Middle Eastern
Momo - 25 Heddon Street, W1B 4BH. 020 7434 4040
Moroccan - A famed London restaurant with a halo that shows no sign of slipping, featuring gorgeous staff and a super-luxe Moroccan den interior. Tables are easier to come by these days and there's outside seating for summer al fresco. Tagines, cous cous and simple spiced meats are exemplary. Mo Tearooms next door offers cocktails and snacks at cheaper prices.
19 Numara Bos Cirrik - 34 Stoke Newington Road, N16 7XJ 020 7249 0400
A café-life Turkish restaurant that stands out from the plentiful local competition thanks to its enticing menu, subtle sauces and superior cooking. Generous main courses come with a couple of complimentary starters so you don’t actually need to order any more – though you may want to as those on the sizeable list are very good indeed. Pide pizzas are a lip-smacking alternative to the grills. Open daily 12noon-12 midnight. Unlicensed. BYO. Corkage £3.
Ozer - 5 Langham Place, W1B 3DG 020 7323 0505
Turkish - Ozer takes its service incredibly seriously - just check out the menu. Statements explain how long your food should take to arrive and sure enough, within minutes of being seated a charming waiter delivers houmous, breads and olives to your table. Food is exceptional with excellent grills, seafood and a fantastic meze selection. The daytime crowd is Turkish business types and shoppers, at night things get sultry, with a buzz about the bar and romance in the air.
Levantine - 26 London Street, W2 1HH. 020 7262 1111
Lebanese - Late opening, seconds from Paddington station and totally atmospheric. From the incense-scented air to the ornate decor, Lavantine appeals to all the senses. The meze selections come recommended; pickles, breads and salads are also excellent and the dessert platter will defy even the largest appetite. The vibe is upbeat and lively.
Ali Baba - 32 Ivor Place, NW1 6DA 020 7723 7474
Egyptian Comfort Food - In a quiet area just north of Marylebone Road is this long-standing Egyptian restaurant with attentive service, good fresh food and pocket-pleasing prices, the likes of which are not usually to be found these days in uber-foodie Marylebone village. If Egyptian food sounds foreboding, be reassured that many of the dishes may be more familiar than you realise: such as the delicious moussaka, tender lamb shish kebabs, stuffed vine leaves and creamy houmous. To finish ther’s complimentary baklava, or Egypt’s beloved om ali (literally ‘mother of Ali’), a creamy hot dessert not dissimilar to bread and butter pudding but made with pastry and laden with nuts and dried fruit. Open daily 12noon-12 midnight. Unlicensed. No corkage charge.
Al Sultan - 51-52 Hertford Street, W1J 7ST 020 7408 1155
Lebanese - Eating lebanese in the middle of Mayfair feels incredibly decadent and just, well, right. At Al Sultan you'll be treated to a taste sensation of olives, salads and grills. Relax with the service Mayfair types have come to expect - smooth, slick and utterly charming - in a restaurant that makes you feel like the king or queen of sophistication.
Abu Zaad - 29 Uxbridge Rd, W12 8LH 020 8749 5107
In the heart of Syrian Shepherd’s Bush, an outstanding meze specialist stirs. Abu Zaad can feel like downtown Damascus with its central juicing and coffee-making area and grill station at the back. It has the air of a well-established local; there’s a warm welcome for all. The menu is ore or less identical to those at snazzy uptown Lebanese joints, but at about half the price. Batata hara had plenty of bite, while fattoush was crunchy and spicy. Fatayer bi lahm (meat parcels) were little canoes of soft pastry filled with delicately spiced minced lamb. There’s no alcohol, but the fruit juices are excellent. Open daily 11am-11pm. Unlicensed.
Alounak - 10 Russell Gardens, W14 8EZ 020 7603 7645
A long-established Iranian restaurant with a cosy area at front (ideal for couples), and a cavernous, less atmospheric space at the rear with larger tables (best for groups). Houmous, olives and pickled chillies are brought to the table as a matter of course, so you may wish to skip the starters and go straight to mains, which are Alounak’s main attraction, after all. The succulent meat and chicken kebabs are served with mounds of light, fluffy rice or bread and salad. Open daily 12noon-12midnight. Unlicensed. BYO. No corkage charge.
Patogh - 8 Crawford Place, W1H 5NE 020 7262 4015
Luscious Persian Kebabs - It doesn’t look much from the outside, but the groups of Iranians crowded around the chunky wooden tables, and the spice-laden aromas emanating from the tiny char-grill are your clues that here are some of the best kebabs in London. Arguably the highlight is the seed-studded flatbread on which they are served, strewn with pungent fresh herbs, pickled chillies and salad. To drink there’s mint tea, big-brand soft drinks or traditional fermented yogurt drinks, which are authentic but something of an acquired taste. Service is sweet and gentle but remember: no credit cards. Don’t be discouraged if downstairs is packed – there are few tables upstairs too. Open daily 12.30-11pm. Unlicensed. BYO. No corkage charge.
Hummus Bros - 88 Wardour St, W1F 0TJ 020 7734 1311
After a difficult end to 2006, when the premises above this delightful Soho spot flooded, demanding a new ceiling, the Hummus Bros are back in business, serving wonderful bowls of creamy houmous with wholesome bread and a choice of inventive toppings from £2.50. Friendly staff and communal tables make this a pleasant spot but turnaround is fast – after all, it’s only fair to make way for other customers (many young local office workers) keen to eat their fill of this fabulous, good-value food. Open Mon-Wed 11am-10pm; Thur, Fri 11am-11pm; Sat 12 noon-11pm. Unlicensed; no alcohol allowed.
Ranoush Juice Bar - 43 Edgware Rd, W2 2JR 020 7725 5929.
West Londoners in need of satisfying kebabs and fresh juices no longer need to limit themselves to the long-standing Edgware Road outlet of this popular Middle Eastern chain, which is run by the team behind Maroush restaurants. Brompton Road, High Street Ken and the King’s Road all have branches. While the trays of fresh, colourful mezze (tabbouleh, labneh, houmous) are tempting, most folk happily join the queue for the superb shawarma. Wraps start at £3. Service is brisk and the hygiene impeccable. Open daily 8am-3am. Unlicensed.
Leon Knightsbridge - 136 Brompton Rd, SW3 1HY 020 7489 7330
NEW Evenings at lunchtime stalwart Leon se a shift to a grazing and sharing menu packed with hot and cold international ‘meze’. Grilled halloumi and chorizo line up alongside an Indian-inspired gobi of sweet potato, cauliflower and almonds, and coleslaw sprinkled with black onion seeds and sesame. This Knightsbridge branch – and the one at Spitalfields – are recent, capacious additions to the chain that started small on Carnaby Street. Open Mon-Fri 8am-9.30pm; Sat 9am-10pm; Sun 10am-8pm. Licensed.
The Vincent Rooms - Westminster Kingsway College, Vincent Square, SW1 2PD 020 7802 8391
Nowhere else can you find good international-style cooking and a calm elegant atmosphere with dish prices under a tenner. What’s the catch? The food (maybe braised pork belly with black pudding mash and cider jus, or Moroccan lamb with apricot and almond couscous) is produced by catering students learning how to run restaurants. And if they’re ever lacking motivation they can be reassured that graduates of this esteemed establishment include Jamie Oliver and Ainsley Harriot. The lunchtime brasserie menu is £15 for three courses and coffee. Dinner, including canapés and petits fours is £20. Open Mon, Fri 12noon-1.15pm; Tue-Thur 12noon-1.15pm, 6-7.15pm. Closed college holidays. Licensed.
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