UK-based influencer Balia Adare recently took to her Instagram story to expose a disturbing experience of alleged racial profiling at Gaia Mayfair, a luxury Greek restaurant in the heart of London’s affluent Mayfair district.

Balia's accusation comes after she and two of her Black friends were refused entry to the restaurant, while their three white friends were allowed in without question. In her Instagram story she shared details of the incident, describing the experience as unjust and a clear example of racial discrimination.

Balia revealed that she, alongside two other Black women, was asked to wait outside by a security guard while three white friends from the same group were allowed entry without hesitation. Expressing frustration and disbelief, Adare stated,

‍“Do you think I am going to stand in the rain while you let my three white friends in, no questions asked?”

The influencer, who has visited the restaurant "so many times she can’t count," made it clear that she and her friends were respectful throughout the encounter. What made the incident all the more jarring, she said, was the unsolicited reaction from a nearby Uber driver, who wasn’t Black. Witnessing the exchange, the driver reportedly got out of his vehicle and said,

‍“It is not okay the way they have just treated you. It was disgusting.”

For Balia, this moment affirmed that what she had experienced was not imagined. Adare alleged that the security guard involved was of Albanian descent and insisted the treatment they received was racially motivated. Her posts strongly condemned the restaurant and its practices.

Balia went on to say:

“Gaia is a lovely restaurant but I’m not going to accept racial prejudice on the basis of a Mayfair restaurant."

Mayfair has long carried a reputation for being unwelcoming to Black people. Numerous accounts over the years have exposed discriminatory practices at clubs and restaurants in the area, with many people of colour being turned away or treated unfairly. The incident at Gaia has only added fuel to the ongoing discourse surrounding racial bias in London’s upscale venues.

In her emotional outburst, Balia didn’t hold back from calling on the restaurant’s owner, Chef Izu, a Nigerian man, to be held accountable. She urged her followers to tag him and speak out, stating,

“If he thinks it’s acceptable for his own people to be racially profiled, that’s fine because we know how many sell-outs there are but I’m not standing for it.”

She also directly addressed the internalised racism and lack of support she anticipates from within the Black community itself, saying,

“Black people will be the same ones defending him. They don’t know what bravery, clarity and respect is. I hope you die with that energy.”

As for the restaurant, Gaia has yet to release a public statement responding to the allegations. The incident has sparked backlash online. In her final remarks, Balia made her position clear:

“If you know what’s good for you, you will never go to Gaia again.”