Gaby’s Deli London was the stop for a salt beef bagel in this short film, originally published on 20 July 2016. I came out onto Charing Cross Road with my takeaway and talked through what made the little deli such a good find in the middle of the West End.

From the Roberts London archive: this article accompanies the original July 2016 film and describes the visit as it was then.

Gaby’s Deli on Charing Cross Road

The film opens with the blue Gaby’s sign and a glimpse of the food counter. The address shown is 30 Charing Cross Road, close to Leicester Square and Cecil Court. Outside, the buses, shopfronts and passing crowds place the visit firmly in a busy part of central London.

I introduce it as a little secret in a very touristy area. It was the sort of modest-looking place that could be easy to pass on the way to somewhere else. For me, the attraction was the food and the value, rather than an elaborate setting.

Salt beef, mustard and pickles

The salt beef bagel is the main takeaway in the film. I hold it up to the camera, showing the thick slices of meat and the pickles tucked into the bread. Mustard and pickles were part of the combination I praised as I walked along the pavement.

This is a quick street-side account of lunch rather than a seated meal. The bagel stays wrapped in paper between bites, with the traffic and theatre frontage providing the background. It captures the simple pleasure of finding something good to eat while already out exploring London.

Falafel and homemade hummus

I also mention a free sample of falafel dipped in homemade hummus that I had just been given. Both earned an enthusiastic mention, alongside the salt beef. The original film description describes a wider menu of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes, with vegetarian choices as well.

My comments about the food being inexpensive belong to that 2016 visit. The film preserves the experience and my reaction at the time, without turning an old lunch stop into present-day price or menu advice.

A short walk through the West End

Towards the end, I point out the National Portrait Gallery and another entrance towards Leicester Square. The Garrick Theatre also appears behind me as I continue along Charing Cross Road. The final view turns away from the camera towards the pavement and the street ahead.

Gaby’s appears again in my later archive film, Africa on the Square 2018 and the Final Days of Gaby’s Deli. Together, the two visits record different moments in the story of this small West End deli.

Watch the Gaby’s Deli London film

The original 2-minute 17-second film is below.