ARABICA BOROUGH MARKET

I popped into here for dinner a few days ago with no reservation as a solo diner. It was hopping as usual. I was seated promptly but then ignored by waitstaff for the next 10+ minutes. I mean they were standing at a booth a few feet AWAY FROM ME but of course, London servers have amazing tunnel vision and cannot see beyond their narrow scope. Thus they passed me continuously, whilst I was sitting looking straight ahead and obviously ready to have my order taken. Finally the waiter at the table adjacent to me noticed only because I gave him eye contact. I always notice how restaurants treat solo diners so this was quite disappointing. Anyway the food arrived shortly and was wonderful as always: the smokey, creamy moutabel with the piping hot pita is always on point and the freeke is a generous, rich portion. Lovely to look at and even more so to eat. The twist on the aperol spritz is divine. Will I return to eat here again? Probably but not solo.

Nice ambiance. Went with family since we were in town for a wedding. The lamb shank and cauliflower were excellent. Other dishes were good. My wine had sediment in it which I was told is normal but I've never had that before.

We stopped by here for lunch and we're seated at the bar. The menu has many options. The dish descriptions were not perfect. We ordered the Mediterranean olives which did not mention they were covered in salt and chili. The crispy squid was very good. I would have preferred less salt but perfectly cooked and served. The veal kabob was perfectly tender. The green asparagus turned out to be more of a risotto dish than asparagus. They have a lot of good vegetarian options. The waiters were not around much we waited a while to order and even longer after we were done to pay our bill. The restaurant was clean and the bartender was very entertaining.

The best Mediterranean that I've had in London. We just beat the lunch crowd and luckily they sat us even though we didn't have reservation. We were seated right by the hostess stand, and during our lunch, they turned away several parties because they didn't have space, so making a reservation is probably the move. We had no clue where to start with the menu, but our waiter gave us a great tour of the menu and gave us several suggestions which we heeded. We ordered about 2 plates per person, which was perfect for our appetite and left a little space get some dessert in Borough market. We ordered the hummus and Turkish muhummara as dips which came with thin pitta. They were both on the chunky side and had plenty of flavor. The muhummara has a bit of a kick (in the best way possible!), so be warned if you weren't expecting it. For mains, the salt and Aleppo pepper squid was lightly and crispily fried and the squid was tender. So yummy! We also tried the lamb Adana kebab which was quite tender for lamp and the chicken pistashio shish which was a nice twist on a classic. The heirloom tomatoes with za'atar had both plum and heirloom tomatoes of different colors and had a refreshing taste, although nothing particularly special. Surprisingly, my family and I really enjoyed the summer vegetable freeke! The green wheat has chew and the flavors are pulled together by the horseradish labneh. I will most definitely be returning!

3.5 stars from me Located under a lovely Victorian railway arch this is a cute Mediterranean restaurant. First impressions - nice spot for a date. Delicious cocktails, interesting menu with a range of vegetarian options. We tried the zatar flatbread - could have used a little more flavor but it had a thin and crispy crust - yum ! Falafel was hot and crisp, but the batata hara was the best dish on our table. Service was great though.

Visited for dinner last week with a friend after wanted to try Arabica for ages! There were some high points and low points overall... The good: hummus and flatbread was absolutely delicious! Creamy and smooth, with a lush drizzle of olive oil to serve. We opted for the version served with lamb which while tender and flavourful, the portion felt a bit skimpy for the price. The grilled halloumi was excellent though quite salty- but luckily I love a bit of salt! Service was excellent, staff were super friendly! The not so good: charred octopus dish at first had to be sent back as the potatoes served with it were completely undercooked. Not just a bit al dente, they were bordering on raw. When we asked for it to be replaced, the wait staff were super helpful, but I did see the chef in the open kitchen vehemently objecting to our comment on the cooking, which made me feel a bit awkward! Portion was extremely small for £11!! Taste was...ok, but had a slight metallic taste that left a bit of a sour note. Wine selection was great and at good price points however, and I'd come back just for the drink and a plate of hummus alone.

