Impala is a highly anticipated debut restaurant in London's Soho, offering an extraordinary and inimitable dining experience inspired by chef Meedu Saad's childhood memories of Egypt and the Sinai peninsula.
Chef opening his debut restaurant, Impala, in London, drawing inspiration from his childhood in Egypt and the Sinai peninsula.
Insights
GreekMediterraneanLevantineBakerySeafoodUpscaleLunchDinnerFine DiningCocktail Bar
Last updated: 5/20/2026, 4:24:48 PM
Key Information
Impala is the highly anticipated debut restaurant from chef Meedu Saad, located in London's Soho. It offers an extraordinary and inimitable dining experience, drawing inspiration from Saad's childhood summers in Egypt and the Sinai peninsula, focusing on Red Sea shellfish, grilled items, and desert-inspired flavors. The restaurant is known for its beautiful, buzzing atmosphere and a mesmerizing open kitchen where chefs work.
Customers describe Impala as a 'hot' and 'exciting' restaurant in London, with many finding it difficult to secure a table. The food is consistently praised as 'amazing,' 'delicious,' and 'fun to try,' with specific dishes like Sheftalia and Ftira receiving high acclaim. Service is frequently highlighted as 'incredible,' 'delightful,' and 'excellent,' with staff members like Billie, Jasmine, George, and Rah receiving individual commendations for their knowledge and hospitality. The ambiance is noted as 'beautiful' and 'buzzing' without being overwhelming.
Additional Details
Impala is the culmination of years of work, research, travel, and sourcing by Meedu Saad, who developed the concept with Benjamin Chapman. The culinary vision is deeply personal, rooted in Saad's memories of the Red Sea, shellfish foraging, beach grilling, and desert drives. The restaurant aims to create a place for people to enjoy and create special memories.
Vegetarian options available (e.g., spring salad)Serves pork (Sheftalia)
Best Times to Visit
Given its popularity and status as a 'hot' spot, it is highly recommended to book a table well in advance (up to 28 days). Kitchen counter seats are available for walk-in guests, offering an alternative for those who prefer to drop by.
Had a wonderful dinner at Impala. Every dish was packed with bold, smoky flavours and showcased a creative blend of North African and Middle Eastern influences, all beautifully executed over live fire cooking. The menu feels inventive yet approachable, with each plate bringing something unexpected and memorable to the table.
The cocktails were equally impressive—thoughtfully crafted, balanced, and the perfect complement to the food. What truly elevated the experience was the exceptional service. The team was warm, knowledgeable, attentive, and genuinely passionate about the menu, making us feel welcomed from start to finish.
With its vibrant atmosphere, outstanding food, and impeccable hospitality, Impala is one of the most exciting dining experiences in London right now. Highly recommended and already looking forward to returning. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Great dinner at Impala. The aish baladi to start with olive oil and harissa was delicious, lovely and crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside with a rich olive oil with the harissa adding warm spiciness. We then had the white beans, herbs and bottarga which was smooth and creamy with lots of great subtle flavour. Next was the crab in shiso leaf which disappeared in two quick bites but had great flavour also. Then came the beautiful short rib with a great smoky grill flavour with a beautifully herby olive oil and again a bit of spice. Oxtail pasta followed which had a great savoury richness with plenty of oxtail chunks. The main was the duck which was sizeable and had lovely crispy skin and was cooked extremely well. The sweet fig sauce complemented the richness brilliantly. To accompany that we ordered a wonderfully fragrant pilaf rice. Finally, the date and pistachio egg custard tart was delicious with great flavour and a great way to end the meal. There was also a little jelly treat at the end. On the drinks front, an excellent, varied wine list with a great selection by the glass. The atmosphere was busy, the vibe was great and service was great throughout. Really recommend this place.
5
Great new restaurant, lovely counter dining to see the action. Despite reservations being full, we got a walk in with no hassle, which just makes dining out so much more spontaneous than having to book a month in advance. The staff are knowledgeable about the dishes and the bathrooms/whole fit out has been done with no expense spared. Noise levels not an issue, and the back of the restaurant features glass ceiling windows to allow daylight which is a treat for soho restaurants - a top dining experience. Lovely wine list too.
Top dishes:
The kibbeh (a nice twist on this usually quite doughy dish)
The Ftira (fried bread with pistachio creamed crack on top)
The Tart (it was like a cloud!)
5
Amazing experience, first of all the service was incredible, everyone we spoke to was lovely and knew so much about all the food.
The food itself was spectacular especially the beef tartare, sheftalia and fried bread with hens egg.
Can't wait to go back again soon.
5
It’s not often you go for a meal and can’t wait to go back and try other things off the menu. Wow! Absolutely loved Impala. The vibe, the service, the attentiveness of the staff, the food was knockout! Opening night was awesome. Back soon!
