OMA

David Carter’s Greek-inspired Taverna has settled in the space above sister restaurant Agora in Borough Market. This is important to know, because there’s virtually no signage out front, and we found ourselves being shuffled through the heaving dining room downstairs to a staircase at the back of the restaurant. Learn from our mistakes - apparently there is another entrance to the side of the building.  

Upstairs is a decidedly calmer scene. If Agora is its sister, OMA is definitely the older sibling, all smooth, pale stone surfaces, dark woods and stylish lime-washed walls in tones of eucalyptus. There’s an open kitchen in the middle where you can sit and watch chefs grill small plates over live flames, or opt for a table seat in the window overlooking the market. It's the sort of place you could easily sit for hours, which we end up doing.  

Like any self-respecting Greek meal, the menu starts with bread and dips, only this time head chef Jorge Paredes (ex-Sabor) has applied his Midas touch. We tear apart a perfect pillowy bagel, which is made in OMA’s basement bakery and strewn with green ripples of wild garlic. This gets haphazardly plunged into smooth salt cod labneh topped with a glossy tangle of XO-style frizzled onions. A cacophony of small and ‘not small’ dishes follow suit, from a twist on borek filled with cheesy lobster bisque, to skewers carrying chunky pieces of garlicky charred squid.  

One dish that demands ordering is its signature ‘giouvetsi’, a glossy bowl of orzo simmered in beef fat, then finished with slow-cooked oxtail and bone marrow. If you can withhold from overdoing it on the bread course earlier on, do save some room for this.  

Considerable thought has clearly gone into every element of OMA, including the 400-bin wine list which echos the restaurant’s coastal influences, with plenty of serves rich in minerality and salty notes.  

OMA is one of those instant hits that’s bound to go far. And we'll be back for more of that bread, for sure.  

Greek-inspired restaurant OMA is the latest venture from David Carter, the founder of SMOKESTAK and co-founder of popular Italian restaurant Manteca. 

Located in London's Borough Market, OMA takes its name from the Greek word for 'raw', and is inspired by the rugged landscapes of Greece. Expect Mediterranean-inspired dishes infused with bold Levantine flavours. Chefs Nick Molyviatis and Jorge Paredes, who bring a wealth of knowledge from their respective times at Kiln and Sabor, join David in putting a spin on this classic cuisine.

White-stone stairs, reminiscent of Aegean architecture, welcome diners to the space, while floor-to-ceiling windows flood the 60-cover dining room with natural light. Interiors are designed by Box 9 (who are also the brains behind Manteca) and feature a neutral colour palette along with dark wooden accents to add a rustic feel. A central hearth is where you'll find chefs cooking meat, fish and vegetables over an open wood fire, while dishes are served in traditional pottery and clay pots sourced from Crete.

OMA, as the name suggests, greets guests with a crudo bar packed full of shellfish and molluscs that change on a daily basis. Diners have the chance to watch as dishes are prepared and can expect to see the likes of gilthead bream, jalapeno aguachile or yellowfin tuna with clementine and aged soy, alongside classic Greek dishes such as Santorini fava and a Greek salata that uses carob rusks, tomatoes and mizithra cheese.

David Carter brings his expertise of open fire cooking to celebrate the warmth of the area that inspires OMA. An open plan, live fire kitchen is at the heart of the space where butterflied or slow-grilled red mullet is served with red miso butter, while skewered Cornish squid is brushed with a garlic and za’atar oil. The menu encourages communal dining with shared plates like hung sheep’s yoghurt with salt cod XO sauce and hummus masabacha with tahini and green zhoug.

To drink, a 400-bin wine list focuses on lesser known Greek wines and native grape varieties. There are plenty of options for less discerning drinkers, as well as a regularly changing ‘wines of note’ curation.