Our Review Of Arabica London: Eastern Mediterranean Small Plates In Borough Market

Whenever you're weaving your way through Borough Market, you know you're in for some really great food. With all those stalls, cafes and restaurants to choose from, it can be difficult to decide where to go. But boasting both a stand in the market itself and a permanent restaurant hidden just behind it, Arabica is always a great pick.

Founded more than 20 years ago by business partners Jad and James, this is an Eastern Mediterranean restaurant that was dreamed up from travels all across the Levant region. They've come from selling their meze plates at a trestle table to running multiple London sites, and it was their bar and kitchen underneath Borough's historic railway arches that I recently visited.

This Borough Market venue features warm, intimate interiors.

DesignMyNight’s Review Of Arabica London Bridge

This inviting restaurant features a curved ceiling made from exposed brickwork, reflecting the Victorian arch that it's found in. This is a warm, intimate venue that features a bar along one side and rows of wooden tables throughout the rest of the space, which was packed full of Wednesday night diners and even had a queue of people waiting outside.

To begin, our waitress explained the Arabica menu, which is designed to share. But before we dived into the food, we ordered a pomegranate margarita (£14) and a Turkish Delight (£13). The former was a zesty blend of pomegranate juice, lime and vanilla syrup, topped with tequila, finished with a pink peppercorn salt rim that added a kick to the drink. The second cocktail combined sapling vodka with hibiscus liqueur, alongside citrus, vanilla and rose aquafaba which created a foamy finish. This was a little too creamy at the top for my liking, but once you got to the liquid below the taste was beautifully sweet and floral.

For fans of cocktails and small plates, head to Arabica.

We began by splitting two dips, which we ordered alongside two portions of pita bread (£2.50 each). The first was their signature hummus (£8.70), a rich, creamy chickpea blend that scopped up easily on to the fluffy, freshly baked bread. This was topped with an enticing blend of roasted confit garlic, zhug, shatta and a pickled chilli. The second was whipped corn (£8.50), which intrigued me as it was something I had never tried before. It was a pleasant surprise, with a light, buttery sweetcorn flavour, finished with red chilli, spring onion, za'tar and charred corn for a crunchy twist.

We were advised to order a hot meze dish per person, and we chose two different ones to share. The grilled halloumi with black honey (£11.80) was soft with a slightly crisp exterior, coated in toasted sesame seeds and sat on a bed of thick, sweet black honey that complemented the salty cheese flavour well. Our second pick was the feta and spinach sigara borek (£13), a crispy filo pastry cylinder that was filled with crumbly feta and a leafy spinach mix. This was a personal favourite for me, with a tangy flavour and a delicious tomato sauce on the side.

From the mains section, the berbere spiced cauliflower (£14) was a flavourful dish that featured a spiced tomato, tahini and toasted coriander coating, as well as a creamy drizzle of sauce. I never knew cauliflower could taste this good: the plate was simple but packed full of spice. The chicken and pistachio shish (£20) was made up of tender, grilled chicken thighs marinated in a blend of spices, topped with an ultra-trendy pistachio crumb coating that paired well with the meat.

The Arabica London menu is designed to share in Eastern Mediterranean style.

It would be rude to stop sharing now, so we split two desserts as well. The baklava bites (£7.50) were a mouthwatering selection of crisp, buttery chunks of the Eastern Mediterranean delicacy, made up of fine filo pastry layers, nuts and syrup. The chocolate mousse (£9) had a smooth, whipped texture, served alongside crisp sesame brittle, Maldon salt and orange zest. The chocolate taste was lovely, though it was drizzled in olive oil which I personally think took away from the overall flavour.

Overall: Arabica Borough Market

An institution of Borough Market, this is exactly where you want to be for a sharing meal. The Arabica London Borough Market menu provides a culinary journey through the Eastern Mediterranean region, with flavours inspired by Turkey, Jordan, Syria and beyond. The hot meze section was my favourite, and I'd definitely recommend trying a few of these plates, though the mains are fantastic too. And if you want to secure a spot at this busy venue, make sure to book ahead.

For more inspiration in the area, check out these other great London Bridge restaurants.