AGORA

good quality, good value cooking

David Carter (of Manteca and Smokestak fame) has transformed an entire building at the heart of Borough Market into a modish homage to Greek-inspired cuisine. Upstairs is the more refined Oma, while the ground-floor space is occupied by boisterous, no-bookings Agora (be prepared to queue), a place that positively sizzles with frenetic energy. It’s noisy, buzzy and utterly infectious. The interior is standard-issue industrial chic – low lights, concrete floors, limestone countertops, booths and communal tables, with a giant souvla rotisserie at the centre of things. To eat, there’s a roll call of colourful meze ‘spreads’ (our tahini dip with red zhoug was excellent), ahead of salads, skewered meats and specialities from the rotisserie, all accompanied by loads of pillowy Wildfarmed flatbreads, perhaps the warm, salty tomato version with anchovy fillets. The combination of a meltingly tender, juicy slow-cooked chicken thigh with a textbook Greek salad (complete with carob ‘rusks’ and Cretan galomizithra cheese) is Hellenic perfection, while Middle White pork (fired in the souvla with best-in-class crackling) is lifted by a zingy parsley and garlic dip that has its roots in the island of Syros. As for drinks, nine fruity cocktails share the billing with a line-up of creditable European wines, including a dozen by the glass. Prices are kind, but it’s the atmosphere that makes Agora so special – ‘we found ourselves happily swept along by the vibe and the enthusiastic service'.