Opa! — Restaurant in London

A Rather Forgettable Birthday Bake-Off at Opa Greek Bakery One does rather hope that when venturing out for celebratory pastries, particularly for a tenth birthday, one might encounter something vaguely edible. My recent foray into Opa Greek Bakery in Ruislip, however, proved to be a masterclass in culinary disappointment. Having endured a rather protracted monologue from the manager – who, bless his cotton socks, seemed rather keen to impress upon me the sheer scale of their London empire and the exotic origins of their ingredients – I departed with what I naively believed to be a selection of delectable treats. A chocolate almond, a pistachio, a red velvet (individual cakes, you understand, not mere slices), and a fresh cream éclair. The anticipation, I must confess, was rather high. The subsequent reality, rather less so. The red velvet, a pastry that usually conjures images of luxurious sponge, appeared to have entirely bypassed the "bread" stage of its existence, presenting itself instead as a rather uninspired mound of stale cream liberally adorned with red sprinkles. One might charitably call it abstract art, but certainly not a cake. The pistachio, oh dear. Before one could even contemplate its flavour, a disconcerting puddle of green liquid required draining. As for the flavour itself, it bore about as much resemblance to pistachio as I do to a Greek god, which is to say, none whatsoever beyond the colour green. The chocolate almond, whilst not exactly a triumph, was, by some considerable margin, the most just about edible of the bunch. The pièce de résistance, however, was undoubtedly the éclair. A structural marvel, it was, requiring several robust thwacks to penetrate its incredibly hardened exterior. Inside, nestled deep within, lay a clotted yellow cream that had, shall we say, seen better days. Many, many better days. It was, after all, only a birthday, but it was nevertheless rather comprehensively scuppered by the frankly substandard fare from this establishment. Consider this a cautionary tale: if you find yourself with the misfortune of darkening their doorstep, choose your order with extreme prejudice. At least I now know precisely where I shall not be purchasing my next...

Customer service - Excellent. Always takes time to explain about their pastries, coffees, range of baklavas and other items on the menu.

Cleanliness- looks very clean. Never found anything I shouldn’t have in my food

Freshness- By the taste of the pastries, it does taste like the food is cooked fresh every day…though sometimes the pastries can seem quite tough and dry

Baklava- Tried the mini ones and felt these were soaked excessively in syrup- far too much in my opinion. Will need to try other desserts- Cakes, Biscuits and more baklavas to review properly

Pastries- so I’ve tried the Spinach & Cheese pastry and that was tasty….and that’s where it ends for me unfortunately. The pastry was a bit hard and dry not crispy enough ~ The chicken pie- I was told that this has béchamel sauce inside- I was looking forward to enjoying it based upon this but unfortunately none whatsoever from what I experienced. Just dry, shredded chicken with a few bell pepper pieces here and there and a slice of cheese that was well melted with barely any flavour to it . ~Cheeseburger pie- I was really looking forward to this but was massively disappointed. The burger was not grilled as well as it could have been for a nice taste. The sauce inside was sparse. The cheese didn’t have as full of a cheese taste as it should’ve. Overall, a big disappointment. The bun casing though did taste fresh...

We have had the pleasure of enjoying cakes from Opa on numerous occasions at our friends’ homes during their special celebrations. Each time, we’ve been thoroughly impressed—not only by the delicious flavours, but also by the exquisite decoration and presentation of the cakes.

So naturally, when it came to organising a few of our own family events, we chose Opa without hesitation. From the moment we stepped into their shop, we were welcomed warmly with friendly smiles. The staff were attentive, took the time to understand our specific requirements, and offered thoughtful and valuable suggestions. We were also invited to sample a selection of their treats, all of which were delightful. The entire experience was exceptional from start to finish.

I would highly recommend Opa for any family gathering or larger celebration. If you’re considering a bespoke design, it’s best to give them advance notice to ensure they can accommodate your request. Their prices are very reasonable, particularly given the high quality of their products and the professionalism of their service.

Parking is generally available along the high street, or there is a paid car park located just behind the buildings for added...