Ara Restaurant — Restaurant in London

We had the absolute pleasure of going to Ara’s soft launch, and honestly, it was one of those evenings you walk into stressed from the day… and walk out feeling like you’ve just been on holiday. From the moment you step through the door, you feel like you’ve left the city behind and stepped into a space where global flavours meet magical charm - every part of the interior tells a story.

Let’s start with the decor - it’s stunning. Think intimate lighting that’s spot-on for a date night or a long overdue catch-up with friends. It has that warm, welcoming glow that instantly makes you feel relaxed and like you’ve arrived somewhere special.

What really struck me straight away - aside from how gorgeous the space is their commitment to sustainability. From the thoughtfully chosen décor to the considered menu, everything about Ara has been designed with being sustainable in mind. It's not just a theme, it’s a core part of who they are, and you can feel it in every detail. There’s a real pride in how they’ve brought sustainability into the experience, without ever compromising on style or flavour.

Now, the food. Wow. The menu is a dream - creative, fresh, and packed with flavour. Everything we tried was so well thought out and beautifully executed. My absolute standout dish of the night was the Sweetheart cabbage contramar with almond sauce. I’m not vegetarian, but I don’t eat much meat, and this dish was outstanding. Layers of flavour, texture and beautifully balanced – I would eat this again and again.

And the cocktails… Don’t even get me started. Their mixologist is genuinely a genius. I had the Strawberry and Szechuan pepper Margarita and… OMG. Let’s just say I’ll be heading back very soon to explore the rest of their cocktail menu. My husband, who’s a big Negroni fan, had the Mezcal Discarded Negroni and gave it a solid nod of approval - which is high praise coming from him.

If you’re a meat-eater, don’t leave without trying the Slow cooked short rib. Even if you go just for that, you won’t be disappointed. And whatever you do, please don’t skip the Grilled potato bread. It’s officially made it onto my “if I could only take one food to a desert island” list - it’s that good.

What really set the night apart, though, was the team. You’d never guess it was a soft launch. The staff were genuinely lovely, knowledgeable about the menu, attentive without hovering, and just made us feel like we were the only table there. It’s rare to get that kind of service and it made the whole experience even more special.

I’m already dreaming about sitting outside in summer, cocktail in hand, soaking up that relaxed atmosphere. Ara isn’t just a restaurant - it’s a whole experience. If you’re after an evening (or day) that makes you feel looked after, feeds your soul (and stomach), and leaves you just that little bit lighter, forgetting the outside world for a while… this is your place.

Book now. Seriously. This place is going to be very popular - and deservedly so. Massive hats off to the whole team at Ara for creating something truly special. We’ll be...

Rarely do I write a bad review but yikes. We were really looking forward to trying this place as we had a great time at their sister restaurant. Also, the reviews really stood out to us. Let’s start with the positives: The food was amazing! Hot, succulent chicken, perfectly grilled vegetables and the softest potato bread a person could dream of. The decor was beautiful. That being said, the negatives really make you question whether you should return/recommend or not.

Service was absolutely dreadful. We were having a great day and that was starting to dwindle as we were in Ara. The blonde server did not seem happy to serve us at all. We’re a pretty chill and reasonable couple, who weren’t even looking for above and beyond, but she genuinely looked miserable to be there and serve us. We didn’t get offered water the whole time we were there - and it was pretty quiet inside the duration of our visit. Upon taking our orders and giving it to us, both times she looked resentful. As someone who has worked in hospitality a long time (8 years and counting!), I can understand having a bad day, but never would I take it out on customers, especially when they’re friendly and polite, as we were. Perhaps, she was upset that we had booked on FirstTable?

We’re regretful to have paid the service charge, but really, we just wanted to get out of there.

Food was spectacular but you can get great food and great service elsewhere. A bad experience can really take away...

We came to Ara Restaurant tonight after hearing good things from friends and chose it for our anniversary dinner, but unfortunately, it turned out to be a very disappointing experience.

We started with a few starters, which were actually quite good and delicious. Sadly, everything went downhill after that. Once we finished, we were left sitting with empty plates and glasses on our table for a long time — no one cleared them, and no one checked on us throughout the evening. Our server seemed lost most of the time, and we even ran out of water and had to flag someone down.

What made the experience worse was the inconsistency of service. The couple beside us received what looked like 5-star service — their mains came out promptly, their plates and cutlery were changed, and staff were attentive to their needs. Meanwhile, our table was completely neglected. Our plates and cutlery were never changed or even offered to be replaced before our mains arrived.

When the mains finally did come, they were a disaster. The pork ribeye was overcooked, tough, hard to chew, and not served hot. The skate was decent at first bite, but shockingly had small, sharp, wooden-like pieces in it that definitely weren’t bones.

Overall, this was not a good experience at all. For what was meant to be a celebratory evening, it left us frustrated and disappointed. Despite the good things we had heard, we would not return and would not recommend this...