The art of paella, centred around the open flame
From acclaimed chef Quique Dacosta, Arros QD brings the theatre of wood-fire cooking to the heart of London — built around a striking six-metre stove, the beating heart of the restaurant.
Here the theatre is the fire itself: flames rising, smoke swirling and rice transforming over glowing embers. Refined Spanish flavours, bold Hispanic influences, and the elemental power of wood — across two beautifully designed floors by Lázaro Rosa-Violán.
What is Arros QD?
Arros QD is London's Spanish wood fire restaurant from seven-time Michelin-starred chef Quique Dacosta, located in Fitzrovia. The restaurant centres around a dramatic six-metre wood-fire stove — the largest of its kind in London — where authentic Valencian paella and live-fire dishes are cooked using traditional Spanish techniques. Chef Dacosta holds three Michelin stars at his flagship Quique Dacosta Restaurant in Alicante, Spain, and is the UK's only holder of the Cullera de Fusta (Wooden Spoon award) for authentic Valencian paella.
What makes Valencian paella authentic?
Authentic Valencian paella is cooked over wood fire using bomba rice — a short-grain Spanish rice variety that absorbs three times its volume in stock while maintaining structure. Traditional Valencian paella contains chicken, rabbit, garrofó beans, and saffron, cooked in a wide, shallow pan to create the prized socarrat — the crispy, caramelised rice layer at the bottom. At Arros QD, every paella is cooked to order over orange wood and grapevine, following the centuries-old Valencian method that Dacosta learned in Valencia.
The Spanish wood-fire tradition
Wood-fire cooking is central to Spanish cuisine, particularly in Valencia and the Mediterranean regions. The open flame imparts distinct smokiness while allowing precise temperature control — essential for achieving perfect socarrat in paella. Arros QD's six-metre robata-style stove burns sustainably sourced orange wood, grapevine, and oak, reaching temperatures of 400°C for searing Galician octopus, Iberian pork, and whole fish.
Express lunch menu — Paella & Spanish fire
Monday to Friday, 12pm–3pm. 2 courses £29, 3 courses £34. Wood-fired robata and authentic Valencian paella — fast service, exceptional quality. Perfect for working lunches, catch-ups, or a proper midday meal.
Fire-crafted experiences, designed to share
Celebrate with us — intimate tasting menus, pre-theatre suppers, private dining in our upstairs spaces. Every experience centres the open flame and the art of Spanish dining.
Fuego Bar
A semi-private cocktail lounge for an aperitivo before dinner or a late escape — low light, Spanish vermouth, and the hum of the room.
"The theatre is the fire itself — flames rising, smoke swirling and rice transforming over glowing embers."
Arros QD · FitzroviaNews from the fire
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A celebration of Spanish culture
ARRIBA is a private House set above Arros QD, created for those who move instinctively between culture, business and hospitality. ARRIBA is not simply a place to dine, but a place to belong.
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