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!)

“The jewel of Cockfosters” at the northern end of the Piccadilly Line – this vibey self-styled ‘Anatolian with attitude’ serves “posh Turkish food” in a “great atmosphere” (“like you’re in a central London restaurant”, according to fans). The grilled meat is “very good”, and “on Saturday night there’s a DJ and people really dress up”. There’s a second branch at The Grove spa hotel near Watford and also (as of July 2025) an outpost in the West End (inside the Horizons Casino in Leicester Square).

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.

“You will want to lick the plate” if you brunch (the highpoint) at one of Yotam Ottolenghi’s inspired deli-cafés, whose creation in 2002 helped created the TV fame of the owner, and started to popularise the Middle Eastern-influenced cuisine that’s swept London and even now is seen as fashionable. The formula is little changed: “tasty, healthy and yummy dishes” that are “beautifully flavoured” but “a bit on the pricey side”. “Ottolenghi is the master of flavoursome veg (with more veg choices than at most non-veg restaurants)” and, in particular “the cakes are wonderful!”. (Also, “they’re great on allergens.”). On the downside, “space is tight” and the “ambience could be more relaxed”. There’s also a feeling in some quarters that “Yotam has become a brand and it shows”, with food that is “good but after a while same-y”.

2024 Review: 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.

Barry & Patricia Hilton’s “buzzing and deservedly popular” trio thrive on their “interesting” and “reasonably priced” small plates from an “evolved eastern Mediterranean menu” of “very tasty and well flavoured dishes, which show that simple combinations of good fresh ingredients are all you need”; and it’s accompanied by an “eclectic and unusual list of wines” from the same region. The original South Kensington venue opened 10 years ago, followed by branches in Queensway and, last year, Farringdon. Top Menu Tip – “the apple, mint and pomegranate salad is especially effective”.

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.

A street stall serving “interesting Middle Eastern food” that has developed over the years into a fully-fledged restaurant – this “buzzy” Borough Market fixture makes a “fun” option for a simple meal, while its spinoff across town makes a “decent enough addition to King’s Cross”. Ratings are dragged down, though, by the sceptical view that – while nice enough – the food never manages to hit the gastronomic heights.

“You will want to lick the plate” if you brunch (the highpoint) at one of Yotam Ottolenghi’s inspired deli-cafés, whose creation in 2002 helped created the TV fame of the owner, and started to popularise the Middle Eastern-influenced cuisine that’s swept London and even now is seen as fashionable. The formula is little changed: “tasty, healthy and yummy dishes” that are “beautifully flavoured” but “a bit on the pricey side”. “Ottolenghi is the master of flavoursome veg (with more veg choices than at most non-veg restaurants)” and, in particular “the cakes are wonderful!”. (Also, “they’re great on allergens.”). On the downside, “space is tight” and the “ambience could be more relaxed”. There’s also a feeling in some quarters that “Yotam has become a brand and it shows”, with food that is “good but after a while same-y”.

“The combination of ingredients is always amazing and food is always fresh” at Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich’s modern Levantine grill house, near Great Portland Street. The couple hit fame with Honey & Co (see also) whose original site was nearby and fans “Love the Honey & ... eastern Med ethos with its delicious food” (grilled meat, fish, veg plus mezze and salads). It’s not a cosy spot, though (“expected it to have a similar feel to the old Honey & Co… it doesn’t!”)

“It just gets better and better”, say fans of this winning collaboration between Israeli chef and restaurateur Assaf Grannit and designer Tom Dixon (whose London HQ is in the adjacent space). Just off Granary Square, on the path towards Coal Drops Yard, it is a “long narrow space”, whose “attentive and friendly staff” help create a vibe that’s “always buzzy”. Foodwise, it’s a “sharing plate concept” that very “rarely disappoints”, built around a “frequently changing menu” of “clever” Middle Eastern dishes (and with “delicious breads”). Top Menu Tips – many dishes are recommended in reports including “Tuna Carpaccio with horseradish and lime; Polenta with parmesan, asparagus and mushrooms; Israeli pasta with prawns, octopus with rose harissa; Semolina cake with blueberries”.

“The flavours are big, the combinations exciting and the breads fluffy” at these “cheerful and helpful” Eastern-Med cafés, created by (self-taught chef) Limor Chen and husband Amir, which have won a good degree of renown for their “sharing plate concept” of “creative Middle Eastern dishes” with a good level of “balance, imagination and good value”; and “although there are an increasing number of Middle Eastern restaurants in London, these are some of the very best”. Their original in Marylebone and rather "beautiful" new ‘Townhouse’ in Covent Garden are the most popular branches, although the one in Shoreditch is consistently well-rated too.

