Hummus Bros in Soho finally became dinner after repeatedly walking past. This 2014 visit to Wardour Street brought falafel-topped hummus, Greek salad, warm pitta and an Americano — despite a camera battery that gave up at the door.
First published on 13 November 2014, this Roberts London archive records the meal as it was then.
A hungry walk through Soho
Hummus Bros was one of those places I had walked past repeatedly, always thinking I would try it another day. After a long evening filming for the vlog and taking photographs for the blog, I was heading home through Soho when hunger finally settled the question. I had my camera with me, so dinner seemed like an opportunity to make another film.
The opening footage catches the brightly lit Wardour Street shopfront after dark. People are seated inside, while the pavement and passing traffic put the restaurant firmly in the middle of an ordinary Soho evening.
The camera battery had other ideas
My plan lasted until the doorway. I pulled out the camera, pressed record and the battery died before I had even made it inside. I still wanted dinner, but briefly gave up on making a proper film of it.
What survives is a little footage shot on my iPhone. In the original narration I explain that calling it a restaurant review would be pushing my luck: it was better understood as a recommendation. The imperfect filming is part of the story of this visit.
An Americano at the table
An Americano was part of my order, appearing in a white cup and saucer on the dark tabletop. The camera moves between the coffee, the main plate and the side dishes, giving a simple record of what arrived.
There is no elaborate tasting sequence here. The meal is shown close up, with the window and the street just beyond the table. Those small details preserve the setting as well as the food.
Hummus with a falafel topping
As the name suggested, hummus was the starting point. I explain in the film that the homemade hummus formed the base of the dishes, with a choice of toppings. For this visit I chose falafel.
The plate has a thick border of hummus around the centre, with falafel, chopped vegetables and red sauce on top. It is the clearest food view in the film, and makes the idea of hummus as the main course easy to understand.
Two fresh, warm pittas
The plate came with two fresh, warm pitta breads. They sit on a separate side plate, ready to be torn and dipped into the hummus. The footage returns to them several times as the meal continues.
That combination was the core of the dinner: hummus, a topping and bread alongside it. The pitta is shown within reach of the main plate, with the coffee and salad completing the small spread.
Greek salad on the side
I also ordered a side of Greek salad. The bowl in the film is piled with vegetables, red onion and crumbled cheese, with herbs scattered across the top. It gives another view of the meal beyond the main hummus plate.
My original verdict was enthusiastic: the food was delicious, tasted fresh and offered good value, while the service was welcoming and friendly. Those are my impressions from the 2014 visit, rather than a present-day assessment.
Breaking bread and getting on with dinner
The camera catches a hand breaking the pitta on its plate before returning to the hummus. These are quick, informal shots, made after the main camera had failed, but they show how the meal was eaten.
In the narration I say I regretted not putting more effort into the filming. The food had persuaded me to share the footage anyway. This short archive film is the result of that change of mind.
A Wardour Street recommendation from 2014
Takeaway was also available at the time. I thought it would work well for lunch, whether taken back to an office or eaten in one of Soho’s squares on a pleasant day. The visit was to the Wardour Street branch, as I confirm near the end of the film.
First published on 13 November 2014, this is a record of that meal and that moment in Soho. The menu, service and takeaway comments belong to the original visit. For more food films from the area, browse the Soho archive.
Recent Comments