Parreira Tapas Bar, Leyton
Leyton isn’t exactly oversupplied for restaurants so a trip out on a Saturday evening is inevitably going to lead here at some point. Even at this peak time, the place wasn’t particularly crowded but there were enough people there to make it feel comfortable.
The menu is largely tapas, although there are around a dozen meat and fish main course style dishes. I didn’t try any of these so have no idea whether they’re any good or not, but I couldn’t see any reason to stray from the tapas menu. The selection is pretty good, with the usual things like patatas bravas, and the dishes are good when they arrive. They seem slightly bigger than usual tapas restaurants and five was probably a little too much for two people.
The wine list is in the usual price range of £13 upwards, mostly centred around the £15 mark, although they didn’t have the first choice which gives some indication of the size of the place. There was no problem with the quality of the second choice and I was relieved that it wasn’t a bottle of the same Navarra that I could get from Tesco’s for a third of the price.
Most of the people there were a mixture of local infrequent visitors, out for a reasonably cheap local evening, and regulars who seemed to sit in the corner drinking bottles of beer and sporting a fantastic collection of moustaches. The service was smart enough, especially given that there only seemed to be one waitress for the entire room. It isn’t the kind of place to rush through in any case.
Price: around £40 for two, with wine.
Best points: pretty good food and wine, very good price, very big moustaches.
Worst point: too small tables for 2 people and lots of plates.
Overall, worth supporting a local restaurant which also turned out to be not bad.
Parreira is at 232 High Road, Leyton.
7 Replies to “Parreira Tapas Bar, Leyton”
I walk past there everyday, never gone in though…
been there quite a few times very good value and food is good especially the sardines!Garden at the back is great in the summer
I have been living in the area for 3 years now and my friends and family have eaten there regularly. We have also had some great celebrations and parties there over the years. The team have been flexible, accomodating, and efficient. The food is tasty and plentiful! Nothing like an outdoor BBQ for 100 people out the back in the middle of summer to remind you of home…NZ!
I ate here a few weeks ago and can safely say it was the worst restaurant experience I’ve had in a long while. Neither Tapas nor particularly Spanish in flavour, we were presented with poor quality food, extremely slow service and a non-esistant wine list (red or white) – cheap rioja at £18 per bottle. My fillet steak was not fillet. Nothing to recommend the place what-so-ever, even though it is a local for Leyton. Awful – avoid it!
This is THE WORST restaurant I have ever had the displeasure of visiting. The crabs legs were like giant deformed crab sticks with a crab claw stuck on the end. The mussels were were disgusting, dry, flavourless, the salad had seen better days and the prawns were dry and tasteless.When we returned the mussell dish we were promised another one to replace it, I dont think my stomach could have faced it so I refused.When it was time to pay I asked for the manager who conveniently was out. When we agreed a price to pay and got our cards out we we were told the card machine was broken. We were asked to use the ATM next door which happens to charge for withdrawals. I refused until the waiter gave me the transaction fee.This place is an utter joke and SHOULD BE AVOIDED. It is a complete libery and insult that places like this are allowed to operate. AVOID, AVOID, AVOID!!!!!
What a gem! We live locally also, stumbled upon this place last night and was really surprised by it. The waiter was friendly and attentive without being over the top and the food and wine were good. The room at the back is a haven! Ssshh, keep this place a secret!
It is a very nice restaranut; dont know what losers can critise the food there. And it is not Spanish – it is Portugese! Which shows, as usuall how some British are arrogant. Anyway; if you want a nice fresh meal; not frozen fish and chips; go to Parreira – you will not be dissapointed!