Ara Restaurant

Excellent new restaurant. Beautiful decor, thoughtful menu taking in elements of Mediterranean and East Asian food in a delicious and quite playful way. The ingredients were excellent. Everything we ate was spectacular and the restaurant got everyrbing out at breakneck speed. Weloved the short rib, fried chicken, and courgette dishes, but everything was delicious and memorable. Highly recommended!

We ordered the crispy pork belly, bavette steak, potato bread, buratta and mushroom dumplings. Everything was absolutely delicious! I would go again and again!

Ara is a beautifully decorated restaurant with a small but well-curated menu offering flavours from around the world. The food, atmosphere and cocktails were excellent, we especially loved the semolina halva and the fried chicken. A great addition to the neighbourhood!

Went here on first table and enjoyed the food a lot. It was good value with the discount but you did need to get a cocktail / mocktail too - mocktails are £8 which is pretty steep. But overall a lovely atmosphere with decent food. In particular loved the mushroom dumplings and the ceviche. I would say the menu feels a bit all over the place as it touches on maybe a few too many cuisines - personally I prefer something that narrows down to 1-2 cuisines to really show off what they’re good at.

What a discovery! Ara has gone straight to the top of my list of favourite restaurants in London. We booked through the First Table app, which has quickly become my favourite way to find amazing new places to eat, and of course, getting 50% off the food bill is a lovely bonus. From the moment we walked in, we were greeted by warm, smiling staff who offered us the choice of an inside or outside table. We went for inside and were seated by the large window, with beautiful natural light pouring into the calm, minimalist space filled with greenery. We started with a bottle of wine that I’ll definitely be asking for again next time. Brich, from Piemonte in Italy, is a delicate, slightly sparkling red, and our server recommended it chilled. It was exactly what we didn’t know we needed, and it set the tone perfectly. We ordered a few small plates and two large ones to share. The potato bread, with its smoky flavour and homemade butter, was delicious. The grilled carrots and mussel skewers were fantastic, and the mushroom dumplings were even better. For the larger plates, we had the bavette steak with pepper sauce, which was full of flavour, but my absolute favourite was the whole grilled chicken. So tender and bursting with taste. We finished with the herb sorbet, which was the perfect refreshing end to an incredible meal. Everything was absolutely spot on, and I honestly can’t wait to bring my friends here next time.

Rarely do I write a bad review but yikes. We were really looking forward to trying this place as we had a great time at their sister restaurant. Also, the reviews really stood out to us. Let’s start with the positives: The food was amazing! Hot, succulent chicken, perfectly grilled vegetables and the softest potato bread a person could dream of. The decor was beautiful. That being said, the negatives really make you question whether you should return/recommend or not. Service was absolutely dreadful. We were having a great day and that was starting to dwindle as we were in Ara. The blonde server did not seem happy to serve us at all. We’re a pretty chill and reasonable couple, who weren’t even looking for above and beyond, but she genuinely looked miserable to be there and serve us. We didn’t get offered water the whole time we were there - and it was pretty quiet inside the duration of our visit. Upon taking our orders and giving it to us, both times she looked resentful. As someone who has worked in hospitality a long time (8 years and counting!), I can understand having a bad day, but never would I take it out on customers, especially when they’re friendly and polite, as we were. Perhaps, she was upset that we had booked on FirstTable? We’re regretful to have paid the service charge, but really, we just wanted to get out of there. Food was spectacular but you can get great food and great service elsewhere. A bad experience can really take away your appetite.

Top five meals I have ever had. The short rib (pictured) was perfectly done and fell apart it was so tender. Every course was superb. The waitstaff was attentive and clearly passionate about the food, offering small comments on dishes as they arrived and checking with us consistently (but not excessively) regarding our experience and enjoyment. This truly is a top dining experience.

Tried Ara in London and I’m honestly in love. The whole experience was just really great—from the warm, stylish vibe to the lovely, professional staff who made us feel really welcome and comfortable. The food was the real highlight though. The ceviche was light, refreshing, and zesty—super fresh and full of flavour. The mushroom dumplings were incredible and instantly reminded me of home, which made them even more special. And the cabbage—yes, cabbage—came with two amazing dressings that somehow made it one of the standout dishes. I’d happily eat that any day. I’m not usually big on dessert, but everything we tried was genuinely delicious. The herb sorbet was a really nice surprise—so original and super refreshing. It felt like the perfect way to cleanse your palate after such a flavourful meal. The cocktails were exactly what you need after a long day—strong, tasty, and there was a great selection to choose from, whether you’re into classics or something a bit different. We had a great time overall. The vibe was relaxed but thoughtful, the lighting was lovely, and everything just felt well put together. Also, the location is super convenient—right opposite Aldgate East station and just a 3-minute walk from Aldgate. I’d definitely come back—and I really want to try their breakfast and lunch too.