I really like this place, because of the fun variety. There are so many options that are vegetarian and it actually could get a little overwhelming. We had an incredible waitress who helped us navigate the menu. We were three hungry girls, so we ordered a lot of different things and just shared. Not gonna lie, it got pretty expensive and the portions are not big, but everything I ate was very delicious. The waitress was so helpful, and the menus are cool because you can write on them. Unfortunately, I am not well versed in Levant (Levantian?? I don't know) food, so the names are foreign to me and I cannot remember them well. I apologize. However! We picked several vegetarian dips, some falafels, breads, and salads. There was even some meat in there and I did try the air dried beef... it was incredible. Service was great, and location is amazing- right next to Borough Market. Just be aware that the dishes are intended for sharing, which means you'll probably order quite a few, and they add up.

We were looking for somewhere to eat near London Bridge and stopped at Arabica, which is a Middle Eastern tapas restaurant right next to Borough Market. I think this is one of those places which is either a bit meh or amazing depending on what you order, so do ask your server for recommendations! I certainly preferred the dishes our waitress chose. I wasn't blown away by the aubergine dip or hummus (both okay, but I've had better). The mushroom flatbread was packed full of rich earthy flavours and the lamb belly was absolutely delicious with a crispy belly and tender meat. Thanks to the waitress for suggesting the lamb - I rarely eat this animal, but it was great, would order again. Coming straight from a gin night, we weren't that interested in the wine list, however it was nice to see a soft drinks list that consisted of more than just your average Coke and Sprite. The spiced apple soda and Lebanese lemonade were both nice and there were plenty of other non-alcoholic drinks to choose from. Teetotallers go crazy: as Yelpers say, "this is your moment". What I found really refreshing was when we ordered our tapas and I mentioned I had an allergy, the waitress checked with the kitchen and told me our dishes were fine. No lengthy disclaimer. I hate getting a caveat with my food: life has a trace of nuts and accidents happen. Big thumbs up from me for actually dealing with my dietary requirements properly. Word of warning though, there is very little dessert-wise for any nut allergy sufferers. You would probably expect that from the type of cuisine but just making it clear! Fill up on the meats and skip the sweets. The servers were all really friendly and helpful and I would happily eat at Arabica again. I don't think I've tried the best dishes on the menu yet though. Roughly £35 for two with soft drinks and service with a smile. Not bad!

Very solid middle eastern food. Highlights were the hummus which was creamy and served with a nice drizzle of olive oil. The Phoenicia salad was light and I liked the contrast of apple and grape with the lettuce. Boregi was also stuffed with loads of spinach. Moutabel could have been smokier and was a bit bland. Courgette fritters were a bit greasy. But overall, a fun place for a meal. Nice service too!

(Let me highlight that my review is solely for the kunefe, not other food) I am on the hunt for the best kunefe in town, so this is my 5th (and happened to be the worst one) in the past 2 weeks. Typically kunefes are made by cooking the kataifi on both sides (the chef needs to flip the pastry over at least once during the cooking), I'm not sure it was done here as the bottom was quite pale. And with the syrup drenched over the whole kunefe the base was soggy (who likes soggy bottoms?) Also some parts of the top was burnt as you can see from my picture. I really disliked the orange blossom flavour as well as it gave a strange medicinal taste and an unpleasant aftertaste. The cheese used (probably Halloumi) gave it a meaty flavour, which in my opinion does not go well in this dessert. It's easy to find better kunefes elsewhere; I wouldn't recommend having the kunefe with the kitchen's current recipe, which I would rate 3/10. Service was prompt which I appreciated.

Drinks: 5/5 Service: 4/5 Cleanliness: 4/5 Decor & Style: 5/5 They have an amazing Porter here so I had fun relaxing at this open-spaced coffee/bar restaurant. I did not try the foods but the tea variety and beer is excellent (yes I had both in one sitting, and many of each, lol). We sat outdoors so it made the ambience even better. Very modern, clean place. I would come back if i'm in the Borough Market area.

