Former refugee restaurateur Imad Alarnab will open a new all-day deli-cafe in Somerset House next week – Aram, a follow-up to Imad’s Syrian Kitchen in Soho.
Aram – an ancient name for what became Syria – will offer breakfast items such as zaatar croissants alongside cardamom coffee and Syrian mint tea, followed by more substantial Middle Eastern-inspired dishes for lunch. It will be followed later in the year by Salamlik, a more formal dining offering with its own entrance and bar.
Imad fled his home in war-torn Damascus, leaving behind his three restaurants and cafes, eventually arriving in the UK in 2014. He has rebuilt his life and career with a successful cookbook and the launch of Imad’s Syrian Kitchen, hailed in this year’s Harden’s guide as a fun, flavoursome joint” with excellent ratings of 4,5,4 for food, service and ambience.
The new venture joins a range of restaurants and bars at Somerset House, a neoclassical pile on the Strand that now houses arts and cultural institutions. Other eating options include Skye Gyngell’s Spring and Cafe Petiole from chef Rishim Sachdeva.
