Built around an open kitchen, bar and programme of guest chefs, residencies, tastings, music-led events and collaborations, Rocola will ‘bring together the warmth of a neighbourhood restaurant with the energy of a space that keeps moving’.
Taking its name from the Spanish word for jukebox, the site will have a permanent food and drinks programme influenced by the Crudo team’s Latin American roots, as well as Southern European influences.
Alongside that will be a changing calendar of guest chefs, kitchen residencies, wine tastings, music-led nights and collaborations.
Taking the space that was previously home to Mexican restaurant and bar Caldera, the restaurant will have a raw, understated aesthetic, with exposed concrete, warm lighting and an industrial edge.
Rocola’s first residency programme will feature Dublin-born chef Nico Reynolds, whose cooking brings together Jamaican roots, Irish produce and the influence of years spent living and cooking in Buenos Aires.
His food first drew wider attention after his former restaurant, Lil Portie, featured on Fck, That’s Delicious with Action Bronson.
“Rocola is about creating a restaurant that feels alive every time you walk in,” says Crudo Group co-founder Maria Yanez.
“We wanted to build a place with its own food, drinks and identity, but also one that could make space for new chefs, ideas and experiences throughout the year. The open kitchen is central to that. Guests can see the energy of the room, meet the people cooking for them and feel part of what is happening that night.”
Founded by Yanez and Carlos Socorro in 2019, Crudo currently operates sites in Covent Garden and Shoreditch.
Originally from Venezuela, the couple met in Miami, a city known for its booming Latin American food scene.
After moving to London, they felt the city’s dining scene lacked casual, contemporary Latin American restaurants, inspiring them to launch Crudo.
As the name suggests, the concept began with a focus on ceviche before evolving into a broader Latin American offering.
The pair are also behind Fitzrovia bar and shop Tiny Wine.