Barbican Cafe - (Near City of London, South East)

Hannah Copsey The team were so lovely and looked after our large party so well. I am vegan and coeliac was able to eat the poke bowl which was nice.

Shanaz Set in an old bank building just off Exmouth Market, this place is super cool in an understated way. We booked counter seats to watch the chefs in action - not the comfiest, but in keeping with the building’s style (loved the drawer storage for cutlery and menus!). The food was excellent, especially the mussel pil pil which is a must-try along with salted cod churros. Beautifully presented dishes and really attentive service throughout. They even moved us to a table when they noticed my friend was uncomfortable, which was much appreciated. Would happily return.

Libor Koláčný I arrived at Fare expecting a round pizza. A simple, predictable disc. Instead, they brought me this... this enormous, folded, tomato-bleeding leather pouch. It looked like a giant’s lost slipper. My colleagues laughed. "You’ll never finish that," they whispered, as if I hadnt spent years training for this very moment. Poor fools. I attacked the Calzone like a man with a grudge. Prosciutto, mushrooms, cheese—everything tucked inside like a delicious secret. It was a breeze. In fact, it was so easy I had to jump over and finish my colleagues Quattro Formaggi just to feel something. My stomach was 90% dough, I could barely move, and I’ve never been happier. Top marks.

Lucy Robson We went for my Moms birthday as she is coeliac. She loved that she didn’t have to worry about what she was eating and the selection of options was great. You couldn’t even tell the food was gluten free. Would definitely go again!

Pam Probably the best pho I’ve ever had! The monkfish pho came with a rich seafood broth infused with tomato, a hint of chilli, and Vietnamese fish sauce. The monkfish was perfectly fried and soaked up the broth beautifully — every bite felt like a harmony of flavours. We also tried the chicken pho, made with the vegetarian broth (you can also choose beef). The soup was wonderfully seasoned with layers of vegetable flavours that made it incredibly comforting and flavourful. The restaurant has two floors and is usually packed during meal times. Seating is quite close together, so it can get a bit noisy. The lower ground floor is less ventilated, so if you arrive early, I recommend sitting on the ground floor. Overall, the food is fantastic and very reasonably priced. Will definitely be coming back! P.S. Prices do not include service charge.

Mike Ortegon This is my second time to eat here for lunch. The food is absolutely delicious, fresh and flavourful. The quaint atmosphere, friendly staff and great selection is a perfect place to eat. The Bento boxes are tasty and plentiful. I have had the Katsu chicken and for vegetarian palates try the Pumpkin Croquette Curry! We tried all the starters Salmon Nigiri fresh, and complemented with a variety of Goyza’s. Can’t go wrong with anything Lon the menu. Friendly and attentive staff. I would recommend