Bar Valette brings Basque pintxos hour to east London

A new restaurant opened on Kingsland Road in east London in January of this year, adding to East London’s increasingly impressive food offering. Led by chef-owner Isaac McHale (of the two Michelin-starred The Clove Club) with the recent addition of head chef Stan Wróblicki, the establishment is now introducing a Pintxos Hour, running Tuesdays to Saturdays between 5 and 7pm, which aims to bring a taste of Basque bar culture to the capital.

Pintxos Hour at Bar Valette features a rotating selection of small plates inspired by the traditional snacks served in the bars of northern Spain. Served alongside a short list of aperitif-style drinks, dishes include items such as homemade morcilla, Txistorra sausage puffs, gildas, raw beef toasts and chilled melon gazpacho, with ingredients sourced from across the UK, among them Cornish octopus and squat lobsters.

The new menu is served at the restaurant’s counter, designed to echo the informal, convivial atmosphere of pintxos bars in cities such as San Sebastián. Drinks are curated to complement the salt-forward and piquant flavours of the pintxo. They include Alhambra Especial beer, red vermouth and soda, Manzanilla sherry and Txakoli, a lightly sparkling white wine typical of the Spanish region. Wróblicki, who previously worked at The Clove Club, says the approach focuses on “simplicity, flavour and precision” with the intention to highlight seasonal British produce through a Basque lens.

Under the guidance of McHale in his first head chef role, Wróblicki is said to be “committed to evolving the menu with intention and care”. The kitchen’s approach balances traditional Spanish influences with British ingredients and techniques, echoing a the current London dining trend that blends regional European cuisines with local sourcing.

Food Desk

Pintxos Hour runs at Bar Valette on Tuesday to Saturday from 5pm until 7pm. To book a table at Bar Valette, 28 Kingsland Road, London E2 8AA, visit the restaurant’s website here.