Ember Yard Soho Review: Spanish Tapas, Great Wine and a Perfect Summer Evening

Some of the best restaurant recommendations come from friends. Some come from hours of scrolling through Instagram, TikTok and Tripadvisor. My latest favourite, Ember Yard Soho, came from ChatGPT of all places.

A few minutes of digging and I was sold. Sitting pretty at 4.9 out of 5 on Tripadvisor at the time of our visit, with Spanish and Italian tapas cooked over a wood fired grill, just moments from Carnaby Street and the buzz of the West End. Right up my street.

And as luck would have it, we picked one of the hottest evenings of the year. 28 degrees, blue skies, and a Soho that was absolutely humming. If you have ever been in Soho when the sun is out, you will know exactly the kind of golden, slightly giddy energy I mean.

It turned out to be the perfect setting for one of my favourite dinners of the year. Here is everything you need to know before you book.

Walking through Soho on a warm summer evening feels like a completely different version of London. Every outdoor table was full. People were spilling out of bars with a glass in hand. The whole place felt alive, busy but happy with it, like everyone had collectively decided to make the most of the sunshine.

From the street, Ember Yard Soho looks effortlessly cool. The dark frontage stands out beautifully against everything around it, and the black exterior, the warm glow from inside and the open windows pull you in before you have even walked through the door.

The restaurant sums itself up as Fire, Smoke and Cocktails, and that is exactly the energy you get. Modern, stylish, a little bit moody, and not trying too hard. My kind of place.

There are a handful of pavement tables out front too, ideal for a glass of something cold and a bit of people watching, and dogs are welcome out there as well.

For me, atmosphere can make or break a meal, and Ember Yard Soho absolutely nails it.

Inside it feels intimate and stylish all at once. Dark wood floors, exposed beams, low industrial lighting and warm amber tones, with a flush of moody pink in the bar. The open kitchen adds a lovely bit of theatre, while the soft lighting keeps everything relaxed and welcoming.

Inside Ember Yard Soho, the bar and open kitchen with that buzzy evening glow.

All evening there was a steady flow of people arriving for dinner, drinks and cocktails. Busy, but never crowded. Buzzy, but you could still hear yourself talk. The open windows tied the whole room to the streets outside, so you got the best of both worlds. Soho’s famous energy on one side, somewhere sophisticated and calm on the other.

If you ever get the chance to visit in warm weather, do yourself a favour and request a window table. You will not regret it.

Now, a little confession. When we booked, I reserved seats at the kitchen bar. I almost always do. I love watching the chefs work, seeing the plates come together, having a bit of a laugh with the team. For me it is part of the fun.

There was just one tiny problem. It was 28 degrees. And we realised the second we walked in that perching ourselves next to a roaring open kitchen might not have been my finest idea.

Luckily we were early for our 6.15 booking. And this is where Raf comes in. From the moment we spoke to him, Raf could not have been lovelier. The restaurant was already filling up, but he shuffled a few things around, worked his quiet magic, and found us a table right by the open windows.

It completely transformed the evening. A gentle breeze drifting through, carrying all the noise and energy of Soho with it. Honestly, the perfect seat in the house. It is those little moments of genuine, no fuss hospitality that turn a nice dinner into a memorable one, and they are a big part of what makes Ember Yard Soho so easy to love. Raf was not just efficient, he actually wanted us to have a brilliant night. And we did.

One of my favourite moments happened before we had even glanced at the menu.

My friend Olga is a serious wine lover, and whenever we eat out together I happily hand the decisions over because she always gets it right. As soon as we sat down, she turned to me and said the four magic words. I do not want to make any decisions tonight.

Music to my ears.

Raf suggested the £55 tasting menu, and we said yes before he had even finished the sentence. In fact, we did not even look at what was on it. No studying the menu. No debating. No overthinking. We simply handed control to the kitchen and waited to see what turned up. Best decision of the night. Every single course arrived as a little surprise, and that, for me, was half the magic.

Olga chose a bottle of Tradicion Field Blend by Vinas del Cenit, a Spanish clarete from the Tierra del Vino de Zamora, which came in at £74.

The Tradicion Field Blend, a juicy Spanish clarete and our wine of the night.

Right, the bit you are really here for. The food. And this is where Ember Yard Soho really earns its reputation.

Pan con tomate

First to arrive, and a little twist, because it was not the flatbread listed on the set menu. Instead we got pan con tomate. Simple dishes are often the hardest to get right, and this was spot on. Crunchy toasted bread, bright fresh tomato, a scatter of chives, perfectly balanced. The ideal way to start.

Pan con tomate at Ember Yard Soho, simple done brilliantly.

Padron peppers and charcuterie

Next came two tapas classics together. Padron peppers, blistered, glossy and lightly salted, with that fun little game of pepper roulette where every now and then you hit a fiery one. Alongside them, a plate of beautiful cured meat, rich and savoury, the kind of thing that gets everyone reaching in and sharing. Both vanished in record time.

Charcuterie and padron peppers, exactly how a tapas evening should begin.

Croquetas

Then a bowl of golden, crunchy croquetas, sitting on a swipe of garlicky aioli. Crisp on the outside, hot and molten in the middle. These are an Ember Yard signature and it is easy to taste why. Dangerous little things. They did not last long.

Crispy croquetas on aioli, an Ember Yard signature.

