I’d be on the trail of Zupa the Food Lab since it opened, a couple of months back, but hadn’t managed to time it right to sample their wares. I was in need of a late-ish lunch, today, so gave them another visit, and was delighted to find them open and serving.
Exterior
Their menu is a slightly odd mix of Italian and Polish, with pizzas a speciality. The decor is similarly curious, with wall stencils of actor Edward Norton, linguist Noam Chomsky, and comedian Bill Hicks, amongst others. The Euro-trance soundtrack did nothing to dispel the weirdness, nor did the domino sets and decks of cards on the tables. In a further twist, it appear to seat precisely 13 people. Spooky.
Their quirky menu includes the lunchtime option of soup and a mini-pizza for £3. I was intrigued, so opted for that. Upon checking with the very friendly waitresses, I found out that the soup of the day was tomato.
Soup and pizza
After a suitable pause, while I got to check out some of the other unusual stylings, the soup arrived. It proved to be absolutely outstanding, and quite the best tomato soup I’ve tasted. It had such a wonderful depth of flavour to it, with a lovely rich smokiness. It rightfully takes its place among the Soupquest elite, joining their sister restaurant, Yellow Bench.
The accompanying mini pizza was a good, uneven hunk of fresh and fluffy pizza dough, simply topped with cheese and tomato. It was a lovely accompaniment, and whet my appetite for a return visit to try things from their main pizza menu.
Chomsky!
So overall, I thought Zupa was one of the stranger places I’ve visited on quests, but boy was it good. Their soup was first rate, and their pizza definitely merited further investigation. I’d recommend you make a visit to Zupa an top priority.
Scores
Blythe scores Zupa
4.5/5 for food
4/5 for presentation
3.5/5 for setting
4/5 for service
giving an overall 16/20
I ate: tomato soup, mini pizza
I drank: water
I wore: blue shirt
Total bill: £3
