Gaby’s

Pretty average deli food… Not bad but really nothing special. Salted beef sandwich was ok. The meat itself was pretty good, but standard fare. Cold slices of average bread and some mustard on the side. No extra seasoning or sauces or toppings. Overall texture was off and the standard cold bread gave it a sort of cheap sack lunch feel. I’m all about simplicity, but this is a far cry from someplace like Katz’s in New York or any other number of more impressive Deli’s that make incredibly simple sandwiches taste amazing.
Service was very attentive and friendly. They seem like they care about what they do, but unfortunately the food was pretty middle of the road for me.

The humus was nice, but the falafel unfortunately was dry and tasteless.
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No idea why my husband looked at the deli and the menu and thought that the apple strudel might be a good choice here. Indeed, when he ordered it, the guy momentarily seemed confused, haha.
Liked the many different salads. Disappointed by the falafel, but I’m pretty sure that was my fault because I didn’t get to eat it immediately and had it as leftovers the next day, untoasted because I didn’t know how to work the hotel oven-​cum-​toaster. Would come back to give it a fairer chance.

Gaby’s Deli is a frequent haunt for actors and visitors of Theatreland and it’s so proud of it that all the walls are covered with photos of said actors, signed posters from plays and newspaper article cutouts praising the venue and particularly its salted beef sandwich.
Despite that though, I decided to go for a proper cooked meal instead and try the day special, lentil soup and stuffed pepper. I was very happy with my choice, as the lentil soup was made with yellow lentils, the way my grandma makes it back in Greece, and the pepper also had a very Mediterranean taste to it too. That’s probably because the entire menu is inspired by various Mediterranean countries and flavours, Greece, Turkey, Israel etc.
I also liked that you can go sit by yourself and have a quick meal, something that I find awkward with more expensive restaurants. I will definitely go back to it when I want some warm food before a movie or a play but feel like something more homely.

five stars for cheapness n proximity to theatreland etc. nu discovery after having a schmeye around the area n hearing abt this on the grapevine. will b back…:-)

really quick, really central and really delicious place to eat. Their falafel is amazing along with all their other dishes. For 6 pounds, you cant argue!
Seems to be a real icon in the west end! Big up

The food is always so fresh and vibrant.
The service is interesting. They care about what they serve and they’re proud of it, but they aren’t your best friends. A bit surly, even. The décor leaves a lot to be desired, chairs are old and don’t match. But it’s the food I’m really after.
I only had three days in London for this trip and I went to Gaby’s twice. I also ordered the same thing twice, which was the daily special: Hungarian goulash. The meat was so tender, the sauce was so flavourful and the variety on my plate was great. It comes with a soup (get the lentil, it’s so good), some salad and either rice or pita on the plate, which balanced my meal perfectly. I asked the server and she said the rice went well with the goulash, so that’s what I ordered. It was the best (but only) goulash I ever had. My best friend got their hummus special on one occasion and their falafel on the other and both tasted fantastic. Prices are decent, location is convenient and I left feeling so satisfied.
I would have ordered some things for takeout, but I couldn’t carry much on me and I was much too full. But their selection looked so tempting and delicious. It also makes me happy knowing it’s a local, family-​run business. You’ll see all sorts of people in here, from 60-​year-​old business men to a family of four out for lunch to us, two girls touring London. I will definitely be going back one day.

Really good, fresh and authentic Mediterranean cuisine at decent prices in the heart of London.
I had the meatball pitta and it was lovely, the hummus there is some of the best I’ve ever tried too. I’ve only taken away and not eaten in but the service was quick and efficient and the bowls of fresh food under the counter mouthwatering.

This place does a great coffee! For £! total bargain! They also have a selection of food on display which looks and smells gorgeous! Will definitely be back!

4 star is for food and location
1 star for service.
Had no idea how famous this place was when I stepped in. I was hungry and the salads looked fresh and delicious.
Food is yummy. Had a sample of 5 salads (lentils, beans, tomato, cucumber, hummus)
Would return for food alone.
Service was not great. I dined in yet waitress did not offer water. I had to request it. The one waitress working spent more time sitting in the corner playing on her phone than helping diners.

Really great, no frills place. I would definitely recommend grabbing lunch here after you have shopped around Covent Garden for a while. We had the much touted salt beef sandwich. It was very good and a well needed change from too many nights of fish & chips!

Das scheint ein echter Geheimtipp im Theatre-​District zu sein. Sieht etwas schlicht aus, hier kann man aber lecker orientalisch Essen zu wirklich guten (für London) Preisen. Direkt neben dem Leicester Square, gut und günstig und äußerst frequentiert. Wir kamen an einem Samstag um halb sieben und mussten etwa eine viertel Stunde auf einen Tisch warten. Das hat sich aber gelohnt. Und drei Matt Damons, die per Foto an der Wand ihren Besuch beweisen können einfach nicht irren!

My go to place in central London, great Mediterranean based food, and especially good salt beef sandwich. Due to development plans in the area, Gaby’s is due to be closed, but they’ve been granted an extension to next May. Would literally be criminal and a disgrace if this place was replaced by some soulless chain eatery. Service a little surly, but can’t be beaten for taste and value. Highly recommend.

In London for a few days, tried to find a good New York deli. Reviews were mixed on almost all of them. Decided to try Gaby’s. Corned beef (here, called Salt Beef) was superb — NY quality. Rye bread, outstanding. No décor. Grumpy service. But delicious corned beef, quite inexpensive.

Good, semi-​expensive food, but really terrible service. I mean not just London-​bad, but notably awful. Of all the options around Leicester Square, it is the least touristy.

A real London treasure. This is what a deli should be! I have always been served promptly just the thing for the peckish Londoner!

Service tends more to friendliness than to speed, but it’s worth it ‘cos this place is the real deal. Their hot salt beef bagel was just what I needed.

I went to Gaby’s today on the back off this Qype page. As I’m working back in Soho I’m trying to explore rather than going to a rather vanilla shop that begins with M and ends with ‘encers. Glad I did fab choice of wraps and pasta dishes, the falafel has been recommended by many on here plus the staff themselves so I WILL be going back! #winning (see pic of my chicken wrap)

The thing I like most about Gaby’s is that my gran has been coming here since they opened, in fact she came here when the previous owners were in town, over 50 years of eating history with this little deli in central London.
The second thing I like is the food — there’s such a wide range you could try something new all the time. It’s honest too, it’s not always perfect, sometimes the sauces taste a bit odd, a bit too much fat in my salt beef sandwich. But they know this and to a certain extent don’t seem to care! The printed and laminated reviews from magazines don’t all rave, some complain about the food, the service but all give Gaby’s a recommendation. I do recommend it, it would be a shame to miss out on some great food. But just be prepared to make allowances, genius is not always the same as perfection.

Oh Gaby, you really can stop my heart with the falafels you seem to make me force down my throat. I’m Jewish, I can’t help myself… please stop.
5 salads for less that £5 in a box will have you filled up at lunch time ’til tea. A fabulous kosher deli, not many around here!

From the outside you may be a little put off by the large containers of food in the window that seem to have been sitting there all day but the falafel pitta bread is superb which you can take away with you. It’s more of a café inside than a restaurant setting so more of a place just to get a quick bite to eat.
Oh and the Baklava is really good too.