Logma Hackney Cafe Bistro Menu Reviews and What to Order

Logma is an Iranian-Iraqi cafe bistro at 81 Goldsmiths Row, London E2 8QR in Hackney, East London. The name comes from the Persian, Arabic, and Turkish word loghmeh, meaning “perfect bite.” Founders Ziad Halub (British-Iraqi, born London with Basra roots) and Farsin Rabiee (Iranian-American-Swedish, born Colorado with Arak roots) opened permanently in December 2024 after running sold-out supper clubs starting in 2024.

Logma graduated from a supperclub series to a permanent cafe-bistro space in early 2026, specifically in London Fields/Haggerston, Hackney. The location sits just north of Hackney City Farm, a few doors down from Palestinian falafel bar Zeytoona on Goldsmiths Row. The nearest Underground station is Hoxton (approximately 650 metres away), with Cambridge Heath as the nearest train station.

The interior features a curtained entrance masking a compact dining space with a kitchen at the rear. A large communal table anchors the front, anchored by a floor-to-ceiling mirror with the menu scribbled in white marker. The design duo Bahbak Hashemi-Nezhad and Farrokh Aman created the atmosphere, focusing on comfort and memory through ornate lace trimmings, chandeliers, and butter-yellow high seating.

Wednesday evenings feature “Logma Lates,” inviting 18 guests to a communal candlelit table or counter, recreating the original supper club experience. The space operates daytime-only currently, with evening service expanding around Persian New Year to midweek situations.

What items are on the Logma Hackney menu?

The Logma menu centres on kofte and aubergine sandwiches, tahini buns, fesenjan stew, kofta pita, morning pastries, stews with saffron rice, and Middle Eastern coffee and tea. The menu evolves seasonally, championing local and organic produce where possible, with daily specials announced on Instagram Tuesdays and Fridays.

Regular core dishes include the viral kofte and aubergine sandwiches served in gargantuan pitas. The kofte sandwich combines lamb kofta with kashke bademjan (Persian aubergine dish enriched with fermented whey and mint oil) and muhammara (Levantine roasted red pepper and walnut sauce). The aubergine sandwich features eggplant preparations with similar flavour combinations.

Tahini buns appear early in the morning and disappear within the first hour of opening. Morning pastries include various baked items served alongside comforting stews. The fesenjan (also spelled fesenjān) is a pomegranate molasses and walnut stew with chicken, a classic Persian dish.

Weekly specials have included lamb and okra stew, saffron chicken with barberry rice (Persian basmati rice mixed with red barberries), aush (thick Persian soup dense with herbs and beans), fennel stew with saffron rice, and mung bean and turnip soup from Basra in southern Iraq.

The menu structure reflects Iranian-Iraqi culinary intersections, particularly in Kurdish-speaking regions and southern Gulf areas where shared history extends beyond modern borders. Some dishes appear exactly as Iranian or Iraqi would expect, others create entirely new combinations, and some sit beside each like distant relatives meeting.

What should you order at Logma Hackney Cafe Bistro?

Order the kofte and aubergine sandwiches first, arrive early for tahini buns, and check lunchtime specials for the purest reflection of current harvest. The sandwiches sell out within one to two hours, with tahini buns disappearing within the first hour of opening.

The kofte sandwich is Logma’s viral hit and most popular item. It features gargantuan sourdough pita filled with lamb kofta, kashke bademjan, and muhammara. Chef Ziad Halub invented it accidentally when making koftas with leftover eggplant and bread, creating an “incredible marriage of flavours”.

The aubergine sandwich is equally popular and often sold out alongside the kofte version. Both sandwiches are described as “boisterous size” with “rainbow cross-sections,” fitting London’s trend of landscape-scale sandwiches between bread.

For lunch, look towards the specials rather than core menu items. Founders recommend specials at lunchtime as they are “the purest reflection of the current harvest and our exploration of it through an Iranian-Iraqi lens”.

Arrive before midday to secure tahini buns. These morning items disappear within the first hour, so timing is critical. The first hour of opening (8:30am Wednesday-Friday, 10am Saturday-Sunday) is essential for bun availability.

Consider Logma Lates on Wednesday evenings for the full supper club experience. This limited event hosts exactly 18 guests around a communal candlelit table, offering the set menu inspired by the original supper club format.

Middle Eastern coffee and tea complement all dishes properly. The couple sources “proper” Middle Eastern coffee rather than standard café versions, maintaining authenticity.

