Hafla Hafla started off as, in the founder Tim Haggis’ own words, ‘five planks of wood and a couple of makeshift signs’. After touring several different food festivals Hafla Hafla eventually found a permanent home at the Baltic Street Food Market. However, its success didn’t stop there. The Baltic Street Food Market stall became widely popular, with Haggis’ salt and pepper halloumi fries soon becoming a bestseller. Hafla Hafla was then able to open up as a brick and mortar restaurant on the beautiful Lark Lane, a hub in Liverpool for independent shops and restaurants.
Staying true to its origins, Hafla Hafla’s expanded restaurant menu is still an unabashed halloumi fest. The main menu features three different styles of halloumi fries (including the classic salt and pepper option), halloumi-topped burgers and kebabs which come with optional extra halloumi. The menu also includes some less cheesy but still delicious vegan options, such as baba ganoush, roast cauliflower, za’atar fries and crispy fried mushroom pitta breads with crispy chickpeas. If you prefer meat or fish with your meal, the restaurant also offers a wide range of options like lamb kofta served with green chilli tahini or calamari served with feta and a chickpea salad.
One thing which makes Hafla Hafla stand out is the bottomless brunch menu, which is served on Saturday and Sunday from 10am-1pm. The drinks offerings include brunch staples: bottomless Prosecco, lager, mimosas and Bloody Mary’s. However, the food menu - as well as including scrambled eggs and granola - also features some Middle Eastern-inspired choices. One of the most popular brunch picks are the slow cooked shakshukas. Each shakshuka comes with za’atar pitta, and is cooked for at least six hours. Customers can also try ‘The Full Hafla’, a vegetarian full English which comes with harissa baked beans, hummus, falafel and zhug mushrooms as well as za’atar pitta.