OMA — Restaurant in London

Expectations for OMA were sky high before my dining experience. It is difficult to determine whether or not these expectations were met.

Atmosphere and Service: Sous chef Chef Mikey was running the pass the day I dined. I was the first to be sat in the restaurant at 12pm sharp, and was shown to a counter seat right beside the entrance to the open-concept kitchen. This gap is a mere 5-6 feet wide, and this is where Chef Mikey stood throughout lunch service. I found this arrangement slightly off-putting, as it was clearly stated in my reservation that I'd booked a dining area table, not a counter seat. My initial disappointment, however, was soon replaced with curiosity. I could see everything happening in the kitchen at a single glance--including mistakes made, orders piling up, and how every line cook behaved throughout service. Restaurants hide the state of the kitchen because it is, for the most part, chaos. To seat guests so close to the action is confidence at its best.

To describe the noise: naturally, Chef Mikey would be calling for service every time a dish goes out, so I'd hear the service bell go off beside me every minute. Chefs calling out all days, requesting for more plates, 'I need two baba, four hummus, three--', full house guest chattering, dinnerware clinking, service bell ringing, chefs firing dish after dish; this is to be expected if you choose the counter seat and are lucky enough to be rewarded with the one right beside the pass. As a single diner, I enjoyed this very much--watching the kitchen run. Not a single instance (that I could make out, at least) were they in the weeds under Chef Mikey's leadership.

Do not book a counter seat if you're looking for an intimate evening or a good conversation with your guest. The chatter of the dining area is loud enough (occasionally accompanied by the clank of the overground running above); I would not recommend adding the heat and fervent buzz of a busy kitchen to your dining experience.

The Food I was the first to be sat, and also likely the first to order because the moment I was handed the menu, I frankly told my server that I'd already decided on what I would like to have for the day (I plan my meals and of course, researched the place).

Acma Verde. Baba Ganoush. Oxtail. Olive oil gelato.

I had 3 different servers coming by past the 15 minute mark telling me that my starter was on the way. I didn't mind the wait, really. When the Acma was served, I immediately noticed the flakes of salt on top of it. Texture-wise, the bread was stunning. Golden crisp exterior. Fluffy, piping hot interior. Baba was unfortunately not my cup of tea. The balancing of taste (at least for the Baba I was served) was a little off. The acidity was overpowering and so sadly I couldn't finish it. Acma did not need the added flakes of salt on top. Made it a tad too salty for my personal perference.

My Oxtail was prepared by Chef Dennis (apologies if I spelled it wrongly, but see, this is why I ended up liking the seating arrangement. I could see everything, and Chef Mikey referred to some of his chefs by name) and I say give that man a raise. It was the highlight of my meal. The orzo was perfectly cooked, and had absorbed the rich flavor and essence of the bone marrow in a way that didn't taste overpowering at all. The texture of it enhanced the taste of the meat and altogether created an addictive mouthfeel. Very moreish. I was surprised by how much of my plate I cleared because of course, I had to be saving space for the gelato, but I'd unconsciously finished most it. Kudos to Dennis and the kitchen.

Olive Oil Gelato. Creamy and smooth, it was a tasty surprise. I liked the fennel pollen (albeit my friends who dined two days later said it wasn't their cup of tea) and the additional dimension of flavor and fragrance it provided to the dessert that was already quite simple and complex and the same time. It is both salty and sweet, mild and powerful, all at once. Depending on whether you choose to mix the ice cream or have it as is, your experience...

We wanted to love this place so badly but we ended up really disappointed. We booked for the heated terrace (around 8PM in January, mind), and when we arrived we were notified that the heaters were down. Not anyone’s fault, and a waiter informed us that drinks would be on the house due to the issue, so we tried to make ourselves comfortable outside.

We ordered cocktails, which were both overly-sweet and not adequately chilled. One drink, described as a 'dirty martini', was actually sweet and herbaceous and tasted strongly of liquorice. Oh well, a lovely sommelier recommended us wine and we carried on.

Our first course of dips was very tasty, and even though there were a couple of errors with our order (we ordered ajvar and tarama and were served ajvar and babaganoush, then they served us the tarama twice when we ordered only one portion) it was really no problem at all.

For our second course, we went with the waiter’s recommendations, and ended up with our jaws agape and eyebrows raised. We went in with the understanding that it is a ‘small plates’ restaurant and were prepared to pay the price for it, but £14 for a small bowl of tomatoes (which tasted no better than they do in my own home) is extortionate! Both dishes were good, especially the crudo, but it really seemed like they were taking the piss with that tomato dish-- it actually made us laugh.

The third course came with only one of two dishes we ordered. We didn’t say anything as we assumed the second one was on the way. The fish was cooked beautifully but the flavour was unspectacular. It was still good, but once again it was something that we could’ve just made at home. At that point we were losing feeling in our fingers and toes, so we politely asked to finish our third course inside as two people had just vacated the counter. Thankfully, we were transferred indoors for the rest of our meal.