Everything you order here is excellent! One of my favourite restaurants in London, I believe the quality is better than that of Harrods mezzah lounge. It's quite difficult to get a dinner table on weekends, which is a downside because you usually have to book a week in advance. The service and wines are excellent as well. Recommended: hummus with lamb, halloumi, fattoush, and boregi.

Beef Shish: two skewers of juicy good meat. I typically do chicken but this was the best beef shish I've ever had. You actually get to choose the temperature! Lahmacun: I grew up eating "lahmajun" from a local Armenian bakery and was worried about how this would be. But to my delight, it was definitely spruced up and very tasty. Loved it! Batata was crisp full of flavor...hummus with some hot bread was great. Tabbouleh was what you'd expect. Would have given 5 stars but the service was just sadly ok.

This is a family style place (my favorite way to eat) so you order a bunch of small dishes and share. Everything we ordered (for 4 people) was super yummy. We got: Whipped Feta, ARMENIAN-STYLE LAHMACUN, FETA SALAD, HOUSE PICKLES, LAMB CHOPS WITH ZA'ATAR and the CHARRED OCTOPUS (my favorite). Would recommend going to borough market and then heading to lunch at Arabica, it makes for a great afternoon.

Nothing groundbreaking. Good middle eastern food, small menu done well and In the heart of borough market. Try their food cart next door!

Such a perfect spot for a dinner with friends! The food is very good and perfect for sharing. It's nice to be able to just order a ton of things on the menu to graze on while you enjoy the company of the group you are spending time with! I especially loved the hummus and bread as well as the Armenian Lahmacun.

Amongst quite a few mezze and tapas style restaurants is Arabica in London Bridge. A stone's throw away from Lobos (Spanish), Padella (Italian) and Brindisa (Spanish), Arabica similarly focuses on sharing plates in an informal and vibrant setting. On a Monday, you may expect it not have picked up the pace yet. We were wrong. The place was busy, but we managed to get squeezed into a corner table by the window. Great spot to people watch, not so great having a wobbly table. Having used the good old trick of placing a pile of paper napkins under the guilty leg, it was ready, "steady", go. Not so much of the "go" to start with, as the service was slow. We waited and waited to have our order taken. When our waitress arrived at the table, her voice was really low and her voice appeared to slur. Not sure if this was the style of the service, but it was a struggle to get the order taken. This showed when we ordered two glasses of white wine, to ony receive one. We had also ordered water, to then receive none. Due to the time it had taken and the lacking in accuracy of the service, we contemplated getting the hell out and going to Lobos, Padella or Brindisa, but our food order was a little more prompt, so we gave it a go. As I said, the style and best way to enjoy this food is to order a selection to share. As our waitress had little knowledge other than to read the menu verbatim, we took the risk of ordering what sounded good and/or was familiar. We started with falafel (chickpeas, broad beans, onion, herbs and spices) and a dish from the clay oven, Mushroom & truffle man'ousheh (a leventine flatbread, with mascarpone, sautéed mushrooms, halloumi cheese, wild rocket and truffle oil). Eleanor was not keen on the falafel, she found it to be quite bland in taste. Having tasted one too, I had to agree. However, my man'ousheh was gorgeous. You cannot go wrong with truffle it if is your thing, but the entire dish was gorgeous. I had to throw all manners out of the table, cut and just pick it up with my hands to eat. Yum. We also had Sujuk Pide, a Turkish style pizza, with barbecued red pepper sauce, spicy beef sausage and halloumi cheese. Eleanor was definitely a fan of this. I had imam bayaldi a dish I am familiar with, which is fried aubergine, spiced lamb ragu with toasted pine nuts. This was almost cooked to my liking. I would have loved to have been a little bit more experimental. It was just a shame we did not have a more enthusiastic and knowledgeable waiter/ess. This is a great place and opportunity to introduce diners to a wider range of Middle Eastern food, it just needs the guidance of the right people on the floor to take that leap.

Stumbled across this place while strolling through borough, pleasantly surprised going in. Excellent decor, ambience and service. Great selection of tasty food, portion sizes are small, ordering a few things each and sharing is the way to go. We were a group of carnivores and herbivores (and one vegan) and it worked out perfect. Would def come back again.

