Viva Soprano!

Celebrating 20 years on Tunbridge Wells High Street, Soprano has firmly established itself as one of the town’s most popular and much-loved independent restaurants. We return to this Spanish tapas favourite to discover its enduring epicurean appeal…

When it comes to delivering that holy hospitality trinity of deliciously authentic food, eclectic ambience and friendly service, Soprano does so every time I, along with family or friends, have had the pleasure of dining there.

So it’s no wonder to discover that in September it will mark 20 years on Tunbridge Wells High Street. No mean feat given that, during the past two decades, other independent establishments have opened and closed, while well-known national restaurant chains have roared into town to great fanfare, only to humbly retreat a few years later.

Then, of course, there was the Covid curveball, which certainly gave every business owner plenty of sleepless nights – especially those in the hospitality sector. But thankfully, brothers Ivan and Maurizio Di Santo, who own Soprano, not only expertly steered this popular authentic Spanish tapas bar to safety, they have positively made it one of Tunbridge Wells’ most successful restaurants. And, as it turns 20, it can now boast that it’s the town’s longest-running independent establishment too.

The brothers, who hail from Calabria in Italy and also run a hugely successful dessert company specialising in traditional desserts from their region, have invited me and my daughter to dine at Soprano as part of a series of special celebrations for their 20th anniversary.

We arrive one warm Friday evening in early August and the place is buzzing, with tables full both inside and in the inviting alfresco area.

Groups range from couples out on a date to friends kicking back and relaxing after a busy working week. The atmosphere is fun and friendly, and we’re quickly shown to our table right in the heart of the restaurant.

The décor is iconic, with ambient lighting, black-and-white framed photos of famous film stars and a mix of vermilion-red painted walls and exposed brick. There are wall-to-wall smooth leather banquettes and a cocktail counter that positively shimmers with all the colourful bottles and sculptural glassware displayed on it.

As our menus are brought to us, we are also served a little shot of Baby Guinness to get the evening off to a fine start…

Once finished, we’re soon perusing the menu which, as you’d expect, is packed full of Spanish tapas classics, including tortilla, patatas bravas, gambas pil pil, boquerones and traditional paella.

There are also little adventurous hints of other Mediterranean-inspired cuisine here too – think grilled halloumi with a heritage carrot purée, pink peppercorns and mojo verde, and a variety of flavoured homemade hummus dips with fresh pitta.

My daughter Isabelle and I decide upon a trio of appetisers to accompany the cocktails we choose: a classic margarita for me and a Blush for her. Both are beautifully presented and almost – almost – look too good to drink.

Isabelle’s Blush arrives at the table literally bubbling away, thanks to the talented mixologist who performs all kinds of magic when creating Soprano’s legendary cocktails. The Blush is a mix of Prosecco, pink gin, raspberry and fresh grapefruit, and is clean and refreshing. Other show-stopping cocktails on offer include the very Instagram-friendly Glitter Mojito and Anna Banana.

But back to the main event – the food.

The dates we ordered to start were wrapped in slivers of thinly sliced Serrano ham and roasted. This pairing gave a nod to Spain’s Moorish heritage and was, in actual fact, incredibly moreish. Jammy to taste and cleverly fusing hits of respective sweetness and saltiness, we agreed this was a great opening choice.

Our pan con tomate was another epicurean delight: crisp toasted sourdough topped with juicy, ripe grated tomatoes and finished off with a sprinkling of sliced fresh chilli and spring onion, with a generous drizzle of olive oil. Literally, heaven on a plate!

The Padrón peppers were our final appetiser of choice and came beautifully blistered and lightly salted – and were devoured within minutes.

Next up was one of the most in-demand house dishes on the Soprano menu: its albondigas meatballs – the recipe for which is a closely guarded secret. Ivan told me that although they like to update and tweak the menu fairly regularly, this is one of the dishes that is non-negotiable due to its enormous popularity.

When they arrive, we can see why: they are melt-in-the-mouth delicious and come anointed in a rich and smoky tomato sauce spiked with seasoning and a little chilli – we think!

The patatas bravas we also order are everything you want from this Spanish classic: golden and crisp on the outside, fluffy within and generously coated in punchy brava sauce. Isabelle and I find ourselves duelling forks for the last bite (and of course I let her win!)

Yet again we have dined so well at Soprano and, as we say goodbye to the friendly staff at Soprano, Isabelle and I both agree that we, along with every other discerning diner here in Tunbridge Wells, are incredibly lucky to have this gastronomic gem on our doorstep.

Here’s to the next 20 years, Team Soprano – ¡Viva España!

www.sopranotunbridgewells.co.uk