The sun is out in London, and when long, laughter-filled evenings of feasting with friends are on the cards, Arabica is well worth your attention. This summer, they’re celebrating 25 years of Eastern Mediterranean feasting with a new Chef’s Selection menu – a spread of bold, sunny flavours designed for sharing and savouring together.
What began as a humble Borough Market stall over 20 years ago has grown steadily across the city. Arabica’s Borough Market stall paved the way, and all three venues: the original market stall, the Borough restaurant, and the King’s Cross location, continue that legacy – one rich in Lebanese, Syrian, Jordanian and Turkish culinary influences. But Arabica is about much more than food. At its core, it’s about gathering together – sharing plates, exchanging stories, and honouring traditions around a table.
The 25th Anniversary Chef’s Selection (£48 per person) makes this ethos shine – a seasonal spread designed to be shared. It’s a feast of bold flavours and hot weather ingredients, effortlessly transporting you to the Mediterranean.
Even the appetisers punch, with their freshly baked pita, a dish of homemade pickles and the incredible house hummus. Arabica’s version is crowned with zhug, shatta, confit garlic and pickled chilli, creating a creamy, spicy, and fragrant mouthful that could make you weep. The baba ghanoush, meanwhile, balances smoky aubergine with tahini and yoghurt – smooth, bright, and moreish.
The grilled halloumi comes dripping in black honey, its richness cut through with toasted sesame seeds and a flicker of heat from pul biber. Beiruti falafel bites follow, crisp on the outside and soft within, given a delightful lift by a sharp fermented chilli tarator. King prawns, meanwhile, arrive sizzling and sweet, bathed in citrus spiced butter. Then there’s the Chicken & Pistachio Shish, a standout dish of marinated chicken thighs, dusted with pistachio crumb and finished with charred lemon – each bite offering a perfectly judged balance of smoke, nuttiness and zest.
And the vegetables are no different. The Berbere spiced cauliflower is fiery and fragrant, the sharp tabbouleh with hazelnuts brings freshness and crunch, while the crispy batata harra potatoes come tangled with sautéed peppers, garlic, and chilli – bold enough to rival the meat dishes bite for bite. End on a sweet note with the crisp, oozing kunefe, its golden threads soaked in fragrant attar syrup, the kind of dessert you’ll want to fight over.
Arabica Kings Cross shows, with its 25th anniversary Chef’s Selection, that the pleasure of gathering over generous plates and bold flavours is as timeless today as it was when they first fired up their Borough Market stall.