So glad this place had a table for two free last night when we walked in. I hadn't heard of this place but it was so good. The feta dip & aubergine are a must try for anyone new to the restaurant. Other highlights were the kibeh & the lamb belly. Their G&Ts were spot on too. It had a lovely atmosphere & the staff were attentive & helpful.

Came back again and was not disappointed!!! Great food - has to be good to compete with the rest of Borough Market!

We came to Arabica with friends on a Sunday afternoon a few weeks ago. It was really busy so it was good that we had a booking. The best way to describe the food is Middle Eastern tapas, we ordered around 6 dishes for four of us and then had dessert, it was the perfect amount of food. Of the dishes we sampled, I really liked the roasted pumpkin freeke and the fried aubergine with minced lamb. Food without any alcohol came to around £20 per person which was reasonable considering the Borough Market location and the quality of food served. I would definitely come back.

I had wanted to go for a while and when I finally did I wasn't amazed. Perhaps my expectations were too high or the mezes we chose weren't fantastic. It's decent food but not value for money! We went for lunch, had a reservation but it felt very rushed as the place was very busy. All in all it was nice but I wouldn't rush back.

My boyfriend and I had dinner here with one of my friends before heading to a show at the Globe. It's in Borough Market and it can be a bit tricky to find, just because of how winding the market is. But it's very convenient to London Bridge and anything going on along the river. We made reservations and managed to sneak in between the lunch and dinner crowds. I love Mediterranean food so I had high hopes, and they were generally met. Every dish on the menu is really meant to be shared. We averaged about two plates each, plus dessert and hummus, and it was plenty. The hummus was great and came with unlimited warm pita bread for spreading/dipping. My boyfriend ordered a beer and my friend had the hibiscus quencher, while I had a Lebanese lemonade that was very refreshing. Our food order, combined, was: one order of hummus; one order of halloumi cheese; the chicken and pistaschio shish; the fried calamari; kalamata olives; lamb and pine nut sausages; sujuk pide; and Lebanese doughnuts for dessert. The food was all very good, with the only minor issue being a matter of pacing. We received most of the dishes in very quick succession before we got the final two. I realize this is just a fact of life with mezze-style small plates, so it's not a big deal. My favorite dish was definitely the chicken and pistachio shish, which came out on two skewers and had a terrific flavor. The calamari was also very good, with the breading being light enough to not feel too fatty. The halloumi cheese was good and went well with the pears it came with, but I think a glaze or seasoning might have helped it a little. The drinks were also tasty and it was nice to have an alternative to soft drinks or plain water. There are a lot of places at Borough Market competing for your attention, food-wise. But if you're in the mood for a restaurant atmosphere and good food for sharing Arabica is a good bet.

We decided to let the waiter go crazy. We said we wanted meat and that's what we got. We had a wide selection of tapas that were alll really good. For those of you visiting london, the borough market/london bridge, bar scene is really cool and lively. Every body in south bank was out! We got in fast, our waiter was really good, and the food was excellent. If you don't try here, which you should, go to one of the several other eateries near this location.

A lively vibe, fuss free service and great Middle Eastern flavors makes Arabica a fantastic spot to spend the evening. To drink, I had the Hibiscus Quencher and it was zesty and very refreshing. The husband had the Ayran, a cooling yogurt drink that was perfect for a hot summer evening. They also have an extensive wine & spirits list. The menu comprises of Spanish tapas style sharing small plates...all with a Mediterranean/ Arabic twist. Here's the lowdown: -- Muharrama, a creamy melt in your mouth red pepper dip, that was served with a roti style bread. Was a hit with us. -- Spinach kibbeh, this was a deep fried spinach appetizer shaped like a falafel but had a distinct flavor. Liked it, but not on my hit list.( each kibbeh is for £3). -- lamb kibbeh -- this was devoured by the husband who liked it & said it had a very different & had a granular texture & was very fresh. -- Zaatar Manoush, a crispy sesame seed flat bread with a very herb-y olive oil base. Nice. -- Haloumi, Arabic cottage cheese which I think was lightly grilled & was absolutely delish. High on the hit list. If we weren't stuffed already after this, it was a testimony to the relaxed ambience that we tried the Turkish coffee & some vanilla halwa ice cream. The ice cream was nothing special but it was nice & light. The coffee was sinfully good & came with choco-dates! These guys do know how to spoil you... But we aren't complaining! The service was very relaxed and easy. We didn't have a reservation, but got lucky. Suggest you try & get one before heading to the super busy Borough Market district. Mezze plates are priced between £2.50 & £9. Non alcoholic drinks are £3-5 and ditto for coffee and dessert. All in all, a good find. Hope Arabica maintains the good food + buzz. --

