A new Bodega Rita's has opened in Clerkenwell

Sometimes we have strangely sensual dreams about lovely Rita’s gloriously gloopy mac and cheese, black sauce wings and crispy crushed potatoes. It’s been five years since the much-loved Mare Street diner closed, but there are some snacks you never forget. Thankfully its head honchos Missy Flynn and Gabriel Pryce have been keeping busy with a variety of Rita’s-shaped endeavours ever since shutting their old HQ, including cult sarnie offshoot and deli Bodega Rita’s. Formerly found in a pokey spot by Coal Drops Yard, they’ve now ditched Kings Cross in favour of a larger, more covid-safe space in Clerkenwell. Doors to their new home swung open earlier this week and this summer they’re offering a small but perfectly decent four day window in which to score a late brekkie or an even later lunch, from 11am to 4pm every Tuesday to Friday.  

Sandwiches include a vegan banh mi Vietnamese baguette stuffed with roast oyster mushrooms and peanut butter, a Sopranos-worthy ‘Tony’ complete with salami, prosciutto, pesto, smoked cheddar and pickled chilli mayo and That’ll Do Pig, a Babe-troubling meaty feast of fennel roast pork belly, crispy shallot parmesan pork dust and lemon oil for extra ooze. Staying true to their South American roots, slow roasted pork shoulder and confit shin of beef tacos are on the menu too, as well as a selection of Latin cold drinks; a brown rice horchata here, a chipotle choco-milk there, ice cold Mexican coke all over the place and Rita’s house cocktail, the mighty Margarita, available for your daytime booze buzz needs. It is summer after all. Welcome (back) to the neighbourhood, Rita’s. 

Bodega Rita's is at 91 Cowcross Street, EC1M 6BH.

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