In April, it was my partner’s birthday, so I took him to the new Brother Marcus Restaurant in Borough Yards. Being a sunny day, we sat outside, and it felt as though we were on holiday. Happy days! That was back in April, and a few days later, we flew to Chicago, so I’ve only just got back to blogging, hence the delay in writing this post. Although it was several weeks ago, we are still talking about the beautiful Eastern Mediterranean meal we ate, which is a good sign. If you’re looking for the best restaurants near Borough Market, Mediterranean cuisine or places to eat mezze near London Bridge, you’ll love Brother Marcus.
“Experience a selection of delectable modern Eastern Mediterranean small plates with interesting ingredients at this new restaurant in the atmospheric Borough Yards redevelopment,” Homegirl London.
Brother Marcus Eastern Mediterranean All Day Menu
The menu features a host of exciting and modern interpretations of Eastern Mediterranean cuisine. Start with a few items from the Rips and Dips section on the menu. The toasted fluffy pita and za’atar is a must but be warned that it’s piping hot. It is also super soft and melts in your mouth.
You’ll need a dip to go with your pita bread. We settled on the fava bean puree with Urfa chilli and coriander oil which was excellent. Other options are black garlic houmous with crispy chickpeas, wasabi tzatziki with Aleppo chilli, smoked aubergines baba ghanoush or code roe taramasalata. Opt for the rip and dip platter if you are sharing with friends.
We choose the falafel from the mezze list with yellow chilli puree, leek hay and pomegranate molasses. The leek hay sounds weird, but it’s essentially strips of leek that look like hay, so don’t worry!
I love filo pastry when cooked crispy, so the feta and halloumi borek with Aryan was a big hit. The borek is rolled into cigar shapes and quite chunky, so these were filling.
I particularly enjoyed the grilled asparagus with crumbled feta, cherry tomatoes, fresh mint, pickled radish and confit garlic because it was super fresh. We debated ordering the homemade potato crips with feta and oregano and crispy aubergines skewer but wanted to leave room for desserts. The grilled purple sprouting broccoli with harissa oil and coconut tahini dressing was a close contender.
Fish and seafood fans may want to try grilled smoke Mackerel filo taco with red peppers and harissa mayo. Another option is the scallops with anchovy butter, coriander cream and crispy capers. The birthday boy opted for the king prawns seared in Aleppo and garlic butter caramelised in Kassundi, which he loved. Meat eaters can try lamb croquettes, BBQ pork skewers or kefir fried chicken.
As I said, we saved room for desserts. We shared the honey bombs with chocolate, cream and crumbed hazelnut pasteli.
My favourite was the baklava sandwich with Greek yoghurt and pistachio ice cream. The other option is an Israeli set coconut milk dessert.
The rip and dip platter cost £18, vegetarian/vegan mezze small plates are £5.50-10.40, fish and seafood £8.50-16, meat and chicken £12.80-£13.60, and desserts are £7.50. The drinks list includes alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails with Eastern Mediterranean ingredients such as Turkish pepper and pomegranate. We enjoyed our fresh lemonades. They have an extensive wine selection, so you’ll have a wonderful time, cheers!
You may want to check out the brunch dishes, including harissa eggs, sweet potato fritters or a smokey shakshuka. They also have a Mediterranean version of a cooked breakfast with a Merguez sausage and a veggie or vegan option if you’d prefer. I suppose I’ll have to return to review the brunch menu!
Brother Marcus Borough Yards Information
To find out more, visit the Brother Marcus Website. The address is 1 Dirty Lane, London SE1 9PA. Borough Yards is a redevelopment of some abandoned railway arches near Borough Market, where you will now find restaurants, an Everyman cinema and a Paul Smith shop. The nearest stations are London Bridge and Borough Market. Check online for the current opening times. It’s an excellent restaurant for couples, groups of friends or business lunches. I recommend that you book a table to avoid disappointment. You’ll find other branches in Spitalfields and Angel.
While you are in the area, you can explore Borough Market and the Borough Market Kitchen Food Court.
Author: Homegirl London. Photographs: Homegirl London. I only write about restaurants where I had a good experience. I recommend that you undertake further research as restaurant standards fluctuate, as do opinions. Please check if the restaurant is still in business and the opening times before you go. If you discover that this restaurant has closed, contact me to remove it from my blog.
