AGORA souvla bar
Restaurant · Borough ·
Hummus, silky spreads, charred skewers, and flavorful flatbreads
Hummus, silky spreads, charred skewers, and flavorful flatbreads
"AGORA is OMA’s sister restaurant, newly awarded with a Bib-Gourmand. It offers a delightful dining experience at ground level, serving as a haven for those seeking rest and refreshment in the bustling Borough Market." - Andrew Young
"Do not go to Agora if you have a sore throat. The Borough Market souvla bar—and sibling spot to Oma, upstairs—is mostly walk-in-only and upon entering you’re met with a wall of sound. Roars of laughter from groups who’ve nabbed a counter seat and are now watching pork slowly spin on a rotisserie, and couples leaning in, shouting in each others’ ears to be heard. It feels like the place to be, and the Greek food is delicious too. A humble-sounding tahini spread is silkier than the anti-ageing pillowcases we overpaid for; wood-oven flatbreads come topped with spinach, a mound of cheese, and crispy crumbled potato chips; and a slow-cooked chickpea braise is the edible equivalent of a comforter. Service can be a little brisk as tables are turned over in a hurry for other walk-ins. But that’s just because this is a hot-ticket spot, and as you stumble out from the dark, cave-like space, you’ll feel lucky to have been a part of this buzzing scene. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Pause Unmute Food Rundown Hummus, Masabacha, Hot Crisps This hummus made us want to immediately run home and throw a dinner party, just so we could try to recreate it. The generous plateful of creamy dip comes showered with fragments of spicy crisps, all broken up into different sizes—some absorbing the hummus, others remaining crunchy. This is a hummus hall of famer. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Pork Souvla Two words that make us go weak: crispy crackling. These juicy slabs of pork come with a quarter of lemon—which should absolutely be squeezed on top to cut through some of the fat—and crispy shards of bubbly crackling. photo credit: Gilles Draps Greek Saláta Galomizithra is a distinct improvement on feta in this Greek salad. It’s still salty, but it’s even creamier and less crumbly than feta. The almost-whipped texture means it spreads throughout the salad, coating each bite. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Slow Cooked Chickpeas This dish made us develop a very strong opinion that more menus should have a ‘braise’ section. The chickpeas have a tiny bit of bite to them and come in a moreish broth that will cure common colds and heartbreaks. We like the green zhoug on top that brightens the whole thing up, and brings some herby freshness. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Spicy Pork Sausage, Spit Roast Pineapple, Hot Honey If you had to queue for an hour to get into Agora, and just get a glass of wine, some flatbreads, and the hummus, it would still be totally worth it. Get a seat at the counter if you can, to see these saucer-like flatbreads being made. This flavour combination is our favourite. It’s what ham and pineapple pizza is meant to be—meaty and smoky, sweet, and with some added heat. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch" - Sinéad Cranna
"Agora is the show before the show. Join the groups at the counter watching pork slowly spin on a rotisserie, and wood oven-cooked flatbreads topped with mounds of cheese and crispy, crumbled potato chips. This buzzing Borough Market souvla bar is walk-in only and tables are turned over quickly. But you’ll still have enough time to eat a slow-cooked chickpea braise that’s the edible equivalent of a comforter. It’s a pleasant walk from here along the Thames down to the National Theatre. Plus, Shakespeare’s Globe, Unicorn Theatre, and Bridge Theatre are all within easy reach too. " - jake missing, rianne shlebak, sinead cranna
"Do not go to Agora if you have a sore throat. The Borough Market souvla bar is walk-in only and upon entering you’re met with a wall of sound: roars of laughter from groups who’ve nabbed a counter seat and are now watching pork slowly spin on a rotisserie, and couples leaning in, shouting in each others’ ears to be heard. The Greek food is delicious. A humble-sounding tahini spread is silkier than the anti-ageing pillowcases we overpaid for, and a slow-cooked chickpea braise is the edible equivalent of a comforter. This is the place to be, and as you stumble out from the dark, cave-like space, you’ll feel lucky to have been a part of this buzzing scene. " - jake missing, rianne shlebak, daisy meager, sinead cranna, heidi lauth beasley
"After the March arrival of Agora, Oma is now opening above its sister spot in Borough Market. If downstairs is all about being at one with the chaos of the market, upstairs is slightly more formal and serene. It’s where to go for chic, white-washed interiors and Greek dishes like brown crab borek. We checked out Oma and added it to the Hit List." - sinead cranna, rianne shlebak