Belly

Filipino restaurant · Chalk Farm ·

Belly

Filipino restaurant · Chalk Farm ·

Wood-fired Filipino-European fusion, bold seasonal dishes, global wine

Information

157 Kentish Town Rd, London NW1 8PD, United Kingdom Get directions

@infatuation

132,814 Postcards · 3,234 Cities

Belly Bistro - Review - Kentish Town - London - The Infatuation

"Belly has the kind of exciting buzz that can be picked up from your peripheral vision. Whether you’re driving, cycling, or in the front seat at the top of a double decker bus going the other way, the glow of tea lights and the sound of people having fun at this Filipino bistro will pull you in. And you should let it. video credit: Rianne Shlebak photo credit: Rianne Shlebak Pause Unmute Everything on the menu sounds more tempting than the thing before it, but what you need to know is that these are the non-negotiables: tempura cod pandesal (one per person), ‘bicol express’ scallops (swimming in coconut cream), and the ube tiramisu (no notes). We’ve witnessed groups have such a good time that we’ve almost pulled up a chair to join them, sung happy birthday to strangers across the room, and wondered how we could ask the server to be our friend without being weird. Everyone is cool and every flavour is dialled up to 100. RESERVE A TABLE Food Rundown Cured Scallops ‘Bicol Express’ This melting scallop comes in a creamy, sweet coconut sauce and you should absolutely order it. PlayMute video credit: Rianne Shlebak Tempura Cod Pandesal Filet-O-Fish move over, this fancier, meatier McD’s-inspired snack is perfect. You may very well burn the roof of your mouth if you’re impatient, but the tangy tartare sauce makes it all so worth it. Under no circumstance should you agree to share one of these. PlayMute video credit: Rianne Shlebak Wagyu Picanha While this steak is nicely cooked, it’s the least interesting thing we ate. PlayMute video credit: Rianne Shlebak Beef Fat Fries Perfectly crispy, get these. PlayMute video credit: Rianne Shlebak Ube Tiramisu A biscuity, sweet tiramisu, surrounded by a moat of tangy blueberry compote, and tres leche poured around it. It’s got an excellent balance of sweet and tart. PlayMute video credit: Rianne Shlebak" - Rianne Shlebak

https://www.theinfatuation.com/london/reviews/belly-bistro

Rianne Shlebak

Belly

Christine K.

Google

We came for a weekend lunch and the starters were delicious but the mains were a let down. Between the two of us, we shared the scallops (nice and fresh and the sauce was great), the tempura cod pandesal (meaty fish paired with a delicious sauce), mushroom arroz (although the mushrooms themselves were good, the rice was mushy and the dish was served near cold/lukewarm), seafood caldaretta (the sauce lacked flavour) with pink fir potatoes on the side and the ube tiramisu (this didn't feel that well balanced). The service was a little inconsistent as while neighbouring tables received detailed menu explanations, our waiter, though polite, didn’t walk us through the menu or mention the specials, which we only realised afterwards.

Helen T.

Google

First of all, we truly enjoyed the vibe and the fact that they played Filipino music. The drinks were delicious, with strong flavours and bright colours. As for the meal itself, there were some highlights. The scallops were fresh and sweet, and the pandesal cod sandwich blended each ingredient beautifully. Personally, we found the notion of fusion taken rather lightly here, and perhaps we were expecting a stronger dominance of Filipino flavours (given the way it’s marketed). Obviously, we have a lot to learn about authentic Filipino cuisine, but some of the dishes felt predominantly European, with Filipino names and sprinkles of flavour. They were all delicious, but not vastly different from what you’d get at a European-focused restaurant in London.

Elena T.

Google

Belly is a modern European restaurant with a subtle Filipino twist, offering Western dishes layered with Asian flavours and ingredients. We had the beef tartare, aubergine salad, and a seafood stew — all well executed and interesting without feeling overcomplicated. The setting is intimate with relaxed bistro vibes, making it a great spot for a cosy meal. Definitely worth a visit if you enjoy modern cuisine with thoughtful flavour combinations.

Crystal C.

Google

Absolutely amazing service and even better food! I was worried it would be another insta hype restaurant but oh wow how fortunately I was proven wrong! The food will blow you away. Amazing beef tartare that could hold its own by itself even without the accompianement of the chips (fried and seasoned to perfection by itself too).. generous portions size. Trout was great with the most amazing spicy sauce. The picanha was also great.. a little chewy but that incredible charred crust with the best fat ring which melts saves the dish entirely 😍. The mushroom oyster dish (super juicy mushrooms not so much a fan of the risotto, felt it was good but slowly boring at the end). If there’s one thing you must get here it is the ube tiramisu. Not too sweet, perfectly balanced with the ube cream ratio. Really big portion size perfect for 2. I’m obsessed with the pink sour dust they place at the top it highlights the dessert so well. Strong Baileys sauce but works so so good altogether. We did order the cod burger which was a must try too, a solid well fried juicy fish burger with super fresh tartare sauce and love the herbs in it. Staff were so attentive thank you! Edit: we went back again and whilst everything was great the portion for the steak tartare and ube was smaller. Quality changes - tartare tastes different but still great more spicy than before, tiramisu came warmer than before and less saucy. Chicken was amazing

Mohammed Haroon M.

