A cocktail bar, restaurant and live music venue all in one; Floridita continues to entice a sizeable chunk of Soho’s evening crowd through its doors each and every week. I swung by for an evening of dining, drinking and dancing at the weekend and soon saw exactly why.
The Venue
Positioned half-way down the iconic Wardour Street, we encountered Floridita’s illustrious rum bar as soon as we stepped inside. Dark and atmospheric, the bar was populated by a neatly turned out crowd chatting away while they sipped at their meticulously-mixed cocktails. The cocktails are undoubtedly Floridita’s pride and joy - the venue parades under an “In Rum We Trust” banner after all - and the skilled bartenders have clearly been chosen for their first rate proficiency when handling the spirit.
Pull up a stool and check out Floridita's vast array of Rum-based cocktails.
The Atmosphere and Clientele
We dipped downstairs to find a vast basement restaurant that shunned mundane background music in favour of a live band all night. All immaculately turned out in accordance with the clientele, the group made the place their own with a medley of infectious salsa tunes that had people toe-tapping and finger-clicking throughout. We also encountered a sprinkling of couples enjoying a stylish date-night, as well as larger groups settling down for a relaxing night out. Most wasted no time in bobbing, weaving and shuffling their way through the dance floor once the plates had been cleared away.
The venue's infectious atmosphere is due in no small part to the high calibre of bands that it attracts.
The Food and Drinks
The food was as satisfying and delicious as it was flawlessly presented. We started with a ham hock terrine, baby leaf salad, mango & chilli salsa and a golden & red heritage beetroot salad with feta cheese & rocket which set the impressive tone for what was to follow.
The grilled lamb cutlets were juicy and succulent, and the asparagus & broad been risotto was a hearty and nourishing choice for the vegetarians. We washed this down with a bottle of house white wine which was the perfect supplement to the tasty food. The waiting staff were attentive and friendly - ensuring wine was topped up and all requests were met with a smile, a really nice touch.
Grab yourself something tasty from the extensive menu.
Summary
Floridita is a truly dynamic option for a night out in the West End. Fantastic cocktails and delicious, hearty fare keeps you sweet early doors, before a pulsating party that offers a fresh alternative to the standard night club gets into full swing. In essence, Floridita offers a refined evening out that undoubtedly makes it one of Soho’s leading lights.
