Bushey Heath, Middle Eastern Restaurant Guide

2023 Review: “Outstanding delicious falafels” – “some of the best in London” – are the star turn at this Jewish-Moroccan veggie spot in Temple Fortune. “Don’t be put off by the strip lighting aesthetic, although there’s possibly better ambience in the street outside”. In the last couple of years the three Sabbo brothers have opened follow-ups in High Barnet (selling meat) and Clerkenwell’s Leather Lane (and also in Lakewood, New Jersey!)

This “fantastic upscaled-local Turkish restaurant” in Cockfosters gives the traditional North London Anatolian grill a modern makeover – and fans say it’s “wonderful to see it so deservedly busy” on account of its “excellent food and service”. “They’ve just expanded”, but it’s “harder than ever to get a table on a Saturday night”.

2022 Review: “A varied menu” of sharing plates and burgers sits alongside more ambitious dishes at this modern Middle Eastern restaurant in Hampstead, whose “great atmosphere, excellent food and rustic decor” create an “enjoyable” experience.

This appealing café/restaurant in Notting Hill is “just a gentle place to be”, with a modern eastern Mediterranean menu inspired by founder Victoria Paltina’s visits to Tel Aviv.

“Ever-reliable, ultra-tasty sharing plates” and “brisk but jolly service” are the order of the day at “this buzzy South Ken local” (and its Queensway offshoot) from Barry & Patricia Hamilton. The “interesting” mix of Greek and Middle Eastern cuisines is backed up by a “very different wine list – Lebanese, Macedonian, Greek, Armenian”.

2023 Review: “A family Egyptian with unique character” – this unchanging venture (est 1970) occupies a room behind a takeaway, near the top of Baker Street. The affordable dishes are highly authentic, as is the no-frills vibe. Unlicensed so BYO.

2021 Review: “Don’t let the shabby interior put you off” – this “wonderful, simple Iranian café” off Edgware Road serves “excellent and authentic Persian dishes” including “superb lamb”. “I love this place” – “small, squashed and full of character”, it all but defines “cheap ’n’ cheerful” (“and BYOB”).

“The food is always a delight” at this “consistently high-quality” Levantine specialist “with an emphasis on inventive veg”. Originally a market stall, it graduated to a restaurant inside a Borough railway arch, with a second branch in King’s Cross. Top Menu Tips – “the stand-out cod dish with chunky flakes cooked just perfectly” and “the toasted flatbread that comes hot in rustling bags”.

“Different” and “interesting” Middle Eastern cooking wins praise for this grillhouse near Great Portland Street from influential husband-and-wife team Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich. It also attracts some criticism, though – the setting is “quite loud”, service can be “amateurish” and some diners “were not blown away by the meal: it was good, but not amazing”.

“Loud… buzzy… delicious” – this “original, exciting and cool” venue designed by the neighbouring Tom Dixon studio, by Granary Square, “is a full-on, in-your-face Tel Aviv sort of place”. The “superb Israeli small plates, which you are invited to share” are overseen by executive chef, Assaf Granit: “very flavoursome food with some unusual combinations”. “Tables are very close” inside, which is “noisy”, with “drum and bass in the background” and lots of chatter; “so, it’s best to go for lunch on a sunny day on the terrace and take in the views over the renovated King’s Cross area”. Top Menu Tips – “their signature polenta starter remains strong… a must. Octopus is amazing, tender and tasty. Desserts are also a high point… as is the powerful coffee!”

“Consistently very good food” results from the menu of small sharing plates at this modern Levantine duo in Marylebone and Shoreditch, created by Israeli-born cook Limor Chen and her husband Amir. There’s a “buzzy atmosphere without being too noisy” and a playlist that channels the Tel Aviv vibe.

