Island Vibes in the City: A Review of Limin' Southbank

I always enjoy having Caribbean food from Caribbean restaurants in the UK. I am passionate about learning more about Caribbean culture and food is one of the most exciting (and delicious) ways to do this! I am happy to be reviewing one of the Caribbean restaurants, Limin' Southbank, that’s featured on our list of Caribbean Restaurants in the UK.

London has a vibrant restaurant scene that offers a variety of flavours from all over the world. If you're in the mood for a Caribbean experience filled with sunshine and good vibes, you should visit Limin' Southbank in London! This Caribbean restaurant is the perfect place to escape and enjoy authentic Caribbean cuisine right on the Southbank. The Limin’ Southbank menu takes on a journey through the Caribbean from the streets of Trinidad & Tobago with doubles and spinach fritters, to Montego Bay, Jamaica with the smells of jerk chicken. The menu also features flavours from Martinique, Barbados, and Havana.

We visited Limin' Southbank for lunch in March to try their new Spring/Summer menu.

Limin’ Southbank is a Caribbean food and drink experience created by Trinidadian-born Chef Sham Mahabir.

Limin' began in 2018 as a pop-up bar and restaurant in Old Spitalfields Market, London. Its lively island atmosphere and delicious authentic Caribbean cuisine quickly won the hearts and appetites of Londoners. In 2020, the restaurant opened as a beach club situated on London's South Bank.

Located at the quirky Gabriel's Wharf courtyard next to the OXO Tower, stepping into Limin' Southbank feels like stepping into the Caribbean. The space is light and airy, with pops of vibrant colours creating a relaxed, inviting atmosphere.

As we visited on a colder day in March, we opted to sit inside by the bar, but in the warmer months, you can dine in the front section of the restaurant that gets beautiful natural light and has a retractable roof!

Gabriel's Wharf is a shopping and dining destination situated on the South Bank of the River Thames in London. It offers an array of boutique shops, where you can find bespoke jewellery, vintage fashion, and affordable artwork. Along with shopping, you can also enjoy a wide variety of cuisines, such as gourmet pizza, Mexican street food, and artisan chocolate.

Limin’ Southbank brings the Caribbean to Gabriel’s Wharf and the Southbank community, one of the few independent restaurants in this area of London. Owners Sham and James aim to create a welcoming space for good food and good times.

The landlord of Limin’ Southbank, Coin Street, is a social enterprise that operates in the London boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark. This means that when you dine and drink at Limin’ Southbank, you are also supporting the local community.

The Limin' Southbank Menu is a celebration of Caribbean cuisine, giving visitors that chance to experience home-cooked Caribbean food in London. From jerk chicken to curry goat, the dishes showcase bold flavours and fresh ingredients. Vegetarians and vegans are well-catered to, with options like spinach and sweetcorn fritters and a flavourful sweet potato and roasted cauliflower curry.

For our visit, we opted for the Curry Soft Shell Crab & Lobster Dumplings and Grilled Jerk Chicken with fragrant rice.

Chef Sham was so passionate about the Curry Soft Shell Crab & Lobster Dumplings upon ordering and reassured us that we made a good choice with this new dish from the Limin’ Southbank Menu for Spring/Summer, so we were really looking forward to tucking in! When it arrived, we were not disappointed. The dish featured white crab meat cooked in the Limin’ curry blend, coconut milk, thyme, garlic, spring onions and chopped garlic paired with lobster ravioli and topped with a soft-shell crab drizzled in curry sauce and lemon zest. The dish was bursting with flavour, creativity, and uniqueness. It was a delight to also sense Chef Sham’s passion and pride for the dish.

The Grilled Jerk Chicken dish features succulent pieces of chicken marinated for 24 hours in Limin’ jerk seasoning, then steamed, and grilled. It is then served with Limin’ jerk sauce and a mango and citrus slaw. The grilled jerk chicken served at Limin' was a unique twist on the traditional Jamaican jerk chicken. While not as spicy as other jerk chicken dishes I've tried, the chicken was cooked to perfection and had a beautiful flavour. The mango and citrus slaw that accompanied it was equally delicious. I chose to pair the Grilled Jerk Chicken with the Fragrant Rice, and I must say it’s probably the best rice I’ve eaten from a London Caribbean restaurant. White basmati rice is steamed in bay leaves, cloves, star anise and cinnamon to create a simple but delicious side dish to accompany the flavours of the chicken dish. I could have just eaten a bowl of rice by itself, it was that delicious!

We rounded off our meal with the Island Tiramisu, savoiardi soaked in passion fruit and guava syrup, mascarpone cheese and topped with citrus zest. The dessert was a fresh and delightful end to a delicious meal, showcasing the chef's passion and creativity.

The Dot to Dot Chocolate Rum Truffles were not yet ready, but Chef Sham assured us they were worth waiting for, so I’ll be back to try those and other dishes on the menu.

On this occasion, we didn’t enjoy any of the Limin’ signature cocktails, but there are plenty on the menu to choose from. Stand-out cocktails include the Limin’ Rum Punch made with Limin’ Premium Rum, Shamgriamade with Sham’s hibiscus (sorrel) syrup and the Beach Berry Mojito.

We went for non-alcoholic drinks enjoying some refreshing Coconut Water and a delicious Tropical Punch made with fresh lime juice, mango juice, passion fruit and grenadine.

The service at Limin' Southbank was warm, friendly, and attentive. Our server was knowledgeable about the menu and happy to answer any questions we had about the dishes and cocktails. Trinidadian Chef Sham was also very friendly and available to talk through the new dishes on the menu. We never felt rushed and were made to feel genuinely comfortable throughout our dining experience.

Limin' Southbank offers a unique and delicious escape from the hustle and bustle of London’s Southbank. The prices are fair, given the prime Central London location and reflecting on the quality of the ingredients and creativity of the dishes. While some might consider the menu prices a touch on the higher end, the overall value for money is good considering the ambience, service, and overall dining experience.

Limin' Southbank is a must-visit for anyone seeking a taste of the Caribbean in the heart of London. The vibrant atmosphere, delicious food, and friendly service create a lovely dining experience. Whether you're craving a Trinidadian doubles fix or simply looking for a relaxed escape with island vibes, Limin' Southbank has something for everyone. I will be returning to explore more of their menu and soak up the Caribbean vibes in London.