The Palomar — Restaurant in London

Tucked away in Soho, The Palomar is a vibrant gem that offers a sensational dining experience inspired by the bold flavors and rich culinary traditions of Jerusalem. From the moment you walk through the doors, you’re immersed in an atmosphere of energy, warmth, and creativity.

Ambience The Palomar’s lively vibe hits you immediately. The open kitchen, with chefs deftly preparing dishes while chatting with guests at the counter, creates an infectious energy that makes you feel like part of the action. For a more intimate experience, the back dining room offers a cozier setting without losing the restaurant’s buzzing charm.

Food & Drinks The menu is a masterful fusion of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean flavors, designed for sharing. Start with the Kubaneh, a soft, buttery Yemenite bread served with a tangy tomato dip—simple, yet utterly addictive. The Polenta Jerusalem-Style, served with asparagus, truffle oil, and parmesan, is a standout dish that balances indulgence and freshness perfectly.

For mains, dishes like the Shawarma-Spiced Octopus or the Jaffa-Style Seabass showcase bold spices and innovative techniques. Vegetarians will be delighted by offerings like the Cauliflower Steak with zhoug and tahini. Every dish is beautifully plated, bursting with color and texture.

The drinks menu is equally exciting, with a creative selection of cocktails and a well-curated wine list featuring both local Israeli wines and international favorites.

Service The service at The Palomar is top-notch. The staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about the food they’re serving. They’re quick to make thoughtful recommendations and ensure every guest feels attended to, whether you’re at the counter or a table.

Value While The Palomar isn’t a budget-friendly option, the quality of the food and the overall experience justify the price. It’s a great spot for a celebratory meal or a special night out.

Final Thoughts The Palomar offers more than just a meal—it’s an experience. With its vibrant atmosphere, innovative dishes, and warm service, it’s no wonder it has become a favorite in London’s dining scene. If you’re a fan of bold flavors and shared plates, this is a restaurant you’ll want to visit...

I’m going to give an unpopular opinion and not rave about the Palomar. Not terrible, but I wasn’t swept off my feet (like at ROVI for example).

One might argue that with great expectations, comes great potential to disappoint. Yes, it’s partially that. I had been to the Palomar only once before 5 years ago, and it was a magical evening, with good food, great ambiance, but mostly the excitement of having just moved to London. And so maybe that experience stuck in my memory. Then I kept hearing about it left and right, but had never managed to get a table there. So yes, my expectations were as inflated as a hot air balloon in Cappadocia.

But also.. putting that aside, there was something off on the evening were I made my second visit to the restaurant, walking in after a workout class in soho. The music first off… was out of place. I wanted Mediterranean or middle eastern turns, to fit with the identify of the place and transport us in time and place, but instead some 80’s disco tunes were blasting. At a high volume.

Second the food. Not bad. I would even say generally good. But there was no blockbuster, no dish that makes you close your eyes while you slowly chew each magical bite, or that makes you re-focus the conversation on it. Maybe the crab kafta played slightly that role.. but only slightly. The dips were ok. The spicy one was… spicy so we couldn’t really grasp the full flavor. The handmade pitas with love, I’m sorry to say, had nothing special. Just some pitas to use for dipping. I wanted to feel more love. Then the lemon cake was fine. A sweet treat but nothing extraordinary.

The other element that played a part in the less than ideal impression is the fact that the service staff seemed distracted. Our order took a while to be captured, the cake order was forgotten, and just generally… call me emotional, but we did not...

I’m sad to rate this just a 5/10. I’ve been to the barbary, their sister restaurant, and I loved it. I had high hopes for this place also. I took myself on a solo date and sat at the bar to watch them cook which I loved! I used to be afraid of sitting at a counter to eat, but I’ve learned it’s my favourite kind of dining. The interaction with the chefs and waiters, feels like you’re all together, rather than us (diners) and them (staff).

All the staff there were working extremely hard, but I have to say, I felt the cooking, and the presentation to be lazy…

The kubaneh bread was the best bit, light and fluffy🤤

The spicy S dip I felt was literally blitzed and whole chillies. I love spice but it was just too overwhelming and I couldn’t finish it. I wouldn’t recommend it unless you like your head blown off.

The Romanian Kebab - tasted nice… but you know exactly what that looks like (need I say). It was a whopping £19 for that small piece of meat, no garnish and a yoghurt sauce that was pretty tasteless. Underwhelmed is an understatement! I just think for the price you pay, it takes nothing for them to add a garnish, maybe some veg?

I also got some enoki mushrooms which tasted nice but was again, underwhelming. It was £9 for this very small dish.

I have nothing negative to say about the service, the lady that served me was helpful and attentive!

My meal came to £63 for all of this and a side of pickled carrots (again very underwhelming for £6.50) and 1 small bottle of beer.

I personally don’t think the price is proportionate, nor was it worth it. Hopefully they might work on the portion size and presentation.

I also posted my review on my Instagram (diningnotdashing) and tagged them. Quite disappointed I got no response...