dipped in the homemade garlic aioli, they were as authentic as any we’d had in Catalonia. Pulpo al la gallega came as wafer thin slices of juicy Octopus, lounging on a bed of paprika seasoned potatoes. The salt Cod with garlic, olive oil and parsley sauce was out of this World. Appetites were sated but there was still a frantic clash of forks as we battled our friends for the last tasty morsels. The aforementioned Paella de pescado y marisco delivered a scrumptious blend of seafood and saffron that was too good not to finish.
Just when we thought we could eat no more, out came a plate of crispy fried churros, complete with a rich chocolate dipping sauce and a birthday candle to mark the affair. Each of us claimed national ownership of the concept of deep fried dough coated in sugar. One thing we did agree on is that we’d had a fantastic Spanish meal and will definitely be heading back to Boqueria soon.
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