What: Translating as ‘darling’ in Yiddish, Bubala started as a pop-up and has since opened two permanent restaurants, in Spitalfields and Soho. This latest opening sees the Middle Eastern focused restaurant group come to Coal Drops Yard in King’s Cross and features a 65-cover ground floor dining room, a 25-seat mezzanine level, and an alfresco terrace with room for 20 guests, a first for the group.
Who: Bubala is run by Marc Summers with the menus overseen by executive chef Ben Rand. Summers founded the restaurant in Spitalfields in 2019 alongside Helen Graham, who was its executive chef, but she stepped away from the business at the end of 2023.
The food: Bubala serves a menu of Middle Eastern dishes that is covertly vegetarian in that the restaurant makes no real mention of the fact that it doesn’t serve any meat. The offer at King’s Cross pays tribute to Bubala’s greatest hits as well as introducing some new, seasonal additions. Signature dishes include an oyster mushroom skewer with tamari and coriander seed, and confit latkes with garlic toum and Aleppo chilli, while new dishes include lemon pepper fried cauliflower with amba onions, yoghurt and zhoug; and fava bean with vadouvan braised broad beans. New dishes from the wood-fired oven include mujadara - lentils and rice topped with tahini, zhoug and amba; and a spanakopita börek, a flaky pastry filled with cheese and spinach. Save space for Bubala’s standout dessert - baked bassbousa comprising a coconut sponge, pineapple syrup and topped with a creme pat that is blistered in the wood-oven. For weekday lunches the restaurant serves a mezze set menu or a la carte, and a Bubala Knows Best set menu (£46) or a la carte during the weekends.
To drink: The restaurant serves a considered range of drinks designed to go well with the food. Cocktail options include the Hibiscus Gin Sour made with ELLC gin, white vermouth, hibiscus, clementine, and lemon; the Not, Not a Mojito V2 that combines rum, mint, verjus, sumac and soda; a Strawberry, Basil and Pink Peppercorn Fizz made with tequila, Lillet, strawberry, basil, pink peppercorn, and soda; and Bubie’s Spicy Margarita, a punchy mix of mezcal, cointreau, and cascabel with a chilli and Persian lime salt rim. Natural wines, including a number on tap, are served alongside a range of local London craft beers. For those not partaking in booze, there’s Bubala’s gazoz sodas, a house-made sparkling drink infused with fermented ingredients, fresh fruit, herbs and syrups available in four flavours - kumquat and mint; kiwi, rose and sage; plum, basil, and cinnamon; and raspberry, vanilla, cream soda and mint, as well as the Rhubarb Daiquiri alcohol-free cocktail.
The vibe: Led by studio Other Side, the design is said to reflect both the spirit of Bubala and the industrial charm of King’s Cross. A focal point is the open kitchen with a low-set pass and backless bar facing the dining room and a wood-fired oven and charcoal grill. Wood abounds, creating a neutral space that is more striking than the group’s previous two restaurants.
And another thing: Summers is understood to have bold ambitions for Bubala beyond London, with plans for expansion both nationwide and further afield.
Unit 1, Cadence Court, 4 Tapper Walk, London, N1C 4ED