I so loved the food at this place, especially the vegetarian dishes which excelled more than the meat dishes for my tastes.
Aubergine and cauliflower dishes most recommended.
Though it is easy to rack up a large bill here...don't be too hungry if your bank balance is on the light side.
The restaurant boasts an impressive array of vegan options. From what we sampled, the majority of dishes were rich in flavour and quite delightful. Particularly outstanding were the bread, cauliflower, aubergine, hummus, and Jerusalem artichokes – each bursting with its own unique and savoury profile. However, the experience was slightly marred by the vegan dessert, which unfortunately had an off-putting texture and an odd taste that didn't quite hit the mark.
Food is very good. I really enjoyed it and so did my friends. I think the atmosphere isn’t as good downstairs as upstairs and definitely not at the same level as the food. Service is good, possibly too fast - but overall would recommend
I’m a sucker for playful, tasty small-ish plates and Bala Baya delivers! The menu is quite interesting, and surprisingly heavy on vegetarian dishes. We started with light snacks, but the bigger sharing plates were the showstoppers. The pink carpaccio was probably the single best dish, with the baklava prawns being a close second. Among the meat dishes, kebab dumplings were delectable. The brisket doughnut was the only thing we tried that wasn’t particularly memorable. They also have a small but respectable selection of mostly Israeli themed cocktails and wines. TBH, my only complaint about the food is that some of the plates were a bit small for the prices.
The space itself is quite cool, nestled under a railway arch and with cool industrial chic interiors. We sat on the upper floor, which unlike many other places had respectable space between the tables.
Background
Bala Baya is a Middle Eastern restaurant located in an alleyway at Southwark. The restaurant is inspired by the vibrant food culture of Tel Aviv, Israel.
Ambience
The restaurant has a lively and welcoming ambience with a modern and stylish interior. The decor is inspired by the Middle Eastern heritage of the owner, creating a unique and authentic atmosphere.
Service
The service at Bala Baya is excellent, with friendly and attentive staff.
Food
The food at Bala Baya is fresh, vibrant, and designed for sharing. The vegetarian selections are particularly noteworthy, with various flavorful and creative options. The standout dishes for me are the roasted cauliflower, the falafel, and the hummus.
Overall
It's a good restaurant for weekend brunch. Whether you're a vegetarian or a meat lover, Bala Baya has something for you.
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Came here for a Sunday brunch with a friend and the weather was perfect for an outdoor meal.
Waiter was very attentive and friendly to me while I waited for my friend to come. We went with the labaneh and za'atar and tahini dips with pita as starters. Then I ordered the brisket doughnut and my friend had the hummus breakfast. The tahini was so nicely done - nutty, smooth and rich, went so well with the pita. Za'atar was something I hadn't tried many times before so I wasn't the biggest fan but it was nice to try something new. My brisket doughnut was amazing, the beef brisket was tender together with the tahini and the orange spiced jus was like a party in my mouth, bursting with so many different flavours which all went so well together. I thoroughly enjoyed my food! The hummus breakfast that my friend had on the other hand though, was slightly salty so that's a mini minus point there, although that's just our personal preferences. I also ordered a cappuccino on the side which was rather average, just wasn't the kind of texture or strength I normally prefer.
The vibes were really chill and relaxing and all staff were smiley and approachable. Interior design is modern and minimalist which is nice. I would be really keen to come back here again soon!
Great food and excellent service. Make sure to try their homemade sodas like lychee and mandarin, and you can make it boozy with gin or vodka.
Yalla Yalla for modern, fun and inventive Israeli food at this fun Southwark restaurant. We tried beef hummus (delish) the aubergine mess (very good) with some pita bread - it was homemade and warm, but we only got one each and were charged for extra when we asked for it, the cauliflower steak was very good - cooked to perfection with a lot of flavour. The spring crisps were fun - never knew they were spring onions ! The Alioli was a bit bland that came with them. Finally we had the doughtnut brisket - very rich, soft doughnuts, added an interesting twist to a burger. The lamb dumplings were good too - very rich and filling. Overall the meal was good but just not amazing. Check out Fork to book a table and get specials.
Superb Israeli cuisine in the heart of Bankside, one of London best hidden gems. An array of authentic dishes best suited to sharing plates. A delight for vegetarians too, with flavoursome dishes and hummus to snack on for hours.
Second time visiting... Still very nice and complicated flavoured food... It's just getting even more pricier now and the portion is not very impressive.. worth a try but not somewhere you'll visit a lot
That prawn baklava 🤤
Israeli food is the latest trend for me at the moment. I'm really liking these dishes with influences from Tel Aviv 👍
Good for al fresco dinning.
♿ Step free access but I didn't check if there were accessible toilets.
The shawarma sunroots dish was so unexpectedly delicious we got two. Very nice flavors, house made boozy sodas was a very nice touch as well.
Amazing food and service. We had the sharing tasting menu for 2, and honestly it was so much food. 3 large plates of food to be eaten with dips, a cauliflower roast and a whole sea bass later, absolutely stuffed. Deliciously stuffed.
Came here for a friends birthday. The staff were greet and very welcoming. We arrived 30 before our booking and was allowed to sit at our table early. The staff was great at letting us taste the Israeli wine before before committing to a glass. Service was impeccable and the food was amazing. We sat upstairs so we were able to look down and see what everyone else was ordering. Lots were ordering the tuna tartare so we followed suit and it did not disappoint! Our favourite dish was the prawn baklava closely followed by the aubergine mess.
Went here for a Thursday dinner with a couple friends and we ordered a few dishes to share. Firstly, I don’t understand the prawn baklava hype - it’s just battered prawns for an outrageous £27 (for only 3 prawns pieces!). But I guess people love fried stuff, so there you go. The hummus as well as not to my taste. However, the aubergine mess and the artichoke dish had wonderful flavours, by far the standouts. Is it overpriced? Yes. Would I come back for a special occasion? Probably. I’ll just save myself the £27 and skip the prawn baklava.
Jerusalem artichokes shwarma sunroots (not pictured here)
Best dish hands down (voted by everyone at table)
Inventive and flavour packed dishes.
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Beef brisket donut a bit too much
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Food coming out was slow and sporadic a bit unorganised.
I know it comes out when it's ready but getting feta and apricot starter at the end is weird. We were waiting on one dish for ~20minutes after all the rest so had to ask for it
Very enjoyable and tasty middles Eastern food. Good portions and value for money.
Had the hummus and labneh which very good dips. The trout carpaccio and aubergine were also worth a mention.
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