Englefield Green, Lebanese - Restaurant Guide

2024 Review: “The best Middle Eastern for miles” – a smart operation, handy for Hampton Court Palace, that offers “bold flavours a world away from many Lebanese places”; there is “lots on offer to explore – if anything perhaps too much”, and also a newer offshoot, Mezzet Dar, a couple of doors down, that turns out Spanish and Lebanese-inspired tapas.

“Local cafe-style restaurant that offers delicious Middle Eastern food at superb value for money” prices – “it’s packed with office workers and locals at lunchtime and also does great take away wraps and salads”, plus “exceeding generous and delicious mezze platters which always leave something to take home”. Founder Ahmad Hammami was a solicitor who fled his native Syria and arrived in the UK as a refugee, opening his first cafe within two months; it was an instant success, and now he has venues in Twickenham and Teddington.

“A very welcome new restaurant on White Hart Lane” – this corner site on the edge of Barnes (long occupied by Annie’s, RIP), is now “a superb neighbourhood Lebanese” that gave a number of diners their best meal of the year. “Service is 5 star” from industry veteran Pierre Hobeika (ex-Fakhreldine general manager), and his team offers a classic menu of Middle Eastern dishes plus wraps for lighter meals: “lovely food and very reasonably priced”. The wine list ranges across the eastern Med and “includes the likes of Georgia and Lebanon”.

This “excellent but quite tiny spot” with pavement tables on Chiswick High Road is “definitely a cut above the routine Lebanese/Middle Eastern operation”. It started out a dozen years ago as a cake specialist, so daytime treats remain a strong suit. Top Menu Tip – “superb chicken livers”.

Marouf & Houda Abouzaki’s veteran Lebanese group was founded back in 1981 and has seen ups and downs, especially post-Covid. No longer a presence on Edgware Road, where it first started, its four current branches include the well-known flagship in Beauchamp Place, near Harrods, and a more recent new-build canteen on an industrial estate at Park Royal. “Service can be hit and miss”, and some regulars say it’s “best to grab an excellent shawarma and take it out to eat”. (They also run the chain of Ranoush café/takeaways).