The Barbary
North African restaurant · St Giles
16 Neal's Yard, London WC2H 9DP, United Kingdom
Highlights
Small plates with Berber-style flavors served at a horseshoe bar
Small plates with Berber-style flavors served at a horseshoe bar
"The Barbary, from the same people behind The Palomar, will make you fall in love with eating at the bar. All of the restaurant’s seats are at a counter surrounding an open kitchen and bar, the atmosphere is upbeat and everything, from the incredible Middle Eastern-meets-North African food to the service and shiny countertops, feels pretty special. Get there close to opening if you haven’t booked and want to avoid a wait, and don’t bring more than a couple of friends—it gets loud." - sinead cranna, jake missing, rianne shlebak, daisy meager
"The fire-centric cooking of our ancestors provides much of the inspiration for this moody yet charming restaurant tucked away in Neal's Yard. All guests cosy up at the zinc-topped counter, gathered round a robata grill and a tandoor clay oven. The smoky treatment is given to ingredients from octopus to cauliflower, while the accompanying flavours are influenced, unsurprisingly, by the former Barbary Coast – so expect the likes of dukkah, harissa and zhoug to make an appearance during your visit. The counter seats just 24, but the compact layout adds to the atmosphere." - Michelin Inspector
"The Barbary does brilliant Middle Eastern-style food and its vegetarian-friendly items are arguably the best things on the menu. The whole of this Covent Garden restaurant is counter seating so order the deep-fried halloumi and a cocktail, and watch the cooks and bartenders make your dinner in front of you. All of these factors make The Barbary an excellent spot for a date." - heidi lauth beasley, rianne shlebak, jake missing
"The Barbary makes quite a first impression; it’s small, pulsing to electro-pop and almost certainly full of people. Its party-loving sister the Palomer serves modern Israeli food, but this place has a more poetic remit, with a menu inspired by the Barbary Coast (an old term for North Africa’s Mediterranean coastline, once famed for its pirates and lions). Think smoky baba ghanoush, octopus Mashawsha and cumin crusted lamb cutlets." - Elizabeth Winding, Sonya Barber
"Some things have changed at the Barbary since it hit the peak of its powers around 2017, but the falafel have remained on the menu ever since. They are made in Levantine style with chickpeas, as well as parsley, onion, green chilli, cumin, garlic, and less-conventionally, cured lemon. They are plated on a bed of rich tahini sauce, with amba, and the Yemeni condiments of resek and zhug, whose respective red-and-green hues bely the gentle savour of the grated tomato in the resek and vibrant, herbal heat from the zhug." - Joel Hart
