Lucia's
Taco restaurant · Hackney Wick
43 White Post Ln, London E9 5EN, United Kingdom
Highlights
Open fire kitchen, tacos, lamb rump, beef barbacoa, mezcal
Open fire kitchen, tacos, lamb rump, beef barbacoa, mezcal
"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
"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
"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 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 Food Rundown photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch 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." - Daisy Meager
"Hackney Wick has got a new neighbourhood taqueria in the form of Lucia’s. Grab a counter seat and watch your tacos being made in front of you. Expect things like pork chops, crab tacos, and chit chat with the chef. We checked out Lucia's and added it to the Hit List. " - sinead cranna, rianne shlebak
"Whether you’re leaning in the courtyard with a beer, or sitting inside and metres from flickering flames in the open kitchen, there’s a frisson in the air at this 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 palomas to the next. The best dishes touch the fire, particularly the grilled vegetable plate and tender sliced lamb rump, which both come build-your-own-taco style with soft, sturdy corn tortillas. Not everything’s a hit, but the appeal of cool and casual Lucia’s goes beyond the food." - jake missing, rianne shlebak, daisy meager, sinead cranna, heidi lauth beasley