Google

An indulgent evening at Belly ✨ We started with the aubergine, scallops, and steak tartare. The aubergine was comforting and well-balanced, the scallops were beautifully cooked, but it was the sauce that truly elevated them — delicious, though not mind-blowing. The steak tartare, however… absolute perfection. Impeccably seasoned, silky, and without question the highlight of the night ⭐️ For mains, the mushroom dish was thoughtfully executed and deeply savoury. The wagyu was tender and succulent, swimming in jus, though the flavours didn’t quite deliver the impact I’d hoped for. The chicken was pleasant but forgettable. Chips were on the salty side, and the dip sadly didn’t do them justice. Dessert saved the finale — the ube tiramisu was my second favourite dish of the evening and an easy recommendation. The atmosphere is chic and dimly lit, with a gentle buzz of conversation and background music — ideal for sharing plates with friends. Everything is halal, which is a big plus. A special mention to our server, Zara, who truly elevated the experience. She was incredibly well informed, patient, and took her time walking us through the menu. Her explanations of the dishes and flavours, along with thoughtful recommendations, were exactly what you’d hope for from a great server. Would I recommend it? Yes. Would I rush back? Maybe not — especially with a £155 bill. Great food, great vibe, perfect for groups and small plates… just not quite unforgettable. 🍽️✨

Sara R.

Google

If you’re looking for Filipino food, you will not find it here. The website indicates Filipino influence, but it is a very light influence. Right out the gate, the cocktail game was strong. Then the first two dishes we had were exceptional. We had the scallops and the pumpkin kare kare. The scallop dish was delicate and full of flavor. The texture of the scallop was buttery and melted in my mouth. The pumpkin dish had perfectly cooked pumpkin with a hard char on the “burnt ends” that compliments the creamy interior. I’ve seen other pictures of the dish in reviews that don’t look nearly as good as what we had. The peanut sauce was delicious and the almond crumble was so good, I ate remainder on its own and would have gladly eaten in by the spoonful. These two dishes were truly amazing and set expectations the rest of the meal did not live up to. Our next two dishes were the tempura cod and the arroz caldo, both of which were recommended as best choices by staff. The tempura cod is clearly plated for social media pictures with cheese and all the sauce down one side. Making it impossible to pick up the sandwich and eat it. And flavor-wise, there wasn’t much going on other than tartar sauce. It was fine. The arroz caldo was barely north of room temperature and the mushrooms were very woody. Once again not a lot to say flavor wise. It was also fine. The pink fir potatoes were well cooked and tasty. However, I tasted no kombu. We closed with the ube tiramisu. It was purple. I can say that for it. It had no ube flavor. In general it had little flavor other than creamy and sweet. There was what I believe was a raspberry preserve (given that it was also dusted with raspberry) that provided the only flavor to the plate. Overall a fine meal, but the expectations set at the start were not met through the meal.

Denise M.

Google

a filipino infusion restaurant! new flavours but they were familiar at the same time. The starters definitely smashed it! The scallop bicol express, steak tartare and the smoked trout kinilaw was fab! kinda sad we couldn’t try the tempura cod pandesal but we knew that it’ll easily sell out. the wagyu bistek was okayy, we did ask for medium rare and the steak was just a tad bit overcooked but it was fine! but the mushroom arroz caldo? stole the show for the mains, i don’t know about it being arroz caldo more like a risotto! you guys need to try the ube tiramisu!! PLEASE!! they have a liquor free option too! lastly, the service was exceptional! very friendly, warm and staff definitely knew what they were talking about!

Divya S.

Google

We came here for a Saturday lunch and were immediately struck by the friendly and buzzy energy. Food, cocktails, and service were all fantastic! We got the smoked trout kinilaw, cured scallops Bicol express, asparagus toyomansi, wagyu picanha, seafood caldereta, and fries - no regrets about what we ordered! Will definitely be back!

@infatuation

132,814 Postcards · 3,234 Cities

Belly Bistro - Review - Kentish Town - London - The Infatuation

https://www.theinfatuation.com/london/reviews/belly-bistro

Rianne Shlebak

Belly

Christine K.

Google

Helen T.

Google

Elena T.

Google

Crystal C.

Google

Mohammed Haroon M.

Google

Sara R.

Google

Denise M.

Google

Divya S.

Google

Belly

Information

Postcards

Media

Belly Bistro - Review - Kentish Town - London - The Infatuation

You might also like

Belly Bistro - Review - Kentish Town - London - The Infatuation