Bubala set to open largest restaurant yet in Covent Garden’s historic theatre district this September

Middle Eastern restaurant group Bubala will open its fourth London site in Covent Garden in September 2026, with founder Marc Summers confirming that the new venue will occupy a Grade II-listed building at 14 Garrick Street. The opening expands the vegetable-led restaurant’s presence beyond its existing locations in Spitalfields, Soho and King’s Cross, placing it within the capital’s historic theatre district.

Bubala first opened in Spitalfields in 2019 and has since grown into an established London restaurant group, characterised by a vegetable-led menus and informal style of hospitality. The Covent Garden site represents the group’s largest opening to date and follows seven years of development in both its food and service approach.

The Garrick Street building, dating from 1860, sits on one of Covent Garden’s oldest streets, historically linked to London’s theatre community. The new restaurant will provide 60 covers on the ground floor, a 32-cover downstairs dining room, and 30 outdoor seats overlooking Floral Street. The interior design aims to retain features of the original Victorian building while reflecting the informal aesthetic associated with the group’s other locations.

The à la carte menu will include established Bubala dishes such as Halloumi with Chamomile and Fennel Honey, and Crispy Confit Latkes with Toum, alongside recipes from Summers’ debut cookbook, BUBALA, published last year. The “Bubala Knows Best” set menu will continue to be offered, with its price reduced by almost 20% to £39 across all sites. The price reduction is intended to address current cost pressures affecting both diners and the wider hospitality sector.

Seasonal specials will rotate throughout the year, including Wild Garlic and Asparagus Börek in spring, Whole Grilled Baby Corn with pilpelchuma butter in late summer, and Slow-roasted Badger Flame Beetroot and Feta Pastilla in winter. The Covent Garden opening will also introduce an expanded drinks programme, with wines sourced from Europe and the Middle East and a new cocktail list developed around kitchen ingredients.

Commenting on the opening, Summers said: “We were especially drawn to the site in Covent Garden because parts of it reminded us of Spitalfields when we first opened Bubala. There’s a similar energy to the area too – busy, creative and full of character – and being on the corner of Garrick Street and Floral Street makes it feel even more special. What’s mattered most to us throughout all of this is that Bubala still feels like Bubala. The food, the atmosphere and the way we look after people all matter equally to us, whether that’s guests or our team. Covent Garden is the biggest opening we’ve done so far, but we want it to feel just as warm and personal as the first site did.”

Food Desk

For further information and reservations, visit Bubala’s website here.