Ibai

London's finest 

King crab rice

Yes another Ibai post, it is now my no 1 London restaurant alongside The Ledbury. What I love about Ibai is the casual vibe and top-notch open fire cooking. This is a place that wants you to pay attention, not to be impressed by tricks. The Basque influence is clear but not shouted. It is present in the restraint, in the respect for ingredients, in the way fire and salt seem to be treated as tools rather than signatures. The menu reads with clarity. It does not try to do everything. It makes choices and stands by them. You sense that the kitchen is more interested in depth than range, and that confidence is reassuring. The below covers my 16th and 17th visits.

Tortilla

Galician rib steak

Croque Ibai: carabinero, boudin noir and Tomme de Brebis

Grilled XL Carabinero Prawn

The food itself confirms that first impression and then builds on it steadily. Dishes arrive with a calm presentation that lets ingredients speak without being underdressed or overly styled. Seafood is a clear strength. The crab rice is cooked with precision, respecting texture above all else. The crab is sweet and the rice had such a powerful depth of shellfish umami goodness. A simple treatment of grilled XL carabinero prawn becomes memorable because the seasoning is exact and the produce is clearly excellent. You taste the sea, but cleanly, without aggression.  Meat courses are equally assured. Both the Galician rib steak and British wagyu, when they appear, are treated with reverence. The cooking shows confidence in resting times and heat management, resulting in a texture that yields without collapsing. There is no need for unnecessary garnishes because the core of the dish is strong enough to stand alone.

Artichoke and mushrooms cooked in wine

Wagyu skewer

Octopus & piperade marmitako

Fullblood Wagyu rib by Rob Cumine in Newport

Pain Perdu with hazlenuts & rum

Ibai Gâteau Basque

 What makes Ibai very special is not one standout dish, though there are several, but the consistency of judgment across the entire experience. This is a restaurant that knows exactly what it wants to be and executes that vision with discipline. In a city crowded with openings that chase novelty, Ibai feels grounded and mature. It trusts the intelligence of its guests and does not beg for attention. That restraint is rare, and it is powerful. You leave with a sense of having eaten something honest and deeply considered. It is the kind of place you want to return to, not to be surprised, but to be reassured that a certain level of cooking and hospitality still exists. I will be back again soon.

Food 4.5/5

What I paid: £125 per person with wine

Average cost without drinks and services: £80 (dinner)

92 Bartholomew Cl, London EC1A 7BN

https://ibai.london/