Golden, crisp and served with a squeeze of lemon, fried squid is one of the most ordered plates on any Greek taverna table. At Nonòs Judd Street, our Greek Mediterranean kitchen and bar at 112 Judd Street, London WC1H 9NT, five minutes from King's Cross St Pancras, it's on the meze list as Kalamari. Here's where the name comes from, how the Mediterranean cooks squid, and how we serve ours.
A name that means "ink pot"
The English word calamari comes from the Italian calamari, the Spanish calamares and the Modern Greek kalamári (καλαμάρι). All of them go back to the Late Latin calamarium, a "pen case" or "ink pot", because of the squid's shape and the inky fluid it squirts. That word in turn comes from the Greek kálamos (κάλαμος), a reed or pen. So when you order kalamari, you're using a word with Greek roots that has travelled all the way round the Mediterranean and back.
Fried fast, or simmered slow
Fried squid is a classic all over the Mediterranean. In Italy, Spain, Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, Portugal, Croatia and beyond, squid rings and arms are coated and fried in oil, then served simply, with salt and lemon on the side. The secret is speed: squid is usually fried for less than two minutes, because a short cooking time keeps the flesh tender, and overcooking it is what makes it rubbery. Slow cooking works too, as long as it's really slow: squid simmered for a long time at a lower heat, with tomato or other vegetables, also turns tender. In Greece and Cyprus fried squid is often eaten with tzatziki. Background from Wikipedia's squid as food page.
Our kalamari
On our à la carte menu, the Kalamari is crispy fried baby squid served with lemon and a side dip. It's one of our meze, so it's served from noon until close at Judd Street, and it's made for sharing in the middle of the table.
Fern ordered it with friends: We had the seafood pasta and the beef burger, calamari and a side of tzatziki… was all such good food
(Fern M., Google review) And Jane noticed our kitchen: Compact open kitchen which looked very clean and well run.
(Jane D., Google review)
Build a seafood meze table
Kalamari is even better with company. Add Prawn Saganaki in spicy tomato and garlic sauce with ouzo and feta, and a bowl of Tzatziki or Hummus Greek Style with pitta. For a main, there's Grilled Octopus with Greek fava, Sea Bass marinated in Greek herbs, King Prawns with salsa verde, Grilled Salmon with lemon and parsley, or the Seafood Linguine with white wine, cherry tomatoes, baby spinach, parsley and chilli. See our posts on Greek seafood, prawn saganaki and fava and grilled octopus.
What to drink
Fried squid wants something cold and crisp. From our wine list, try the Makedonikos White, fresh, light and citrussy, the pine-scented Retsina, or the Vinho Verde from Portugal's Minho. A cold Mythos is a classic taverna match, and so is an ouzo. Our posts on Mythos, how to drink ouzo and Greek wine have more.
“Fabulous evening. Delicious food. Fantastic service.”
Bun Bunz, 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: squid is a mollusc, one of the 14 major allergens. Please speak to our team about allergies and dietary requirements before you order. Menus may vary slightly by location and season.
Crispy squid, a squeeze of lemon and a cold glass of something Greek, from noon. Book a table at Nonòs Judd Street or just walk in.