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Bubala Soho

Middle Eastern·
££££
·
Bronze Award
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SquareMeal Review of Bubala Soho

Bronze Award

Bubala Soho rings the bell for the second instalment of the popular Middle Eastern restaurant, having enjoyed great success at its original Spitalfields site. This second, more central location is larger than its mother restaurant, although hordes of people occupying every seat in the house on our visit make it feel anything but spacious. We took it as a good sign though. The word that springs to mind is buzzy, a feeling augmented by the open kitchen at the far end of the dining room, with waiters shuffling platters of small plates from pass to people all evening.  

Bubala’s menu is entirely vegetarian and spans a catalogue of sharing plates in various, if slightly confusing, sizes. Our uber-friendly waiters ensure the meal is well paced though, by delivering dishes to our table in a considered order. We began with toasted challah and aerated pitta dunked in creamy pools of hummus and baba ghanoush, both of which offered welcome texture in the form of chunky garnishes. Two umami-rich oyster mushroom skewers were beautifully charred on the outside where the tamari marinade had caramelised slightly. Elsewhere, smacked cucumbers balanced subtle chilli heat with cooling tahini and provided a sprightly contrast to three hefty falafels encased in thick, deep-fried shells.  

The dessert list includes short bites like chocolates and truffles, plus a deconstructed creation described as baklava with semifreddo. A floral-tinted slice of ice cream with nutty caramel and a shard of pastry was very good, if very sweet, although we’d probably skip it next time for another of their cocktails – try the Peach and Aperol Sour for something short, zippy and strong. The cherry on top is that plates start at £2.75 and don’t surpass £15, which means you can quite happily dine for £25-30 per head.  

Bubala’s crowd-pleasing plates, infectious conviviality and laid-back, approachable dining experience make it a place we would confidently recommend to a friend.  

Good to know

Average Price
££££ - £30 - £49
Cuisines
Middle Eastern
Ambience
Cool, Cosy, Fun, Lively, Romantic
Food Occasions
Dinner, Lunch
Special Features
Vegan options, Vegetarian options
Perfect for
Dates, Romantic

About

This Soho venture from Middle Eastern restaurant Bubala is the second site to open up shop in London, with the first established over in Spitalfields. Since originally launching, the restaurant has earned itself a glowing reputation for its vegetarian sharing plates – although the fact that it's totally vegetarian is likely to go unnoticed by even the most emphatic meat-lovers. So popular is its Spitalfields site that Bubala is shooting for round two with an opening on Poland Street, taking over the building that formerly housed much-loved Italian Vasco and Piero’s.  

The space is large enough to host 50 diners, plus another eight at the counter bar for a more intimate style of dining. The menu is pretty similar to the Spitalfields site, although no complaints from us on that front. Look out for things like labneh with confit garlic and za’atar, fried aubergine with zhoug and date syrup, slow-roast celariac musakhan with braised sumac onions and tahini, and halloumi with black seed honey. Desserts, meanwhile, are short and sweet: think salted caramel truffles, tahini, date and tangerine ice cream and coconut and tahini fudge. 

There are multiple menus ranging from weekday lunch to mezze lunch, a set menu and weekend lunch. The set menu is a great-value option if you can’t decide what to choose and is lovingly labelled ‘Bubala knows best’. Drinks include a selection of beers, natural wines as well as wine on tap.  

Founder Marc Summers commented on the opening: “It’s always been a long-term goal for Bubala to grow, but it’s a step that I wanted to take carefully and one that I didn’t want to rush. I feel like we’ve got the best possible team now and the site feels perfect. I just can’t wait to open and bring a bit of Bubala to central London.” 


FAQs

Does it accept walk-ins?

Yes, the restaurant accepts both reservations and walk-ins every day Monday to Saturday for both lunch and dinner.

Helpful? 0

Are there any meat or fish dishes on the menu?

No, the menu is entirely vegetarian which means it's free from meat and fish.

Helpful? 0

Bubala Soho is featured in

Location

15 Poland Street, Soho, London, W1F 8PR
Website

Opening Times

Lunch
Mon 12:00-15:00
Tue 12:00-15:00
Wed 12:00-15:00
Thu 12:00-15:00
Fri 12:00-15:00
Sat 12:00-15:00
Sun Closed
Dinner
Mon 17:30-23:00
Tue 17:30-23:00
Wed 17:30-23:00
Thu 17:30-23:00
Fri 17:30-23:00
Sat 17:30-23:00
Sun Closed

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