It was my second attempt to buy lunch at La Lola's on a busy weekday in St Nick's Market. On my first visit, the kitchen had already completely sold out of paella before 1.30pm and I was told to come back at 12pm sharp the next time.
La Lola first opened in November 2021 and is therefore one of the newest traders on the block. Curry house Spice Up Your Life has been based in the arcade for well over two decades as well as Moroccan vendor, Cafe Atlas. Royce Rolls Cafe for even longer, and has been serving vegetarian sandwiches, cakes and jacket potatoes since the late 1970s.
It's also one of the few stalls with a proper dining area, decked out with simple white and blue seating enough for around a dozen covers to imitate a tapas bar you might find on the Valencian coast. Although the near-freezing temperatures this week make that a difficult scene to manifest, with most customers choosing the takeaway option.
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I arrived just after midday as instructed and the market stall has already been cleaned out of one of four of its paellas, the seafood paella, which I hear is a firm favourite at £8.50 a portion topped with fresh shrimp and mussels. The kitchen's most expensive dish is the squid ink paella at £9, which is a rich jet black colour.
The most affordable paella dish is the vegan option at £6.90 and the smell of saffron hits you almost instantly. The paella was crammed full of vegetables including green beans, plump broad beans, sweet peppers and soft slices of artichoke that gave a wonderful nutty flavour. It was served with a thick dollop of aioli on the side.
I had slightly hoped it might come in a miniature paella pan like those on display instead of a takeaway trough, but the portion size was very generous like most of the other market stalls I've encountered. It was too big to finish in one sitting and subsequently knocked me out for the rest of the day, but it would be perfect to go with a group of friends and share like the Spanish so often do.
In true tapas fashion, I also opted for a single portion of the spinach croquette (£1.60 each or four for £7) made with creamy blue cheese and the traditional bechamel. For me, it was a little pale in colour and was calling out for a thick, crisper bread-crumbed coating.
The range of dishes on La Lola's menu is perhaps what makes it so impressive. It also has an all-day brunch option of huevos rotos paired with either Serrano ham, chorizo or manchego from £5. This on top of calamari, hand-carved Iberico ham and freshly made churros is the making of an intriguing menu that could be worthy of its own restaurant one day.
Bristol isn't exactly overloaded with tapas bars like it is with, say, Italian restaurants, but those based in the city have certainly earned their keep. Paco Tapas holds a Michelin star, Gambas is in the Michelin Guide and Bravas is an undisputed favourite among the locals - but La Lola has its own charm as a market stall delivering no-frills Spanish food. There is a lot to be said about Bristol's street food offering, which isn't exactly a secret.
Despite being a newcomer, the stall fits in seamlessly with the rest of the St Nick's crowd. The quality of the food inside the market is always astonishing and makes me wish it was open in the evenings more often. Let's pray for the return of the night markets this summer.
La Lola is at Stall 35-39 Glass Arcade St Nicholas Market, Bristol
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