Coqbull Spitalfields

There’s something so especially comforting with rotisserie chicken. When done right, it’s such terrific comfort food. Priding themselves on serving some of the juiciest and best-quality coq (chicken) in town, we were super excited to check out what Coqbull Spitalfields has to offer when they reached out to us for review. Coqbull has two locations in London, one in Spitalfields as already mentioned, the other in Soho which got a rooftop dining area too.

*Disclaimer: We were invited for a complimentary meal at Coqbull Spitalfields. All views are our own.
*Header photo credits to Coqbull

Coqbull: The Chicken Specialist

Visiting on a Sunday for an early evening meal, the restaurant was quite quiet. Located by Spitalfields Market, the venue is casual yet has a snazzy vibe to it. We loved the large windows, high ceilings, cosy sofa booth tables, neon lights, graffiti mural and such. It’s quite spacious and the dining area spans two floors. Its vibrant but relaxing atmosphere certainly makes it quite an ideal spot to chill-and-dine after work if you work in the City!

The Food: What We Ordered

Coqbull’s menu, of course, features quite a few chicken options including their signature rotisserie chicken, chicken burgers, salads and snacks. There are beef burgers too but it’s unfortunately not halal.

Chicken is halal at Coqbull – handled & cooked separately from non-halal items. Pork and alcohol are served at the restaurant.

Rotisserie Chicken – Half Coq (£17)

Let’s start with what we came for – the rotisserie chicken! We went with half chicken but you can order a whole chicken to share (£28) as well. The chicken comes in fairly good portion size and is served over a bed of herb stuffing plus a little pot of chicken gravy.

Tea-brined for 2 days, then steamed and finished over the fire in the rotisserie, the chicken was generally succulent and was very clean to taste. We enjoyed the lightness of the dish and it didn’t taste heavy at all. We wouldn’t mind a punchier flavour for the seasoning rub and perhaps a stronger marinade could elevate the dish more, but I’m generally satisfied with how it currently is. It’s similar to the case of Buns & Buns where the flavours are relatively tame but it’s the quality that shone through.

The accompanying gravy oozed natural sweetness from that of a nourishing homemade stock. It’s very homely and we really enjoyed it. The stuffing was nice too, with a buttery touch and a very herby and savoury seasoning that went particularly well with the gravy. All in all, it was quite a lovely Sunday roast to me!

Southern Fried Coq Burger (£16.95)

As for burgers, there were only three chicken burger options and two of them contains bacon so that left us with just one option really, which is the Southern Fried Coq Burger. All burgers also come with rice, which we didn’t realise and we ended up going a little overboard with the side dishes. Looking back, I mean we should’ve known looking at the price, right?!

Anyway, the chicken burger was pretty decent. We loved the crispy coating and all the sauces and flavouring combos for the burger. From the chillied red onions to the fiery “Coq sauce”, they added a lovely piquant oomph that hit the spot so well. However, the chicken itself is just chicken breast. Whilst it’s not dry or tough, chicken breast just inevitably won’t be as juicy and flavoursome as using chicken thigh.

Dirty Fries (£6.5)

Whether it’s the regular fries (that came with the chicken burger above) or the dirty fries, the fries have been a delightful munch. They were perfectly crispy on the outside, nicely fluffy on the inside, and well-seasoned. The cheese & garlic sauce for the dirty fries got a lovely tangy edge to lift the flavours too. It’s got a little rustic touch to it, tasted very well-balanced, and simply addictively delicious!

Butter Roasted Corn (£5)

For more sides, we also had roast corn. It was a very lovely side dish to go with the chicken. It’s got a light buttery touch and was moreish to taste. The lightly charred exterior also adds an extra subtle touch of flavours. All in all, it’s a good munch and we enjoyed it a lot.

Creamy Mash Potatoes (£5.5)

Yeah, we definitely ordered quite a bit of potato for this meal. The creamy mash was pretty decent and quite a hearty side dish. It’s very creamy in texture but not too dense and heavy. Again, it goes well with the chicken gravy from the rotisserie chicken and they make a lovely pairing.

Coqbull Slaw (£5)

For the last of the side dishes, we got the coleslaw, which was mainly for the other half. Light and tangy, it was a decent dish and a lovely compliment to the main dishes we had.

Milkshakes (£6)

For drinks, we decided to be cheeky and treated ourselves to milkshakes. We had one chocolate milkshake and one vanilla milkshake. Both were lovely and you just can’t beat a good glass of milkshake! But if I had to pick one, I’d say I enjoyed the chocolate one more.

Warm Chocolate Chip Cookie Pan (£10)

We were honestly quite full but Coqbull has got some alluring dessert options on the menu and we just couldn’t resist! We decided on the warm chocolate chip cookie pan, which is made to order so expect a short little wait if you’re ordering it.

It arrives in a hot skillet pan, drizzled with fudge sauce and topped with a generous amount of vanilla ice cream. Whilst it may not seem particularly huge in size, we certainly recommend sharing it because it’s quite a sweet one. Sharing it between the two of us was just right, I don’t think either of us could take another bite without getting a sugar high.

Restaurant Review Summary

Summing up, we’d definitely enjoyed our meal at Coqbull. It’s truly about quality here, nothing too punchy to the palate, just good quality chicken and ingredients for one hearty feast. Everything tasted fresh & clean, and while we were incredibly full after the meal, it did not make us feel too heavy or slumped at all. If you’re around the area and looking for a nice sit-down meal, Coqbull is definitely an option!

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Tel: 020 7846 6548
Website: https://www.coqbull.co.uk/
Instagram: coqbull

Nearest station: Liverpool Street