Belly
Filipino restaurant · Chalk Farm ·

Belly

Filipino restaurant · Chalk Farm ·

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

ube tiramisu
filipino influence
scallops
tempura cod pandesal
wagyu picanha
steak tartare
cocktails
friendly service
Belly by null
Belly by Rianne Shlebak
Belly by null
Belly by null
Belly by null
Belly by null
Belly by null
Belly by null
Belly by null
Belly by null
Belly by null
Belly by null
Belly by null
Belly by null
Belly by null
Belly by null
Belly by null
Belly by null
Belly by null
Belly by null
Belly by null

Information

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

Restroom
Accepts reservations
Popular for lunch
Popular for dinner
Dinner reservations recommended

Information

Static Map

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

+44 20 7424 9671
bellylondon.com
@belly_bistro

Features

•Restroom
•Accepts reservations
•Popular for lunch
•Popular for dinner
•Dinner reservations recommended
•Cozy
•Trendy
•Good for solo dining

Last updated

Jan 1, 2026

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@infatuation
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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

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.

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

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.

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!

Gabriela K.

Google
We’d been meaning to try Belly for a while, and it absolutely lived up to expectations. From the moment we walked in, we were welcomed so warmly - the space has this cosy, dark atmosphere that instantly puts you at ease. We started with the smoked trout, steak tartare, and cured scallops - all beautifully balanced dishes with light, delicate flavours and just the right amount of spice to tie everything together. Yum! For mains, we had the wagyu picanha and pink fir potatoes. The beef was incredibly tender (melted in my mouth!!), cooked perfectly, and the sauce that came with it was full of depth. The potatoes were golden and crisp - exactly how they should be. We finished with the ube tiramisu - my friend thought it was all right but I really liked it! It’s a lighter, fruitier take on the classic coffee version, which worked well as a refreshing end. Next time, I’m definitely trying the chicken, mushroom rice, and that frozen custard profiterole too!! They recommend you order more dishes than you probably need so bear that in mind.

Fuad T.

Google
We went to Belly with high expectations, but unfortunately it fell a bit short of what we had hoped for. In terms of the ambience, we got there for lunch on a Saturday, and the first thing we noticed was that the acoustics were pretty bad. A lot of echo, which made it difficult to have a pleasant and relaxed conversation throughout the lunch. As for the food itself, it was a mixed bag. Like other reviewers have noted, we went there hoping for a modern Filipino food experience, but the food was more European with (maybe) some hints of the Philippines. For starters starters we got the pumpkin with peanut sauce, smokey eggplant dip, and the cod in a softbun. The pumpkin had very little pumpkin and too much sauce promotionally. The eggplant dip was missing acidity and something else, not sure quite what. Both needed bread or something to accompany them, considering that they were saucy/dippy. We asked, but there is no bread, or anything along that lines. The cod was delicious though, like a very elevated fillet-o-fish. For main, we got the seafood stew with rice. The seafood was cooked to perfection, but it was under-seasoned, a dash of salt would have done it wonders. The rice was good too. Service throughout was great. Attentive, fast, but never rushed. In terms of price, it was a bit expensive considering both the quality and the size of the plates. Also, 13.5% service is a bit too much.

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!

Jeff E.

Google
We had a nice evening, but overall the restaurant didn’t quite meet the expectations that come with the fine dining label and price tag. The food was enjoyable, though not particularly memorable. My fish for example was a little heavy on the dill, and the beef fat fries were just run of the mill chips. Portions were on the smaller side, which might have felt fine if the dishes had truly wowed but they didn’t reach that level. Service was friendly, but a few things felt a little off. We were only offered still or sparkling water rather than also being given the option of tap. The sparkling served was Hildon - something you’d expect at a budget conference, not a high-end restaurant. I asked for a beer but was told there are none on the menu. Throughout the evening our glasses were topped up after almost every sip, which some people may appreciate, though for us it felt like they were trying to increase the pace at which we were drinking. When we asked for a wine recommendation we were directed straight to the priciest bottles, which didn’t feel like the most thoughtful guidance. The dining room was lively but quite tightly packed, which meant less sense of space and comfort than we’d hoped for. With the large 13.5% service charge our bill came to £170 for two starters, two mains, water and a bottle of wine - a figure that left us feeling the overall value wasn’t quite there compared to other good-quality restaurants or gastropubs. We’re glad we tried it, but it didn’t leave us feeling we’d want to return.