A session lasts 90 minutes - much longer than a cigarette break. Starting at 5 because it sounds impressive often ends in dizziness and a harsh draw. Our scale runs from 1 (light) to 5 (strong). Guests who smoke cigarettes regularly still do best at 1-2 for shisha. Experienced hookah smokers usually settle at 3-4, especially with heavier blends or fruit. When in doubt, start lower - the team can adjust within the first fifteen minutes.
Common Shisha Myths
at Laika in Soho
A poor first bowl is rarely bad luck. It usually comes from habits guests bring to the table - about strength, fruit heads, ice pipes and what counts as a proper order.
Here is what actually works at Laika in Soho.
Stronger is always better
Cigarette smokers need level 5
Cigarette nicotine hits quickly and fades. Shisha is cooler, longer and flavoured - it feels different in the body. Matching 'I smoke every day' to the top of the scale is one of the fastest ways to spoil an evening. Ask for 1-2 on a classic bowl, taste for ten minutes, then decide.
Fruit heads are only for photos
Grapefruit or pineapple as the bowl is not decoration. Juice sweetens the smoke, softens the edges and pairs well with bright tropical destinations. The table looks good because the preparation is real - carved fruit, heat managed for the slot. Fruit also adds intensity, so if you already chose a strong blend, drop strength by one step.
An ice pipe means a weak session
Ice cools the draw. It does not empty the flavour. Cigarette smokers often prefer ice from the first bowl; lighter guests add it later when they want something smoother. It is an upgrade on the same session - same destination, cooler smoke - not a lesser menu.
If you dislike the bowl, you are stuck
Tell a member of the team within fifteen minutes of service and we can change it. After that window the heat and pack have already done their work, so a free swap is no longer possible. Speak early - a wrong first guess should not define the whole 90 minutes.
Brand names matter more than destinations
Our menu is built around destinations - Bali, Havana, Kyoto, Dubai - moods and notes, not tin labels. Pick a city that matches what you want: tropical, cola-lime, tea-floral or grape-apple. The team packs and manages heat for that route. If the names feel abstract, take the two-step flavour quiz before you sit down.
Quick picks
- First visit or unsure: classic bowl, strength 1-2.
- Want cooler smoke: add an ice pipe.
- Want sweetness and a centrepiece: fruit head, strength one step lower.
- Want the full showpiece: Atomic Experience.
One shisha is required per occupied table. Book a 90-minute slot online, or walk in when we have space.