Build a vegetarian feast from Bubala

Few restaurants have captured the spirit of vegetable-led dining quite like Bubala. What began as a 2018 East London pop-up from founder Marc Summers has grown into three sites and a cult following for a restaurant built on punchy Middle Eastern flavours, tight menus and the kind of hospitality that makes diners linger. 

The new cookbook, Bubala: Middle Eastern-Inspired Vegetarian Recipes to Share, distils its ethos: no meat, no hierarchy on the plate and no apologies for putting a smoky dip at the centre of the table.

The book is organised into six chapters – Mezze, Snacks, Skewers, Mains, Sides & Salads, and Sweets – mirroring how Bubala’s food works: modular, informal and meant for sharing. The ‘Mains’ section is the least aptly-named; anyone who’s eaten there knows that Bubala’s strength lies in the blur between starters and sides.

The burnt butter hummus is an instant classic – unashamedly rich and moreish. Then there’s the social media stars of Bubala’s beginnings, such as halloumi with black seed honey, which hits you with sweetness before relenting to the saltiness of the cheese, and potato latkes with toum. Then there are quieter cult favourites, like the grapefruit ezme with tahini and pomegranate molasses – bright, sour and unforgettable once you’ve tried it.

Visually, the book reflects the restaurants’ own atmosphere: bright, unfussy and full of life. The photography captures the textures and colours that make Bubala’s food pop – charred edges, glossy sauces and herbs scattered with intent. There’s no pretence here; these are dishes you can cook and plate without a brigade behind you.

In practical terms, many recipes are adaptable for service. The mezze and skewer sections lend themselves well to bar menus, events or casual dining concepts, while sides and dips could easily work as components in more elevated plates. Bubala’s understanding of how flavour builds – smoke, acid, crunch, sweetness – makes the book useful beyond its vegetarian brief.

It’s also a reminder that simplicity doesn’t mean compromise. Bubala’s appeal lies in how it takes humble ingredients and transforms them through process – whether that’s a careful char, a splash of citrus or a slick of good oil.

Ultimately, Bubala isn’t trying to be the next big vegetarian manifesto, rather it’s a confident reflection of a restaurant that’s carved out its own lane – playful, precise and always a little bit unexpected. For chefs, it’s both a source of inspiration and a reminder that creativity often lives in the smallest plates.

Bubala: Middle Eastern-Inspired Vegetarian Recipes to Share by Marc Summers (Quadrille, £28)

Cook the recipe for potato latkes with toum from the book

Photography © Patricia Niven