Andina Spitalfields

Peruvian restaurant connoisseurs Andina were forced to close their original Shoreditch space thanks to the pandemic. But the award-winning team are back in East London with a new larger, equally as exciting site to serve up delicious Latin American infused food with flair.

The space pays homage to Peru's many ‘picanterías’; traditional lunch restaurants found in the cities of Arequipa and Cuzco. Bright and airy with white washed brick walls and pastel green pillars, the breezy space is more akin to a canteen than a restaurant with 80 covers on offer. Downstairs a cavernous space is set ready to welcome 30 diners for late night cocktails and tacos at offshoot venture, Bar Mistura.

Of course, you couldn’t open a Peruvian restaurant without the country’s signature cocktail and the Pisco Sour menu at Andina is extensive. From the classic Quebranta grape pisco, to fruitier options such as the passionfruit or watermelon versions, there’s plenty of options to wet your whistle.

Foodwise, Andina is the perfect place to chow down with friends as each dish is made for sharing. Split into four delicious menus, choose between classic dishes, salads, street food and the restaurants’ signature ceviche offering. Attentive servers are on hand to offer insight into the Peruvian terms and ingredients. Streetfood highlights include the deliciously sweet and spicy pork belly bite, smoky chicken wings and Cassava fries that come with an amarillo and chilli dip.

Where classic dishes are concerned, you can’t go wrong with Andina’s Chicken Pachamanca. An all round crowd pleaser, it’s served with smoked panca and an Andean huacatay herb sauce. For fish lovers, the bacalao (cod) is a light option that packs a chilli laden punch, while the BBQ pulled jackfruit serves as a delicious vegan friendly option.

No meal at Andina is complete without sampling Peru's national dish. Choose from tuna, salmon or seabass ceviche, each served with tiger’s milk, fresh vegetables and a zingy dressing. For extra crunch, choose the Peruvian ceviche, which comes with crispy cancha corn nuts.

To finish, opt for the traditional donuts option as your dessert and you’ll not be disappointed. Two pumpkin doughnuts are infused with orange and pineapple and lightly spiced with cloves. Served with ice cream for a satisfying but surprisingly light finish.

With its extensive sharable options that aren’t too heavy on the purse strings and it’s light atmosphere, Andina is the perfect place to meet friends - more like a friendly beachside cafe overlooking the Pacific, that just happens to serve delicious fayre.

Stalwarts of the London dining scene will know that this isn’t Andina’s only iteration. The much-loved Peruvian brand had a smaller original site nearby in Shoreditch which was forced to close during the pandemic. Back and better than ever, Andina now calls Spitalfields home and has been reborn as a roomier 80-cover restaurant and secret bar.

In keeping with the original, the Spitalfields restaurant is the perfect place to indulge in the flavours of South America while washing everything down with a pisco sour or three. The menu has been spearheaded by head chef Bruno Moura and pays homage to the restaurant’s Andean roots. Expect a selection of cevices – Peru’s national dish. Combinations include a tuna cevice with chilli tiger’s milk, pickled pineapple, samphire radish and pickled onion as well as a seabass cevice with avocado, sweet potato, red onion and a chilli tiger’s milk. A selection of street foods and classic dises – like sticky chicken wings, corn fritters and grilled octopus – offer good balance to the sharp citrus- dressed seafood. Ensuring the restaurant has wide appeal, the menu also caters for plant-based eaters. On the vegan menu you’ll find things like burgers and BBQ pulled jackfruit.

Come the weekend, Andina delivers by way of its popular brunch. Plump for the ‘all-in’ option to take advantage of a cevice, main and dessert for £21 per person. You can also add pisco sours for £5 or there’s a full cocktail list to choose from too, should you prefer something fruitier.

Interiors are similar to the original restaurant with vibrant colours and traditional artworks employed to create a fun atmosphere. Speaking of fun, don’t mis out on the pisco sour hour which happens Monday-Thursday and allows you to enjoy the restaurant’s signature cocktails for a fiver a pop.

Downstairs from Andina is the restaurant’s speakeasy style taqueria bar which serves drinks and sharing plates late into the night.