Have tried this place twice now and been really disappointed both times. I've had a few of the dishes: Chicken Shish, mussels, fattoush, hummus and sea bass. Biggest gripe is the portion sizes. They are absolutely tiny and really poor value for money given the prices they are charging. With Borough Market next door (these guys actually have a stall which is much better value), there are literally multiple reasons why you should never eat here.

What a dinner! Arabica's Sujuk pide is the best dish I've tried this year so far. Their meats are incredible, the wine list is ace and so is the staff. The restaurant is super cute and has the best atmosphere for a date - loved it! Definitely going back. Oh, and get that sticky toffee pudding!

Overall good food, portions are a bit small for the price. Staff was very inexperienced in 'serving' and made numerous mistakes, the toilets were filthy, so that put me off and most likely won't return again. (I believe that a restaurant's toilets say a lot about the overall cleanliness of a place).

Salty food and most definitely overpriced. Cost was over $100 for lunch. This did not include any beverages but it did include a tip. Maybe some of their other food is excellent however this lamb dish should have been sent back to the kitchen. It was burnt and had no flavor except that of salt. Next time I'm in London maybe I'll give this place another try but right now I'm not interested

The food is a kind of middle eastern tapas style. You will probably need to order 3 to 4 plates for a meal. Adding all of that up, it's a little on the expensive side. The food is very flavorful and tasty. Lots of seating is available.

I seriously had o e of my best lunches here. The tapas style was perfect for trying new cuisine you may not be familiar with. As a vegetarian, there were plenty of satisfying options! The service was fun and great! couldn't ask for a better lunch!

Being a bit of a snob about Lebanese food (having grown up on it) we tried Arabica spontaneously with the expectation of disappointment.  Reheated flat breads.  Stale falafel etc etc. Pleased to say Arabica is the real deal. It was excellent.  Za'aatar perfect.  Epic pide with well balanced butternut squash, hazelnut and cheese.  Fatoush a little too weighted towards Pita but that made me happy.  Beetroot salad a fine dining experience in itself. Highlight was the grilled halloumi. No squeaky-ness. Almost melt in mouth.  Service great and overall good value.  Recommend!

Good food but shocking service with a very long wait. I've never come across such terrible service ever in London. In addition two glasses of white wine were £19. Not worth it! I recommend the wine and grill bar across the road for a much better atmosphere and cheerful service.

Food was good, but service was slow and distracted. Not sure if they are too busy, but if they can't handle a full Friday service, something is wrong..

Great meal last evening at Arabica. Having lived in Turkey and being a discerning diner of Middle Eastern cuisine, I can absolutely say the food was truly superior to many other restaurants in the UK and in the US. Highly recommend! Service was efficient and effective as well as friendly. We will definitely be back soon!

I was highly disappointed. For someone who is Lebanese going to a Middle Eastern restaurant, I expected everything to be different. The portions were very small for what you would get somewhere else for the same price. The tabbouleh was the most awful thing I've had in my entire life to be honest, (and I've known people who are not even in any way middle eastern try and make it better). My friend order a Lebanese style lamb and pine nut sausages plates that turned out to be literally 5 pieces of makanek, and to top it up I asked for watermelon juice which was suppose to be fresh, however when I tasted it , it was a mix of sugar, water and some sweetener that taste like watermelon. Not to mention the fact that we got there at 9 pm, all our food was served by 9:10pm and we had nothing to each so we made it out of there by 9:20 pm. Other than that, the moutabal and the zaatar manoushe were eatable.