Most Londoners know about Forza Wine by now. This small plates restaurant and wine bar is a dependable place to have a Good Time. It’s where you go to meet The Girls to share a bottle of natty orange and crispy cauliflower fritti. It’s the sort of place you could take a date, but your mum would also quite like, and the kind of trendy establishment that’s perfect fodder for the Real Housewives of Clapton meme account. After seven years in the game, Forza knows what it’s doing, and it does it well.
A perfectly-melty mound of Genovese ragu is sweet and robust
The cult resto has now arrived in Soho, launching its third outpost (alongside Peckham and the National Theatre). Already extremely popular, the space is large and airy; it’s got forest green banquettes, warm wooden accents and rattan chairs. Tables of two are positioned as closely as they can be. On a Tuesday night it’s rammed with dates, catch-ups and groups of food-conscious friends meeting for a cheeky post-work Lambrusco (my glass of Paltrinieri slipped down a treat).
The menu here is not wildly different from their other locations. That famous cauliflower fritti with aioli is as crispy and addictive as ever. Mussels in a creamy crusco pepper sauce are rich and tangy with a delightful kick. A perfectly-melty mound of Genovese ragu is sweet and robust, arriving on a square of fried polenta with a drizzle of fresh salsa verde. For drinks, the wine list is extensive, spanning cremants, chilled reds and orange tipples, with not a sulphite in sight.
For pud we’re regretfully too full for the artisan McFlurry that is their malted milk soft serve, so we go for the trademarked Custardo – a sort-of affogato where espresso is mixed with a homemade custard. You can even have it decaf. The Italians would have a field day, but I love that I’m able to choose a good night’s sleep – it’s a school night, after all – while still getting to enjoy Forza’s signature digestif. Sweet and silky, it’s a creamy delight.
Already, the Soho joint feels like a well-oiled machine. Plates are whisked away mere seconds after I’ve finished picking at the final morsels. I’m instantly offered bread, still warm from the oven and with a lovely thick crust, when my waiter notices I’ve finished my mussels, but a puddle of sauce remains. My only complaint: I would have preferred my dishes to come out together like a posh picky bits dinner spread, rather than in succession.
Still, I think we’re on to a winner here. It’s not exactly cheap but some things at Forza are great value. Bread and butter is £3, and the Custardo is £5. They also have the ‘Forza fiver’, a white vermouth on the rocks, always available for five quid. Thanks to its already loyal fanbase and ability to appeal to all kinds of Londoners, we’ve no doubt Forza Wine Soho will be hugely successful.
The vibe Hip southeast London comes to central.
The food Italian-inspired bites with a cheeky injection of British charm.
The drink Natural wines of all kinds, plus a mix of crowd-pleasing classic cocktails alongside fun and fruity concoctions.
Time Out tip It may not be a Peckham rooftop, but Forza Wine Soho has an outdoor terrace that will be calling our name come t-shirt weather.