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If the dramatic basement restaurant is the X-rated section of La Bodega Negra, then the street-level café is strictly PG. It’s bright and airy, casual and colourful – a great place to hang out. Staff are amiable and efficient, and the food consistently good, from a snack-sized chicken quesadilla (£5) to a trio of fresh, zingy camaron (shrimp) tacos (£7) with just the right level of heat. Salads are worth a look too: the ‘green goddess’ (baby gem, avocado, cherry tomatoes, radish and pecans) a particular favourite, even if its £7 price tag is a little steep during the day. If value is your thing, then pop in at lunch, when, in addition to the à la carte, there’s a short set menu offering two courses (think corn chips and guac plus a burrito, or quesadilla followed by tacos) for £9.50. As under-a-tenner lunches in Soho go, it’s right up there with the best.
La Bodega Negra also have a restaurant round the other side (entrance on Old Compton St).