I’m a big fan of the Coppa Club group of restaurants and have been to my local one on the riverside in Putney frequently. There are 11 of them spread across London and the south of England. As well as beautifully designed interiors and a lovely, diverse menu they also have something unique that I love – their igloos. Such a great place for a celebration lunch or dinner, summer or winter, they’re cosy and comfy and eating in them just feels special. So that’s just perfect for Christmas. Today I decided to take a train down to one of my favourite towns in the UK to try out Coppa Club Brighton and meet my friend Maxine for lunch.
Brighton is just over an hour away by train through the greenest of English countryside. From the station I headed towards the sea to the maze-like Lanes, little winding interconnected streets lined with shops, cafes, bars and restaurants. I love wandering through them, even though I do tend to get lost initially. They don’t cover a huge area and you’ll soon find yourself back where you started from without even intending to be…so no panic about getting lost for any length of time. Coppa Club sits overlooking a lovely private courtyard which is home to two igloos set under twinkling lights. Our lunch venue beckoned. And what better way to start off than with a glass of refreshing Prosecco. Now we’re talking. 
What’s on the menu
We started off sharing two fishy dishes. The Loch Duart salmon carpaccio comes with cucumber, capers and lemon. A generous portion of beautifully fresh and tasty salmon.
The crispy fried squid was melt-in-the-mouth and served with a sriracha mayo for some spicy dipping.
The pan-seared yellow fin tuna came perfectly pink with a warm salad of green beans and sundried tomato dressing.
And then for my favourite steak. I love this grass-fed flat iron – it’s 8 ounces which is the ideal size for me and packed with flavour. Served with the irresistible white truffle cream and a serving of piping hot crisp skinny fries.
As regular readers will know I’m not much of a sweet eater but I am quite partial to an affogato. Vanilla ice cream served with a double espresso poured over it and some extra Frangelico for more of a hit. Kind of like extra special coffee in a bowl.
Maxine went for the sticky toffee pudding which came with vanilla honeycomb ice cream and warm toffee sauce. Very satisfying.
Igloos are the place for me…well the ones at Coppa Club anyway. The perfect environment for what feels like al fresco dining without any of the inconveniences of eating outside in England – especially in the winter. They are heated and come with blankets for extra warmth. And beautifully lit from above as you can see. Go on, celebrate in an igloo this Christmas.
Today’s Price Point
Today’s three-course lunch for two came to a total of £85.50.
Both white and red wine start from £24 a bottle.
Coppa Club Brighton is at 12-16 Brighton Square in The Lanes.
