What to try at Kapara, Soho - Great British Menu chef Eran Tibi's London restaurant

Our Guestlist series continues, helping you navigate the baffling overwhelm of the London food & drink scene. Whilst we haven't covered any viral pistachio-based chocolate bars, or pop-up gimmick bars where you dine in a suspended bubble, our Guestlist series does bring you the best bars and restaurants in the cit,y which are always a good call.

From secret underground bars to the highest restaurant in Europe, we've been undertaking the hard task of trawling around London's foodie scene to find the restaurants that are actually worth the hype - and those not getting enough hype.

Kapara is one that falls into the latter category. It falls on the modern, trendy side of Soho restaurants and is in a great location for an after-work dinner. It's the brainchild of Eran Tibi and is known for its fusion cuisine and sensory, immersive dining approach with big sharing plates you can all dive into. Here's what we got and what we'd recommend...

Where is it?

Located fairly centrally in Soho, specifically James court, 14 Greek St, London W1D 4AL.

What’s special?

Well, it has a pretty cool chef behind it - Eran Tibi - who you may recognise from a tiny show called Great British Menu. He takes culinary inspiration from his grandfather, and Kapara’s menu is a blend of Tunisian, Syrian, and Eastern Mediterranean, as well as sporadic elements of many cultures that he has experienced on his travels, including Japan, Hong Kong, and Western America.

Kapara’s ethos is all about sharing food, as long as you’re not a Joe Tribbiani, you’ll love Kapara’s eclectic range and the experience of the sensory aspect of eating as much as the taste. Their food captures the human connection with eating - that sharing a meal is central to showing love, memories, and moments.

What’s new?

Kapara isn’t new, having opened back in 2023, however, their menu frequently keeps up to date with what’s fresh and seasonal. Plus, keep your eye out for some of their special Great British Menu dishes like Ode to the Wilding Woman starter and Queen of Punk main.

Who should you bring?

Not that we’re calling ourselves fussy eaters (we really will eat anything), but all their lamb and poultry is Halal, and their vegan menu is one of the best in London. So, you really can bring anyone. If you’re looking for an interesting dining menu for particularly foodie friends or a date, it’s a great spot to try out.

It doesn’t necessarily have a date vibe, so you won’t feel awkward if you’re there with a friend, parent or colleague. You don’t have to be a foodie either to go here, the menu is totally accessible even if you're a diehard chicken and chips kinda person.

It's also dog-friendly and has good accessibility for people with disabilities.

What should you wear?

It’s very relaxed, so you don’t need to dress up particularly. We headed there straight after work, so we were sporting the smart-casual vibe, which fitted right in.

What are prices like?

It’s definitely on the spennier side of London dining, but equally, it’s great quality and in our opinion, it’s worth the price.

The must-tries

In terms of drinks, in our opinion, the only cocktail on that menu was the Hava Tequila - if you’re a fan of smoky or tequila-based drinks, this has to be on your list.

Their sharing menus are our ultimate must-try if you’re dining in a (food-compatible) duo or in a group. You get almost a ridiculous amount of plates to try, to the point where we were still full the next morning.

All our favourites were actually off the vegetarian sharing menu; I was super dubious about the watermelon steak that was the star of the Ode to the Wilding Woman dish, because, quite frankly, how can that be considered steak? Even mushroom steaks are pushing it a bit for me, however, I have never been more humbled - it was incredible.

The other highlights were their hummus & dips, you get to start - I think Kapara may take the crown for the best hummus I’ve eaten in London. The stand-out dish has to be the Jerusalem Artichoke, which was hands down one of the top five dishes I’ve ever eaten in my life.

If you’re looking for interesting drinks to try to start with as you get settled, it’s worth looking at their Naughty Gazoz, a refreshing beverage made with our own small batch syrups, fresh, seasonal fruit, herbs, spices and flowers which bring a real taste of the chef’s hometown.

What to skip

Kapara is one of those places where it does come down a lot to personal taste, but I would say their desserts are skippable, although this is mainly because their sharing menu is so large and ridiculously delicious that you don’t really need dessert afterwards. We tried their Chocolate, Tahini, and Miso dessert, which, whilst good, wasn’t mind-blowing.

Also, whilst they do have a great cocktail range, it’s primarily a restaurant more than a bar, so if you’re going for a big meal, we’d recommend getting one of their wines to accompany it rather than a round of cocktails (aside from the Hava Tequila that is).

The verdict

Kapara is a fantastic dinner spot if you’re ready to go on a delicious foodie experience. It’s the kind of food that not only makes you talk about the food and the food only, but also the kind of dishes that stay with you for a long time afterwards. We went two weeks ago and still can’t completely shake the memory of those mains.

The sharing menu is a fun way to try a lot of different flavours and luckily, it’s not one of those restaurants which take the phrase ‘small plates’ too literally, whilst keeping the price the same as a main dish.

If you’re a bit of a foodie (which, let’s face it, if you’re reading this article, then you probably are) or are looking to try out some more interesting dishes, then Kapara should be on your list. It’s a modern restaurant with the kind of fusion dishes and experimental flavours that you expect and hope for (but don’t necessarily always get) from a trendy Soho restaurant.

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Main image via Kapara