If you've never had gigantes, imagine the biggest, softest beans you've ever seen, baked in a rich tomato sauce. They're one of the most comforting dishes on a Greek table, and they're on our menu at Nonòs Judd Street, our Greek Mediterranean kitchen and bar at 112 Judd Street, London WC1H 9NT, five minutes' walk from King's Cross St Pancras.
"Giants" in the oven
Gigantes (γίγαντες) means "giants", and the full name of the dish is gigantes plaki: giant beans baked in a tomato sauce. Traditionally the beans are fasolia gigantes, a variety of runner bean, and large lima beans are sometimes used instead. They're cooked with olive oil, tomatoes, onions, herbs and other vegetables, then baked until the top turns golden.
A few things worth knowing, from Wikipedia's gigantes plaki page:
- They can be a main course or part of a mezze spread.
- The dish is naturally vegan, which makes it a favourite on Orthodox Christian fasting days.
- It's especially popular in autumn and winter.
- Gigantes are often served with feta cheese and bread.
Our gigantes
On our à la carte menu, under Mezze and Starters, you'll find Gigantes Beans: super-sized beans baked in a rich tomato sauce. They're marked vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free (V, VG, GF). Want to eat them the classic way? Add a side of Feta Cheese and a Greek Flatbread from the sides list.
Tom's lunch started with a spread of small plates, and the gigantes were part of it: prawn saganaki, beetroot and feta salad and gigantes beans
(Tom L., Google review). His verdict: All of it excellent.
(Tom L., Google review)
Building a mezze table around them
Gigantes work best as one of several plates. Good partners from the same section:
- Prawn Saganaki (GF): prawns in a spicy tomato and garlic sauce with ouzo, topped with feta.
- Chargrilled Aubergine (V, GF), with tomato sauce and crumbled feta.
- Baked Feta Cheese Pastry, homemade and topped with honey and toasted sesame seeds.
- Melitzanosalata (V, VG, GF), our smoked aubergine and roasted pepper dip.
Pelin, who has been twice, picked out one of those: I especially liked baked feta cheese pastry, which was nice with thin dough.
(Pelin K., Google review) Our guide to building a mezze table has more ideas, and if you're eating plant-based, our post on dolmades lists the vegan, gluten-free mezze on the menu.
A glass of wine with them
Beans in tomato sauce like a red with a bit of fruit. From our wine list, the Agiorgitiko & Syrah from Nemea in Corinthia is a dry Greek red, and the Makedonikos Red is a medium-dry Greek red. Our guide to Greek wine explains the grapes.
“Arlind! Lovely chap, serves us good food. Will visit again.”
Prerna, Google review, October 2026
Good to know
- Address: 112 Judd Street, King's Cross, London WC1H 9NT. Phone 020 7278 9700.
- Hours: Sunday to Wednesday 08:30–22:00, Thursday to Saturday 08:30–23:00. The à la carte menu starts at noon.
- Allergies: please speak to our team about allergies and dietary requirements. Menus may vary slightly by location and season.
A bowl of giants for the table, and a glass of Greek red. Book a table at Nonòs Judd Street or just walk in.