8.3
Great
Restaurants

Jason Allen 14/09/24


Topa

Even with already being one of the best wine bars in North London, Provisions on Holloway Road is now providing something even better: a pintxo bar.

Every Thursday, Friday & Saturday night, the space morphs into Topa, serving up a menu of Basque dishes from chef Simon Shand (who’s fresh off the pans as kitchen commander at Shoreditch restaurant Leroy).

topa

Now, it should at this point be mentioned that Topa is just one of the many hats that this venue wears, because as well as being a wine bar it’s also a deli by day, with shelves brimming with artisan produce from across Europe’s tastiest corners. The whole place has a delightful mercantile charm about it, with the heady aroma of fresh cheese & smoked meat intermingled with the eclectic array of treats lining the walls. And in the centre of it all is a long, candlelit table, with enough room to fit about two dozen diners at a time, plus a few standing.

topa peppers with goats cheese

Those fantastic ingredients make their way into the Topa menu, where you’ll find the likes of chorizo cooked in cider; rich slow-cooked crab, leek & Cognac txangurro tarts; earthy wild mushrooms and raw egg yolk; zippy seabream ceviche with orange & dill; and hake with orzo, saffron & courgettes. And to follow, there are cheese platters loaded with the deli’s specialities, and a fig, almond & brown butter sponge topped with crème fraîche.

There is of course plenty of wine to go with all of this, including some lovely Txakoli (a light & dry Basque sparkling) to go with a selection of French & Italian numbers. Which is a nice segue back to the name Topa, which in Basque means cheers. But in the eateries of San Sebastián that word carries more weight than a mere clink of the glass – it embodies the spirit of a relaxed, convivial, and casual atmosphere. The kind you can lean into while eating & drinking with your friends. So to that we say…

…topa.

 

NOTE: Topa is open every Thursday-Saturday night. You can make a booking on 020 7700 0476, or just walk in.

Provisions Holloway | 167 Holloway Road, London, N7 8LX


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Topa


167 Holloway Road, Islington, North London, N7 8LX

8.3 | Great