Barry & Patricia Hilton’s “buzzing and deservedly popular” trio thrive on their “interesting” and “reasonably priced” small plates from an “evolved eastern Mediterranean menu” of “very tasty and well flavoured dishes, which show that simple combinations of good fresh ingredients are all you need”; and it’s accompanied by an “eclectic and unusual list of wines” from the same region. The original South Kensington venue opened 10 years ago, followed by branches in Queensway and, last year, Farringdon. Top Menu Tip – “the apple, mint and pomegranate salad is especially effective”.

This 10-year-old group with six sites offers a “good-value and tasty” take on the Middle Eastern kebab, served with a “modern twist” alongside “noteworthy cocktails”. “A seat at the counter is fun” at the original Kingly Court branch in Carnaby Street, which has a ‘fine dining’ option downstairs, Kebab Queen (see also).

“You will want to lick the plate” if you brunch (the highpoint) at one of Yotam Ottolenghi’s inspired deli-cafés, whose creation in 2002 helped created the TV fame of the owner, and started to popularise the Middle Eastern-influenced cuisine that’s swept London and even now is seen as fashionable. The formula is little changed: “tasty, healthy and yummy dishes” that are “beautifully flavoured” but “a bit on the pricey side”. “Ottolenghi is the master of flavoursome veg (with more veg choices than at most non-veg restaurants)” and, in particular “the cakes are wonderful!”. (Also, “they’re great on allergens.”). On the downside, “space is tight” and the “ambience could be more relaxed”. There’s also a feeling in some quarters that “Yotam has become a brand and it shows”, with food that is “good but after a while same-y”.

“Exceptional Middle Eastern food is the norm at Honey & Co” – “delicious multi-flavoured and colourful dishes with fresh ingredients, in awesome combinations” from a “menu that’s well-balanced between familiar options (houmous, falafel) and more adventurous items”. Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich inspired a huge wave of interest when they first opened in 2012 in a poky café near Warren Street tube, and they have been on this more comfortable (but slightly “bland”) Bloomsbury corner-site since 2022. Top Menu Tips – “The USP is that although many of the dishes are familiar, such as hummus, labneh, falafel and so on, the flavours are extraordinary”; “portions are generous, vegetarians are well catered for”; “carrot and blood orange salad is a must”; and “be sure to leave room for their cheesecake!”

“Sit at the bar, watch the frenzy of activity in the kitchen while enjoying the results… and great cocktails too...” – the best strategy at Zoë & Layo Paskin’s “always superb” Tel Aviv-inspired grill on the edge of Chinatown (although, it’s “so hard to bag one of the spots at the counter”). Orders of larger items such as a grilled whole sea bream or lamb cutlets are an “excellent” foil to the many smaller dishes amidst the selection of “simple and delicious” Eastern Mediterranean dishes.

“Truly delicious and masterfully grilled” North African cuisine has won renown for Layo and Zoe Paskin’s counter-style haunt in Neal’s Yard (on the fringe of Covent Garden) – a “compact and joyous scene” with “an unrivalled atmosphere for such a small space”: “intimate and not exposed, despite everyone being seated around the counter/kitchen leading to a cosy escape from the world”. In late 2024 they opened “a great new addition to Notting Hill”: it’s larger (75 covers) and “not as cute as the original” but “the food is just as good and the overall vibe very trendy and spacious”.

“This ever-friendly cafe sibling of next door Moro is a wonderful place to eat great tapas” – “especially sitting outside in Exmouth market”. Husband-and-wife team Sam & Sam Clark’s 15-year-old spin-off provides “superb tasty food at very reasonable prices” in a “casual but professional” environment, encompassing “interesting plates” of Spanish and North African-inspired food that is “not pretentious but delivers great enjoyment”. There’s a second branch in Hackney Road.

It’s “difficult to have a bad time” at Josh Katz’s funky duo, which started as a “cool little place in a railway arch near the canal in Haggerston” and later added a shawarma bar spin-off in Exmouth Market. On the menu: “delicious small plates of Middle Eastern-inspired food” – “gutsy food and great staff too”. (It’s no criticism to say that ratings are not as white hot as when it first opened: it’s just that the competition has caught up with them a bit). Sample dishes – Miso-harissa BBQ butterflied poussin, salata mashwiya; Whole sea bream, moroccan chili honey, saffron aioli, lemon; or Smoked lamb mechoui, harissa, cumin salt, grilled flatbread.