Lucia's
Taco restaurant · Hackney Wick ·
Open fire kitchen serving tacos with large cuts of meat
Open fire kitchen serving tacos with large cuts of meat
"Lucia’s is the kind of absolute scene that will either fuel a new flame or reignite the flirt appeal of whoever keeps leaving orphan socks on your bathroom floor. It could be vinyl soundtrack, the grapefruit Jarritos palomas, or the taco-ready crowd swarming the courtyard, but there’s a proper frisson in the air at this lively Hackney Wick taqueria. Plus, all expert matchmakers approve of Lucia’s golden couple: the beef barbacoa tacos and an ice-cold bottle of Victoria." - heidi lauth beasley, rianne shlebak
"Why settle for a hopeful chance of squeezing into a spot at the counter when you can go to Lucia’s, a cool and casual Hackney Wick taqueria where a seat at the counter is a given. Outside, stools line the courtyard bar, primed for catch-ups over fall-apart beef barbacoa and your most pick-me tote bag. Inside, there’s vinyl spinning and flames flickering by the L-shaped bar that wraps around the open kitchen like a reunion hug between two mezcal-fuelled friends." - heidi lauth beasley, jake missing, rianne shlebak
"This sceney Hackney Wick taqueria is what we like to call an ‘eye contact spot’. Knees touch, vinyl plays, and hours melt away as one round of great tacos turns into doe-eyed gazes over spicy-sweet chilli chocolate truffles. Like the makeshift tequila and grapefruit Jarritos ‘palomas’, Lucia’s is a little rough around the edges but in the best way possible that proves you’re charming but definitely not trying too hard. We like the bar seating by the flickering flames from the open kitchen, or nab a spot in their courtyard if you’re looking for an excuse to cuddle up with blankets." - heidi lauth beasley
"From a buzzing fire and mezcal-fuelled frisson in the dining room to well-groomed bichon frisés out on their east London fashion show courtyard, Lucia’s in Hackney Wick is a total scene. To experience the best of the tacos here, order with the mentality of a hungry caveman, i.e. meaty things that have been christened by fire. The sliced, charred-edges lamb rump is the ideal tender counterpart to the soft but sturdy tortillas but we’re also very into the juiciness of the rich, fall-apart beef barbacoa tacos. Bottles of Victoria encouraged. " - jake missing, rianne shlebak, daisy meager, sinead cranna, heidi lauth beasley
"Lucia’s is a total scene. Whether you’re leaning in the courtyard with people subtly showing off their knock-off Gucci tote, or sitting inside and metres from flickering flames in the open kitchen, there’s a frisson in the air at the Hackney Wick taqueria. It comes from knowing what’s behind the unmarked door, a soundtrack of vinyl and mezcal bottles jangling, and the hours melting away from one round of great tacos and cold beers to the next. Like the makeshift tequila and grapefruit Jarritos ‘palomas’, Lucia’s is a little rough about the edges in the best way—and the lively crowd embraces its charm. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch video credit: Daisy Meager photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Pause Unmute The best dishes are the rich, fall-apart beef barbacoa tacos and big cuts of meat that touch the fire, like tender sliced lamb rump, which come with a pile of corn tortillas sprinkled with sea salt and mild saucy salsas. Not everything hits: bone marrow tacos need salsa with more oomph, and a black bean and sweet potato tostada is too one-note. But the appeal of cool and casual Lucia’s goes beyond the food. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Pause Unmute Food Rundown Grilled Vegetable Plate This dish is a hit if it comes fresh off the fire—the tangle of on-the-vine tomatoes, sliced courgette, chopped beetroot, and charred spring onions gets well-acquainted with the grill, bringing out sweetness and smokiness—but a disappointment if it's been grilled before service and arrives to you cold. If you get a good batch, pile the vegetables onto the soft corn tortillas and add hot sauce from the table selection. (We love the hot, sweet habanero and pineapple El Yucateco.) photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Black Bean And Sweet Potato Tostada The mix of black bean and sweet potato was a little one-note: both brought sweetness to the party which wasn’t balanced with anything else. Plus it was a big pile of smooth, mashed vegetables and pulses to a thin, crunchy tostada. Even the spring onion garnish couldn’t provide enough contrasting texture. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Beef Barbacoa Ding ding ding, we’ve found our perfect match to Lucia’s ice-cold bottles of Victoria. The juices from the rich, fall-apart meat soak into the tortilla, and it’s sprinkled with chopped white onion and parsley. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Lamb Rump Thank you to the server who insisted we try this. Slices of charred-around-the-edges lamb are served with tortillas, diced onion, herbs, lime wedges, and thick tomato salsa. Once bundled up and bitten into, the tender meat gives way for a dreamy bite. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Chilli Chocolate Truffles A duo of two-bite chocolate truffles come heavily dusted in cocoa and sprinkled with salt. One bite reveals their spicy-sweet kick. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch" - Daisy Meager
