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Bala Baya, London,

Bala Baya

4.7
4.7
1073 Reviews
£41 and over
Middle Eastern

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 3 times today
  • Innovative
  • Neighbourhood gem
  • Vegetarian-friendly
Bala Baya brings the essence of the Middle East to Bankside’s Union Street Arches, the first stand-alone project from Chef Eran Tibi, whose vibrantly progressive cuisine pays homage to his roots.

Eran’s creations offer you a unique experience that is all about feasting and sharing whilst ensuring that all ingredients are all responsibly sourced.

The restaurant pays tribute to the atmosphere of Eastern Mediterranean cities which has been carefully replicated by multi-award-winning designer, Afroditi Krassa. Inspired by Bauhaus architecture, Bala Baya has created a kaleidoscopic space that allows you to experience the sun-kissed youthfulness of the Middle East from the heart of Southwark.

Follow the camel!

Additional information

  • Phone number
  • Price
    £41 and over
  • Cuisines
    Middle Eastern, Tapas / Small Plates, Mediterranean
  • Hours of Operation
    Sun 17:00–21:00 Lunch Mon–Fri 12:00–14:45 Sat, Sun 11:00–15:30 Dinner Mon–Sat 17:00–22:00
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    The nearest parking to us is Union car park, please find more information here: http://www.unioncarparks.co.uk/southwark-street-se1.html
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Eran Tibi

What 1,073 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.8Food
  • 4.5Service
  • 4.5Ambience
  • 4.2Value

NoiseModerate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Bala Baya delights with "amazing food" and "delightful service," offering a modern twist on Middle Eastern dishes. Diners rave about the "aubergine mess" and "fantastic small plate food." While the ambiance is vibrant, some find it "a bit noisy." Expect "high prices" but unforgettable flavors.

1,073 Reviews
  1. debbie VIP

    London20 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 11 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Probably one of the best restaurants I’ve been to for a while - although I do wish the service was more attentive. That would have made the whole experience outstanding. The food was faultless. Thank you to the chef and team!

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  2. Oliver

    London2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 8 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Sensational food and great service! Will be back ASAP!

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  3. Ruti

    London4 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on 3 February 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    a modern and fusion take on middle eastern and Jewish dishes, great taste, good presentation, very good service.

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  4. Oona VIP

    London55 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on 8 January 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food, amazing flavours, but some of the dishes seem overly expensive

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  5. julie

    London7 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 1 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had a great meal here, super friendly service, really tasty interesting food and a great Martini. We'll be going back at some stage.

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  6. Luke

    London23 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 29 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fab setting, location; delicious menu choices and superb service. Despite being fully booked, the dishes just kept on rolling with no delays. The vegetarians amongst us commented on how good the flavours were for what are normally quite plain food ingredients. Well done to the team.

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  7. Susan

    London1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 13 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 4
    This was a wonderful find. I will go back. It was quite expensive but the food tasted outstanding- a whole new culinary experience .

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  8. Isaac

    London2 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on 2 November 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Really nice counter top experience with lovely staff and chef’s. I’d definitely be going back

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  9. Olga

    London17 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 19 October 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Unexpected delicious food, intense flavours of Middle East food with a modern touch. The Bala Baya prawn are a must, although I have to say that all the dishes were incredibly tasty.

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  10. Rebecca

    London1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 5 September 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food here is absolutely amazing 10 out of 10. I went with my boyfriend for his birthday, we got the veggie plates which were all amazing. The aubergine mess was by far my favorite dish followed by the cauliflower steak. The Jerusalem artichoke is also amazing. Honestly can’t recommend this place enough!!

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FAQs

Bala Baya is rated 4.7 stars by 1073 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 3 times today
Google Map for Bala Baya

Arch 25, Old Union Yard Arches, 229 Union Street, London, SE1 0LR

Additional information

  • Phone number
  • Price
    £41 and over
  • Cuisines
    Middle Eastern, Tapas / Small Plates, Mediterranean
  • Hours of Operation
    Sun 17:00–21:00 Lunch Mon–Fri 12:00–14:45 Sat, Sun 11:00–15:30 Dinner Mon–Sat 17:00–22:00
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    The nearest parking to us is Union car park, please find more information here: http://www.unioncarparks.co.uk/southwark-street-se1.html
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Eran Tibi
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Impressum
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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