ARABICA BOROUGH MARKET

£19 - £57 / Middle Eastern, Lebanese, Mediterranean, Turkish, Arabic, Vegetarian options

Borough Market, 3 Rochester Walk, London

Awards

Excellent Cauliflower 2024

Opening hours

12PM-11PM

Sunday 12PM-10PM
Monday 12PM-11PM
Tuesday 12PM-11PM
Wednesday 12PM-11PM
Thursday 12PM-11PM
Friday 12PM-11PM
Saturday 12PM-11PM

Culinary Masterpiece with Outstanding Service

As I ventured once more into the culinary haven of Borough Market, Arabica awaited me with its well-regarded Middle Eastern offerings. Over countless visits, I’ve seen this restaurant charm those after fresh, authentic experiences with each deliberate bite beneath the bustling railway viaduct. However, on this particular visit, the echoes of past indulgences seemed to hum a different tune. While the Kibbeh with spinach and the velvety rich Halloumi drizzled in black honey never failed to sing their magical symphony on my tastebuds, there were nuanced notes of discrepancy noticed in other corners of the menu, perhaps signaling a lull in the orchestra's precision. The once perennial favorite, a dish promising succulent, lemon-kissed chicken, now carried an overwhelming layer of pistachio, its joy unwound slightly by heaviness rather than harmony.

That said, any evening spent here is likely buoyed by the sheer vibrancy radiating through the locale—Borough’s unique charm blankets it like the salted caramel chocolate mousse, rich and indulgent. Particularly striking was how the engaging allure of cocktails, like the Halva Daiquiri, can immerse one enthusiastically into an Arabesque sense of bliss. The staff gave the evening a remarkable lift too, echoing old-world warmth, despite the occasional slip where friendliness dissolved into a rather tacit company. Yet under the twilight canopy scattered by swiftly prepared mezze, Arabica remains, undeniably, a worthy stage on the market—a belly-quenching tribute to all who step in for that momentary escape found amidst a blend of flavors trailing through spice-lined lanes of memory. — Nigel Gourmet