This slick restaurant and late-night bar sits on the water in a prime spot bringing Aegean inspired cuisine to the heart of Canary Wharf. Opening just 3 weeks ago, I was excited to go and check them out as I had heard such good things.
The latest location of Hovarda promises to keep all the good things we know about the Soho branch but sprinkle even more sass and flavours into the mix. For starters, they have the only late-night license in the area and remain open until 2am. With a different DJ playing the tunes every Wednesday to Saturday, you can enjoy dinner to a cool soundtrack and then dance off the food until the early hours.
The interiors are stunning with low lighting and walls adorned with artwork, an open kitchen and a glowing cabinet showcasing bottles of Raki. There is plenty of space to host all types of groups, families and couples for date nights or if not dining, you can sit at the bar and watch the mixologists bring the cocktails to life.
Being on the water, there is also a terrace where you can chill out on and sip your cocktails under the canopy of the city’s tallest skyscrapers.
With a menu designed to share, it’s easy enough to pick out your faves and cover the table with mezze dishes to dig into. I can never resist Tzatziki and the pitta breads are served hot with olive oil, oregano and sea salt.
There is a heavy focus on seafood on the menu with a dedicated raw bar so ordering a Ceviche is a must. Not only is it pretty, but its fresh and delicious! Opting for the Seabass with Tomato Tiger Milk, onion and coriander the quality impressed me as much as the presentation.
Taking me back to the fond food memories of my last trip to Greece, is the Saganaki. These yummy parcels of aged feta in kataifi covered in truffle honey and basil are to die to! I wanted to lick the plate clean but remembered I was in a very busy public space!
Choosing mains was super easy and again we shared these. If you don’t have friends who share food, you need new friends! To me, that’s what eating out is all about, being able to experience new combinations and satisfying all those foodie cravings with your nearest and dearest.
Main dishes are carefully put together with an offering for meat lovers as well as seafood addicts and veggies.
The Kleftiko (lamb) comes highly recommended, along with the Lobster Pasta and Pastichio. And of course, there is a Greek Salad!
I learned that ‘hovarda’ is the playful term which means ‘a generous host’ used in both Greek and Turkish language. Visiting the restaurant for the first time myself, this term really does sum up your time here as there is nothing the team aren’t happy to do to ensure you have the most memorable experience.
As London spots go, Hovarda is top of the list for many and I can see why. It’s got everything you need for the perfect night out with the bonus option of staying on for drinkies into the early hours (because let’s face it, after a couple glasses of vino, we all want a little boogie!).
Review and Images by Zoe Laing @_zozogram_
Feature image supplied
