The cosy interior of Yalla Yalla only has 28 seats
“Yalla Yalla”, or translated to English “come on, come on”, fits well with the first part of our blog’s title. It is the name of a series of restaurants that can be found across London, serving authentic Beirut street food. The first Yalla Yalla opened its doors in 2008 and is situated in a small side street right in the middle of Soho (1 Green’s Court). With only 28 seats, people are queuing up to eat at this cosy, colourful restaurant. Traditional paintings on the wall, unadorned wooden tables and simple pillowed seats give this restaurant a distinct look. Yet it is mainly the fresh, exotic and aromatic smells that bring this place to life.
The menu consists of small ‘mezze’ mainly, which are shared across the table
Despite its name, you do not feel rushed when eating at one of the Yalla Yalla restaurants. Rather you’ll experience a dynamic and vibrant atmosphere in which you’ll get the opportunity to experience the real taste of the Levantine cuisine. Both vegetarian and meat dishes are well represented on the menu and real classics include: smoky babba ghannouj, fresh fattoush salad, traditional falafel, the praised sawda djej, and mouth-watering samboussek jibné. Alongside these unusually named dishes, treat yourself to a refreshing home-made lemonade. Then top it all off with one of the wonderful desserts. A personal favourite: osmalliah – a crispy baked vermicelli topped with orange blossom clotted cream, rose petal jam and roasted pistachios.
Yalla Yalla’s pop-up cafe in Shoreditch
Interested? Then visit either the original restaurant in Soho or a slightly bigger version just off Oxford Street (12 Winsley Street). In case you want to skip the queues or feel like having a more informal dinner, there is a pop-up store located near Brick Lane (186 Shoreditch High Street). During all four seasons this is the ideal place to get a quick, tasty snack. But in summer, the place really livens up and shisha vapours fill the air – you’ll imagine yourself in the tale of the one thousand and one nights.
Live Fast - Eat Slow 