“Ever-reliable, ultra-tasty sharing plates” and “brisk but jolly service” are the order of the day at “this buzzy South Ken local” (and its Queensway offshoot) from Barry & Patricia Hamilton. The “interesting” mix of Greek and Middle Eastern cuisines is backed up by a “very different wine list – Lebanese, Macedonian, Greek, Armenian”.

“Tasty kebabs and sides” that “offer a modern twist on traditional Middle Eastern cuisine” make this “brilliant” Carnaby Street outfit “a must-visit”, “in the lovely setting of Kingly Court”. The Battersea branch is “an absolute gem”, and there are now half a dozen outlets around town, including at the Market Halls in Oxford Street and Canary Wharf. See also Kebab Queen.

2021 Review: “Utterly magic shakshuka served with chunks of roasted sourdough…”, “stand-out salt beef bagels…”, “incredible coffee with a selection of babka sweet breads (in different flavours!)…”, “ZFC – ‘za’atar fried chicken’ – to die for!…” – these “bustling” Israeli delis in Stoke Newington and Soho’s Kingly Court create queues (especially at brunch) with their “quite exceptional and startlingly fresh Middle-Eastern-cum-north-American food. They also make a worthwhile destination at dinner, when the pace is more sedate, the natural wines are flowing and you can actually book a table”. “Casual and relaxed”, they look “gorgeous” too.

2021 Review: “Utterly magic shakshuka served with chunks of roasted sourdough…”, “stand-out salt beef bagels…”, “incredible coffee with a selection of babka sweet breads (in different flavours!)…”, “ZFC – ‘za’atar fried chicken’ – to die for!…” – these “bustling” Israeli delis in Stoke Newington and Soho’s Kingly Court create queues (especially at brunch) with their “quite exceptional and startlingly fresh Middle-Eastern-cum-north-American food. They also make a worthwhile destination at dinner, when the pace is more sedate, the natural wines are flowing and you can actually book a table”. “Casual and relaxed”, they look “gorgeous” too.

“Warren Street’s loss is Bloomsbury’s gain as Honey & Co sets up in Lamb’s Conduit St on the former site of Cigala (RIP)”, bringing with it the “interesting” middle Eastern cuisine (“lots of choice for vegetarians”) that has won TV appearances and recipe-book deals for husband and wife, Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich. But while this 2022 newcomer is “a good addition to WC1”, it “is now a proper and comparatively large restaurant compared to its former location and has lost its ‘special’ ambience”. And for a few regulars, this disappointment extends to the food too (“not a patch on the original… it was packed solid so others may disagree, but we felt they’re now just cashing in on their previous good name”).

“Fabulous and unusual Middle East food” has carved a major reputation for Zoë and Layo Paskin’s Tel Aviv-inspired grill, on the fringes of Chinatown (where the perches at the counter are the best seats in the house). Since its recent refurb, new menu and expansion, however, ratings have taken a knock: “service is still good and professional, but doesn’t seem as cheerful as it used to be, and the new price tags on the dishes may blow your socks off!”

“Stunning in every respect” – this “tiny, dark, smoky, and cool” North African-inspired venue in Neal’s Yard is “a superb place where they really make use of the counter service to engage you in the cooking”. “No matter how many times I go I always need the menu explained” – “beautifully spiced” small plates (“a bit salty at times”) plus “great, unusual wines” all served by “enthusiastic staff”.

The “lovely Moorish/Spanish sharing food” at the little sister of Sam & Sam Clark’s Moro next door in Exmouth Market – and also its spin-off in Hackney Road – makes them “a go-to place when you don’t know where to go”: “an all-round crowd-pleaser, good for meat and non-meat- eaters alike”.

“Never had a bad trip here!” – a common experience at these impressively consistent hipster grills where the “great and tasty mezze and flatbreads” are inspired by North Africa and the eastern Med: “delicious dishes with explosive flavours” that are “well-priced and extremely fresh tasting”. They “can get very noisy” (“it was as easy to talk as sitting in a rock concert!”) “but an excellent meal is your reward!”