Bringing a modern twist to traditional Russian cuisine, ZIMA Soho delivers a curated taste of Eastern Europe in the heart of London. With a focus on immersive design, cultural storytelling and bold flavours, the experience is both refined and friendly.
The Ambience
Quietly buzzing on a Thursday evening, ZIMA’s upstairs dining room hums with conversation. Couples, colleagues and friends all tuck into plates with quiet enthusiasm. Large windows offer a glimpse onto the lively Soho streets, while the interiors transport diners much further east. Rows of brightly coloured nastoykas – traditional infused vodkas – line the walls, glowing like little stained-glass lanterns. Between them, rotating exhibitions of Eastern European art, folklore and porcelain add more of a personal depth. The space strikes the perfect balance between modern minimalism and cultural maximalism: warm wood floors, soft lighting, and curated ‘clutter’ that adds a soulfulness. Downstairs, the atmosphere shifts: the basement bar glows with jars of pickles and weekend karaoke regulars inject a lively energy to the space.
The Food
A signature ZIMA platter acts as a whistle-stop tour of classic dishes: shuba, an earthy beetroot and herring salad, vinegret, a tangy medly of pickled mushrooms, beetroot and and garden green peas as well as salo, cured pork fat that’s creamy, salty, and melts like butter. Rolled aubergines studded with walnuts and pomegranate seeds and a simple aubergine caviar add steadying balance.
A flight of nastoykas is the perfect accompaniment for the variety of powerful flavours. Bolshie horseradish and garlic infusions bring an unapologetic punch, cutting neatly through the richness of the starters, while sea buckthorn and cranberry add a tart sweetness.
Next, the chicken Kyiv arrives shaped like a golden egg; crisp breadcrumbs giving way to juicy breast meat and molten pools of herby garlic butter. A delicate nest of radish and baby leaf salad surrounds it, but it’s largely symbolic; this is indulgence at its finest. The pelmeni, small dumplings stuffed with beef and chicken, are accompanied by sour cream and a savoury buillion broth, which is light, salty and nourishing.
While portions are generous and there is more than enough for two, other dishes worth coming back to try include the blini and caviar, pirozhki with cabbage and egg, and the striking black pelmeni with salmon and cod, served with roasted tomatoes and more roe.
The Verdict
ZIMA Soho draws on centuries of culinary tradition in a way that is intimate, artful and playful. The menu is straightforward and well executed, giving a whistlestop tour of Eastern European classics, as well as some more contemporary preparations. Nastoyka is a highlight, with flavours that linger in the memory long after leaving. A return visit, especially for missed items and karaoke, is definitely on the cards.
The Details
ZIMA Soho
45 Frith Street, London W1D 4SD
020 7287 9111
zima.restaurant
Open daily
Please note: Guests must be 18+ to enter the basement bar. Reservations recommended.