How much does food cost at Logma Hackney Cafe Bistro?

Sandwiches start from £12, specials begin at £14 from 2pm, and the price range fits East London’s budget-friendly street food category under £15 per meal. Instagram comments confirm “Sandwiches from 12 and Specials 2pm” pricing structure.

This pricing positions Logma in East London’s affordable street food market category. Areas like Hackney offer plenty of street food markets with delicious meals under £10, while trendy restaurants cost upwards of £50 for two. Logma sits between these options at £12-£16 per person.

The gargantuan sandwich size justifies the £12 price point. Reviews describe them as “footlong” and “gargantuan pitas,” providing substantial portions that function as complete meals rather than snacks.

Specials starting at £14 from 2pm include stews like fesenjan, lamb and okra stew, or saffron chicken with barberry rice. These dish sizes and preparation complexity (slow-cooked stews, regional recipes) justify the higher price compared to sandwiches.

For the Wednesday Logma Lates supper club experience, pricing follows set menu format typical of intimate dining events. Eighteen guests at a communal table with candlelit service Command higher prices than daytime casual service, though specific Lates pricing isn’t publicly documented.

Middle Eastern coffee and tea prices align with East London café standards. A single tube journey costs £2.40, monthly travelcard £135, making Logma’s £12-16 meal affordable within typical London dining budgets.

Compared to nearby sandwich spots like Dom’s Subs (footlongs out of Rasputin’s dive bar) and wood-fired shop Rogues in Bethnal Green, Logma’s pricing matches Hackney’s sandwich neighbourhood leaderboard.

What are Logma Hackney’s opening hours and days?

Logma opens Wednesday to Friday 8:30am–3:30pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am–4pm, and is closed Monday and Tuesday. The cafe operates daytime-only currently, with evening service expanding soon to midweek situations around Persian New Year.

Wednesday through Friday service begins at 8:30am, making it ideal for early breakfast and morning pastries. Tahini buns disappear within the first hour, so arriving by 9:15am ensures availability. Closing at 3:30pm means lunch service ends early, contributing to sandwich sell-outs by midday.

Saturday and Sunday hours start at 10am and run until 4pm. Weekend service accommodates later breakfast and lunch crowds. The extended Sunday closing time (4pm versus 3:30pm weekday) provides extra time for weekend dining.

Monday and Tuesday closures allow the couple to prepare for Wednesday openings. As only two people making everything from scratch—including mincing their own meat—this schedule maintains quality control.

Logma Lates occur Wednesday evenings, inviting 18 guests to communal candlelit dining. This limited evening service operates alongside daytime operations, creating a dual-format experience.

The cafe is open daily during operating weeks, though the specific Monday-Tuesday closure means “daily” refers to Wednesday-Sunday. Evening service expansion around Persian New Year will transform this to midweek situations, adding Tuesday and Thursday evenings.

Nearest transport includes Hoxton Underground (650m) and Cambridge Heath train station. East London transportation costs average £2.40 per single journey, making Logma accessible via public transport.

Why is Logma Hackney Cafe Bistro so popular and viral?

Logma went viral for its sandwiches selling out within one to two hours, drawing snaking queues around buildings and packed interiors by midday. The Iranian-Iraqi kitchen catapulted into London’s most ludicrously popular sandwich shops before even having furniture, anointed by TikTokendorsed sandwich virality.

The viral status stems from the kofte and aubergine sandwiches’ “boisterous size” and “rainbow cross-sections.” These fit London’s sandwich trend of wood-fired submarines, doorstop loaves, and focaccia compounds. Eating with Tod anointment and TikTok food community love for “landscape-scale things between bread” accelerated virality.

Founders Ziad Halub and Farsin Rabiee possess storytelling gifts appealing to fashion and art worlds alongside online food communities. Their supper club history starting in 2024 created waitlists and sold-out events before permanent opening, building anticipation.

Queues form consistently: at midday Wednesday visits, at least ten people queue outside while interiors pack with diners. The snaking queue curves around buildings to the small corner site with curtained entrance masking the interior.

Hackney’s position on London’s “sandwich neighbourhoods leaderboard” contributes to popularity. Nearby Dom’s Subs at Rasputin’s dive bar and Rogues wood-fired shop in Bethnal Green (both under 15 minutes walk) cement the area’s sandwich reputation.

The couple’s non-professional chef status adds authenticity appeal. Rabiee cooks what taught by mother, aunts, and grandmother; Halub is experimental without fear changing ingredients. This home cooking approach contrasts with trained chef restaurants.

