Honey & Co Bloomsbury

There was a moment of panic at the beginning of 2022 when Honey & Co announced it was to close after 10 years of falafel-loving, spice-celebrating, mezze-marvelling business. Shortly after this brief moment of hysteria, there was an even greater feeling of relief when it revealed the restaurant was, in fact, merely relocating to Bloomsbury up the road.  

To lose this iconic gem would be a sad thing indeed, and you can now find it directly opposite Noble Rot (which incidentally sources the restaurant's wine list) on Lamb’s Conduit Street. We arrived at 6:30pm on a Tuesday to find it already half-heaving, its guests sitting amongst swathes of sandy tones and verdant green foliage that gives the bright space a welcoming, cafe-cum-restaurant feel.  

The menu features a total of 15 small and large plates designed for mixing and matching in true feasting style. A must-order is the ‘bread selection’ featuring pillowy pitta, fluffy milk buns and sesame-crusted bread, all we can attest are fantastic when plunged into the accompanying sweet and tangy feta and pepper dip. Falafel and hummus sit amongst the list for traditionalists, but we plumped for a peach and goat’s cheese salad finished with toasted almonds and a sticky honey dressing. The peaches were slightly underripe, but the dish was still a triumphant combination of things that go well together. A larger plate of garlicky chicken thighs and fluffy rice offered the comfort of a high-quality, home-cooked meal, while a gorgeously crude feta and honey cheesecake, delivered on a bed of crisp, shredded pastry, sang with sweet, salty and crunchy notes.  

Without wine, six dishes between two totted up to about £45 a head, which does feel a little steep. The dishes aren't rule-breaking, but Honey & Co has got a fantastic thing going and we’re more than happy to join its loyal following. May it stick around for many years to come.  

Husband and wife duo Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich have truly made a name for themselves since they opened the first iteration of Honey & Co. back in 2012. Now, they have multiple restaurants, including this one in Bloomsbury, as well as a cookbook, a podcast, a shop and a catering service. The food at Honey & Co. might seem unassuming at first but these relaxed Middle Eastern plates are properly good stuff. 

The interiors are cosy and inviting, with soft lighting, tiled accents and shelves lined with pickles, preserves and cookbooks. It’s the kind of place where you feel instantly at home, inviting diners to sit back and relax with good food and a couple of drinks. Offering breakfast through to dinner, this spot is perfect for any type of gathering, from a coffee and pastry to a three-course feast with cocktails and wine. 

For those visiting in the morning, you’ll find a variety of Middle Eastern breakfast options. The big breakfast includes sharing mezze plates for the whole table - think creamy hummus, tomato salad, labaneh and za’atar, served with house jam and a fig loaf. This comes followed by your choice of main, including green shakshuka with garlic yoghurt and bread, to bureka flaky pastry filled with spinach, feta and herbs, and a fried egg. For a lighter bite, there is yoghurt with jam and ashura cereal, while the sweet treats here are legendary (think toasted fig, orange and walnut loaf with marmalade).

For later in the day, diners can tuck into a seasonally-changing sharing menu featuring the likes of creamy hummus with chilli garlic dressing and pitta, Yemeni style falafel with lemon slaw and pickled chilli, and crispy fried squid with a dill and caper sauce. This can be followed by one of the more meaty mains, which typically include the likes of pan fried sea bream with butter beans, tahini and tomato salsa, or pomegranate molasses chicken with cracked wheat salad, currants and pistachios.