The second dish never came and as the counter seats were right next to the door it was still chilly and we wanted to leave. We asked for the bill and informed the staff that we never recieved one dish, which they removed from the bill. When we recieved the bill we were suprised to see all four drinks that we ordered on it. I politely asked a manager/supervisor about the discrepancy and she seemed a bit suprised which threw me off. She was very polite, though, and said she would amend the bill.

When we recieved it the second time and saw that only one round was removed, we were too cold and irritated to say anything else and just paid and left, but it was a bit shocking that only one round was taken off. Between two people we had four drinks. Of course we understand that ‘drinks on us’ doesn’t mean open bar, but two rounds for two people is the least that can be done when your diners are sucking up 1 degree weather to eat and pay for your food. It’s not a good look for such an overpriced restaurant. In retrospect I should have said something but me and my partner work in hospitality and don’t like to make a fuss when out.

After £120 of food we were still hungry so we left and split a burger elsewhere, which was probably the most satisfying culinary part of the evening.

I think that maybe if you have money to blow this place may have more appeal because the food is good, but it’s just not good enough to make up for the prices and disorganised service. The waiters were so busy their service seemed frantic at times (not their fault, obviously) and I overheard quite a few disgruntled people that also seemed disappointed by their experiences. We were prepared to have our minds blown by the food, but honestly nothing was so good or memorable that we have to go back to have it again.

When you are someone that doesn’t have the means to go out to nice places often, it should be really special when you finally do. Especially if you are celebrating something, as we were. Unfortunately the most memorable parts of OMA were the negative experiences. If you’re looking for overpriced small plates that are actually worth your business, try Elliot’s or...

30th of March,2025 review:

This was our second visit to Oma, this time for a Sunday lunch at 12:30. On our previous visit, we had booked a Saturday lunch at 12:00 but experienced a 15-minute wait due to the sheer number of guests arriving at the same time.

This time, the 12:30 slot allowed for a quicker seating process. We were placed near the kitchen, which felt quite cramped due to the constant movement of staff and customers.

The tahini, hot honey, and crispy chickpea starter was enjoyable, as was the Wild farmed laffa bread and the salt cod XO with labneh. However, the tuna ceviche with avocado and tamari was disappointingly small for the price.

The charred lamb belly with hummus and shallot + mint salatá was particularly gamey, especially beneath the skin. The charred squid skewer with confit garlic and za’atar oil was overly chewy and ultimately underwhelming.

We decided to skip dessert due to the hectic atmosphere. The person in our party facing the kitchen found the constant movement of staff and customers quite unsettling, so we opted to leave instead.

Service was fine, but overall, the experience felt a little chaotic which was very similar to the previous experience with the cramped seating and haphazard dishes arrival.

1st of March 2025 review: Tucked away up a side lane up the stairs from the Agora and opposite Spice Mountain, Oma is a hidden yet bustling spot in Borough Market.

Arriving at 12:00, we faced a long queue for entry, which took about 10 minutes to reach the reservation/welcome station. Seated by 12:10, we found ourselves in a space with tile floors, banquette seating, and green walls. While visually appealing, the tables were packed too closely, leading to an increasingly noisy atmosphere as the restaurant filled up—conversations from adjacent tables became impossible to ignore.

The pre-mixed cocktails were hit or miss of the gimlet and the negroni. Firstly didn’t taste particularly great and sexndlay showing the premixed bottles it comes out of isn’t a positive impression! The Retsina Spritz was underwhelming, while the Olive & Evergreen stood out as excellent. The Pal-Oma leaned too sweet, and the premixed Gimlet and Negroni lacked freshness.

Service was friendly and efficient, with our waitress taking time to explain the menu. The Laffa was a highlight—crispy and best when slightly burnt. Perfect with dips, particularly the Salt Cod and XO, which was a standout with its rich flavor and creamy labneh. In contrast, the Babaghanoush was unremarkable.

The Head Bream Ceviche was disappointingly average—overly green and too sour. The deep-fried prawns, however, were excellent—small, crispy, and enjoyable whole. The Langoustine was underwhelming, offering very little meat/ poor value for its £15 price tag.

The Giouvesti with Bone Marrow was a comforting, hearty dish, though the portion of marrow itself felt limited. The Hispi Cabbage was flavorful but again on the smaller side.

The Olive Oil Gelato was intriguing, with a light, refreshing texture thanks to its olive oil base rather than dairy. The Malawach with Salty Caramel & Milk Ice Cream was fine but felt like a sweet spin on a Spanakopita, making it less memorable. The clear dessert winner was the Pistachio Praline & Chocolate Mousse, beautifully balanced with candied pistachios.

Oma delivers some excellent dishes, particularly in the small plates and dessert selection, but has its fair share of misses.

The cramped seating and rising noise levels detracted from the experience, and portion sizes felt inconsistent for the price. Worth visiting for a few standout dishes, but the ambience...