Logma’s 2024 supper club origins created organic buzz. First supper club largely friends, second sold out within a day, third got busier. This rapid escalation from dinner parties to city-wide phenomenon generated media attention.

The “perfect bite” name concept resonates with food lovers seeking meaningful dining experiences. The Persian, Arabic, and Turkish linguistic roots connect to Middle Eastern culture while embracing local Hackney community.

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What do reviews say about Logma Hackney Cafe Bistro?

Reviews describe Logma as flavourful, authentic, culturally connected, and exceptionally full-making, with queues of 30-40 minute lunchtime waits and sandwiches selling out before 2pm. Wallpaper* calls it “flavour, culture, authenticity,” while Vittles documents the chaos of sold-out shifts.

Wallpaper* staff writer Tianna Williams reports midday Wednesday visits show ten-person outside queues with packed interiors. The offering centres on kofte and aubergine sandwiches alongside daily specials like fennel stew with saffron rice, served until sell-out.

Vittles reviewer Hester van Hensbergen encountered chef Ziad Halub apologising at end of hectic lunch shift in January, when gargantuan pitas filled with lamb kofte or aubergine had all sold out before 2pm. Stragglers muscled forward hoping for luck in confusion.

The 30-40 minute lunchtime waits align with London’s popular sandwich shop pattern. These spaces unite boisterous sandwich sizes, rainbow cross-sections, and signature breads. Logma joined this category immediately upon opening.

Reviewers note the space feels like stepping into the couple’s living room. The open kitchen reveals every stress point, bits of joy, bickering, and cheek kisses. Everyone gets treated with conversation and smile, no one rushed out.

Authenticity concerns emerged from Middle Eastern aunties telling the couple “this is not Iranian cuisine, this is not Iraqi.” The pair respond it’s their interpretation, wary of being “cancelled by all the Middle Eastern aunties”.

Reviews emphasize the communal atmosphere over traditional restaurant formality. The large communal table at front, candlelit Wednesday evenings for 18 guests, and home-like kitchen create intimacy absent from standard cafés.

Food quality receives consistent praise for fresh dishes, generous portions, and curative soups. The ash-e-reshteh (verdant bowl) drizzled with kashk (musty fermented yoghurt) exemplifies authentic preparation.

How does Logma’s menu change and what are the daily specials?

Logma’s menu is in constant motion, evolving as founders explore regionality through seasonality, with weekly changing specials announced on Instagram Tuesdays and Fridays. Founders recommend lunchtime specials as the purest reflection of current harvest.

The seasonal menu champions local and organic produce where possible. While core dishes remain regular (kofte and aubergine sandwiches, fesenjan, kofta pita, tahini buns), specials change weekly based on harvest availability.

Weekly specials have included lamb and okra stew, saffron chicken with barberry rice (classic Persian basmati with red barberries), aush (thick Persian soup dense with herbs and beans), fennel stew with saffron rice, and mung bean and turnip soup from Basra.

Daily specials sell out quickly, often within one to two hours of opening. The fennel stew with saffron rice example demonstrates how seasonal items disappear fast. Timing visits for specials requires arriving early.

The menu evolution reflects Iranian-Iraqi culinary intersections, particularly in Kurdish-speaking regions and southern Gulf areas. Some dishes appear exactly as Iranian or Iraqi expect, others create entirely new combinations, some sit beside each like distant relatives.

Founders Ziad Halub and Farsin Rabiee explore how food translates using seasonal produce, how different things from Hackney influence cuisine. Rather than bringing Iran and Iraq to Hackney, they translate through local ingredients.

Regional cuisine fascination includes oddball dishes existing in tiny towns. The couple discovered mung bean and turnip soup from Basra shares roots with Persian recipe, demonstrating commonalities between Middle Eastern cuisines.

Everything made from scratch maintains quality control. The couple minces their own meat, picks herbs personally (mother helped for sandwiches), and avoids prepacked or pre-bought items. This approach limits menu volume but ensures authenticity.

Instagram announcements Tuesdays and Fridays provide advance special knowledge. Following @logmaldn enables planning visits for specific dishes. This communication strategy manages demand and reduces customer disappointment.

The constant menu motion reflects the founders’ philosophy: “Our menu is in a state of constant motion, evolving as we explore regionality through the lens of seasonality.” This approach differentiates Logma from static-menu restaurants.