Prawns pil pil

One of the signature dishes, and you can see why. Plump, tender prawns swimming in fragrant harissa oil with parsley. Warm, gently spiced, but never overpowering the delicate seafood. The bread very quickly became essential for mopping up every last drop.

Scallops with melon and smoked chilli salsa

Elegant and beautifully presented, served in the shell. We got one scallop each. Would I have happily eaten more? Absolutely. But what was there was excellent. Sweet scallop, fresh melon and a subtle smoky chilli, finished with a delicate crisp on top, all in one neat, refined little bite.

Scallops with melon and smoked chilli salsa, served in the shell.

The star of the show: charred hispi cabbage

Every great meal has one dish everyone keeps talking about afterwards. For us, no contest, it was the hispi cabbage.

Charred hispi cabbage served on a bed of ajo blanco with a crispy harissa topping. It sounds humble. It was anything but. Smoky edges, natural sweetness from the grill, creaminess from the ajo blanco underneath and a proper crunch on top. Every element earned its place.

The charred hispi cabbage at Ember Yard Soho, the unexpected star of the night.

It is not often a cabbage steals the show, but this one absolutely did. If Ember Yard ever takes it off the menu, I may have to file a formal complaint. Order it. Trust me.

Josper roasted baby chicken

By now we were getting pleasantly full, and yet the chicken still managed to impress. Josper roasted baby chicken served with Estrella Damm rice, a little crispy croqueta, a charred sweet red pepper and a vivid green herb dressing. Hearty, comforting and deeply satisfying, with juicy chicken and rice that soaked up all that smoky richness. A lovely way to round off the savoury plates.

Josper roasted baby chicken with Estrella Damm rice, our final savoury plate.

At this point we genuinely did not need dessert. So, obviously, we ordered dessert.

I went for the dark chocolate mousse with olive oil and smoked sea salt. Olga chose the cheesecake. The moment they landed, we looked at each other and immediately agreed to share, because of course we did.

Dark chocolate mousse with olive oil and smoked sea salt.

The chocolate mousse was rich and indulgent, with the olive oil and smoked sea salt lifting it well beyond your average chocolate pudding. The cheesecake was creamy, dreamy and just as good. The perfect ending to an already wonderful meal.

London is not short of pricey restaurants, which is exactly why the Ember Yard Soho tasting menu, at £55, feels so impressive. For that you get multiple courses, lovely quality ingredients and a genuinely memorable evening.

Factor in the location right in the heart of Soho, the standard of the food and the warmth of the service, and it is excellent value. Especially next to plenty of central London spots charging a good deal more for a good deal less.

Ember Yard also has a lower ground floor space with a big, communal style table down near The Ember Bar. It immediately struck me as a brilliant option for birthdays, celebrations, work get togethers or any kind of group dinner.

It is not completely closed off, but it feels distinct enough to give you that special occasion feeling. Pair it with the restaurant’s seriously good looking cocktail list and you have got yourself a fantastic group venue.

Sometimes a recommendation just quietly exceeds every expectation. Ember Yard did exactly that.

The food was excellent. The atmosphere captured everything wonderful about Soho on a summer evening. The service from Raf was genuinely outstanding. And the £55 tasting menu was fantastic value. Most of all, the whole evening felt effortless. No stress, no overthinking, no menu analysis. Just great food, great wine and great company.

If you are after a Soho restaurant review you can actually trust, here is mine. For brilliant sharing plates, warm hospitality and a lively atmosphere, Ember Yard Soho belongs right at the top of your list. It is easily one of the best tapas restaurants in Soho, and one of the Spanish restaurants in London I will be recommending for a long time to come.

We will absolutely be back.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars.

Have you been to Ember Yard? Tell me your favourite dish in the comments. I would love to know if anything beats that cabbage.

If you enjoyed this, you might also like my Mountain restaurant review, another buzzy Soho sharing plates spot, and Margaux in South Kensington for a relaxed French dinner in London.

Is Ember Yard worth visiting?

Absolutely. The combination of excellent tapas style sharing plates, attentive service and that buzzy Soho atmosphere makes Ember Yard one of the most enjoyable dining experiences in central London.

How much is the Ember Yard tasting menu?

The tasting menu was £55 per person when we visited, including a generous selection of sharing dishes. It changes regularly, so the exact plates you are served may differ from ours.

What is the best dish at Ember Yard?

The charred hispi cabbage with ajo blanco and crispy harissa was the runaway star during our visit, closely followed by the prawns pil pil, the croquetas and the Josper roasted baby chicken.

Where is Ember Yard Soho?

Ember Yard is at 60 Berwick Street, London W1F 8SU, in the heart of Soho and just moments from Carnaby Street. The nearest tube is Oxford Circus.

Do you need to book Ember Yard?

Yes, I would always book ahead. It was extremely busy during our visit, so advance booking is highly recommended, especially in the evenings and at weekends. On a warm day, ask for a table by the open windows rather than the kitchen bar.

Is Ember Yard good for groups?

Yes. The sharing style menu, the cocktail list and the large communal table downstairs near The Ember Bar make it an excellent choice for birthdays, celebrations and group gatherings.

Does Ember Yard have vegetarian or vegan options?

Yes. Ember Yard is known for strong vegetarian and plant based plates, and the charred hispi cabbage happens to be vegan. Gluten free options are available too. Do mention any allergies or dietary needs when you book.