Gabeto is the newest restaurant and bar on the Camden Market scene. Setting out to establish a hub for eating, drinking and socialising that “rivals the best in Shoreditch and Fitzrovia", it’s a really exciting project that arrived slap-bang in the middle of this most famous of London districts just last month. I headed down one Saturday evening to see what this vibrant new brasserie had to offer.
Venue & Atmosphere
Situated in an historic Victorian stable block in the heart of the Market, there are few better places to enjoy a night on the town than Camden. Gabeto - a friendly Spanish term for ‘our house’, if you were wondering - is right at home amongst the many popular bars and live music venues, and there was a steady buzz to the place as early as 6pm.
Upon arrival we were whisked upstairs to what is the main dining space; a bold and open first-floor restaurant with retro-styled furniture, exposed brickwork and lots of vivid splashes of colour. John Bulley is the man behind the iconic mural on nearby Camden Lock Bridge, and he has been specially commissioned to produce a gallery of artwork that line the walls here. The space is quirky and interesting, rounded off with a late-night cocktail bar downstairs and an outdoor terrace with umbrellas and heaters for year-round comfort.
All-in-all, Gabeto is a welcoming place with bags of charisma – the type of venue that makes you want to sit down and experience everything this place has to offer right away.
Located in Camden, Gabeto is an industrial-style space filled with bright interiors and interesting art works.
Food & Drinks
How have I made it this far without mentioning that Lee Andrews, of Chiltern Firehouse fame, has composed the menu?
Andrews is the creative brains behind the brasserie-styled fare, with the bulk of dishes featuring carefully sourced British ingredients matched with a hint of Latin flavours. We were here to sample the dinner menu, which offers everything from taco sharing dishes (3 for £8), to fresh seafood and Galician steaks that have been masterfully cooked via the wood-fired oven.
We started with the Mango Salad (£8), a refreshing mix of mangoes, tomatoes, carrots and coconuts as well as Guac on the Block (£8), which involves one of Gabeto’s cheery team preparing a fresh spread of guac and nachos in front of your eyes.
From here we indulged in the Grilled Marinated King Prawns (£24) and the Sirloin Steak (£32), which was expertly prepared and tender in every mouthful. If, like me, you just can’t resist tucking in at pudding time, check out the Chocolate & Hazlenut Tart (£8) – it was a total dream of a dessert and a great way to round off three wonderful courses.
Drinks-wise, there’s an accomplished menu of wine and beer but we focused on the cocktails this time around. There’s a brand new range of mojitos to dabble in, and don’t go anywhere without sampling the Electric Fields (£11), where you’ll be invited to first eat a buzz button flower garnish before chasing it down with a concoction of maple whiskey, beetroot juice and homemade thyme liqueur. It’s truly a multi-sensory sensation that I’d urge any cocktail lover to try, even if, like me, you don’t typically go for whiskey-based drinks!
With exposed brick, neon signs and low lighting, head to the bar at Gabeto for a cocktail before your dinner.
Summary
Gabeto was mightily impressive considering that it has been open for just six weeks. Dining here isn’t cheap, but the friendly service and high quality cuisine make it a strong choice for a special occasion dinner and drinks, with lots of exciting venues really close by if you’re heading somewhere for a nightcap. Combining the charisma of John Bulley’s artwork with the talents of Lee Andrews in the kitchen, this is definitely one of the most eye-catching openings of 2017.
