Food & Drink 3
Service 3.5
Atmosphere 4
Value 3.5
Copita is a charming little bar/tapas place in Soho. I was there early on a Friday night, luckily, since it filled up fast and there were plenty of people waiting for tables. The wine menu was vast and both the selection and the prices were really affordable. And the choice selection was some of the loveliest red wine I've had in ages, with the waiters recommending something according to your taste. My complain about this place would be the food. The menu is tapas but the selection is tiny. We had about 7 dishes between 2 and they were the most interesting sounding from the menu. However, most of them were completely unmemorable. The only one that stood out was the fish terrine. But there was pork in chocolate which was far too heavy and the two flavours which didn't really work together, the pig tails were nowhere near as good as they sounded either, a bit oily and totally unmemorable. In fact a few things actually needed for me to use bread just to be able to eat them. And the vegetarian dish we had was utterly bland. I loved the wine but the mediocre food means that I doubt I'll be going back there any time soon.
Food & Drink 3.5
Service 3
Atmosphere 3
Value 3.5
Being in Soho, it should come as no surprise to find this lovely little tapas bar next to a place where they “specialize (sic) in intimate waxing for men and women”, but don’t let that put you off (or if you go for the waxing, pop in here afterwards, to sooth the soreness).
Copita is a small bar, with bar stools around high bench like tables that has the look and feel of a San Sebastian bar. OK, I am sure that there is some health and safety reason why hams aren’t hanging from every available part of the ceiling, but there is a small list of small plates, beer on tap, cider in bottles and a short, all Spanish list of wines and sherries, available by glass, carafe and bottle.
The shortish menu has such delights as smoked anchovy fillet on pork crackling, which really did taste as good as it sounds. There are slices of ham, cheese plates and croquette: today’s being a (so, so) mussel one. Roast shallots came with sobrasada (chorizo like sausage) and parmesan, the pork belly roll with courgette and chilli jam (a sort of slider really) and the standout dish of smoked haddock with a perfectly cooked egg yolk and spinach.
None of the plates are large, none of them more than a fiver or so, but lots of fivers can add up.
Service is fine; a bit slow considering how few people were in, and the atmosphere a little flat (same reason); I can imagine that this livens up a lot.
As well as the inside bar, there are a couple of outside tables, which are a lovely way to watch the world go by. Alas on our visit, a lovely summer’s afternoon, a guy took one of the tables outside, had a glass of water and his own food. That is not cool. Especially when there is smoked anchovy fillet on pork crackling on offer.
Food & Drink 5
Service 4.5
Atmosphere 4.5
Value 4
Relaxed, fun, great atmosphere…this place ticks all the boxes for me. Somewhere to meet a friend over a couple of ice cold manzanillas followed by two or three plates of great tapas (proper sized tapas, a few mouthfuls of deliciousness). These fits into the Soho mix effortlessly. Give me more of that aged Ribera del Duero red…Aster, I think it was called…what a drink!