It's no secret that this city knows a thing or two about world-class Middle Eastern eateries, but we're here to help you seek out some of the finest. From the Lebanese dining institutions mixing decadence and delicious dishes, to the cult favourites giving their own spin on classic Turkish cuisine, we've rounded up the best Middle Eastern restaurants London has to offer - so you know exactly where to go for meaty feasting menus, fragrant falafel and the city's best mezze selections.
Last edited by Anisah Audu-Evans
Last updated on 11th September 2024
Known as some of the best brunch restaurants in the city, this unique series of vibrant Turkish-inspired eateries are sorting you out with all manner of delicious dishes, alongside quirky cocktails and pretty interiors. Their extensive menu ranges from shish kebab skewers to plant-based lamb doner or falafel and cauliflower shakshouka, as well as traditional cheese fondue. The decor is unique to every venue too - so you might just have to try them all.
Decked out in authentic Levantine decor, Kenza is a Middle Eastern restaurant and lounge bar in the heart of The City, founded by Tony Kitous. The Devonshire Square dining spot offers a delicious selection of home-style Lebanese eats inspired by childhood recipes cooked by the chefs' mothers and grandmothers, from crispy cauliflower salad to pomegranate chicken liver and spiced baby squid, alongside modern takes on classic cocktails - with two-hour bottomless drinks packages available to book if you want to make a special occasion of it.
If you're looking for some moreish Middle-Eastern cuisine to tuck into then hit up Kapara in the heat of Soho. This Israeli restaurant is whipping up delicious treats inspired by the laid-back food of Tel Aviv. At its helm is head chef Eran Tibi who learnt his craft at the world-leading Le Cordon Bleu culinary school. Inside you can expect to be met with soft furnishings of pastel pinks and blues, plus crystal chandeliers and dangling plants. On the menu, you can explore an array of complex plates such as deep-fried squid with grapes, black garlic, chervil and pickled chillies to braised beef hummus, washed down with a Naughty Gazoz - a house beverage made with its own small-batch syrups.
A restaurant, bar and cabaret club in Knightsbridge, the award-winning Layalina & Privée is bringing you some of the best Middle Eastern food in London restaurants. From the decor to the dishes, this Beauchamp Place beaut looks to highlight the fun and opulence of Lebanese dining with everything from cocktails and canapés to 7-course spreads. Dive into plates of shawarma-spiced chicken thighs, braised lamb shank, crispy halloumi parcels and much more, with an entire selection of vegan mezze dishes to boot.
A strong contender for the best Lebanese restaurant around, with Moroccan influences on the menu too, Argan is where to head for a delicious meal. Found just off Clapham High Street, this family-run business whips up tagines, grills and shawarma for you to sink your teeth into, all served among beautiful interiors that nod to traditional styling, split into three stylish dining rooms. Make sure to save room for dessert though, as the chocolate ice cream bomb is not to be missed.
Inspired by the home-cooked dishes of the Eastern Mediterranean, Delamina is a gorgeous Marylebone venue that can't be missed. Brought to you by married couple Amir and Limor Chen, the team behind Strut and Cluck in Shoreditch, you can expect simple white interiors, pretty hanging lights and lots of greenery in the relaxed space. Their remit runs from hearty shawarma to beautifully prepared vegetable plates, and to top it all off, their house cocktails offer the perfect pairing options whatever your palate.
After a Middle Eastern restaurant in London Bridge? A firm favourite among locals and tourists alike, Arabica offers hearty, authentic plates of food from the Levant. Situated inside Borough Market, you'll find a moreish menu of mezze and larger items like chicken and pistachio shish or veal kebabs, alongside a unique range of cocktails and refreshing house sodas. They use grass-fed meat and flatbreads cooked in a clay oven, creating dishes inspired by everywhere from Lebanon to Tel Aviv.
Been searching for 'Middle Eastern restaurants near me' lately? Ottolenghi's Fitzrovia food hub, Rovi, gives us another dose of the chef's idiosyncratic take on Levantine food in vibrant, colourful surrounds. Putting vegetables at the heart of the menu, their inventive offering goes beyond classic cooking techniques to bring in fermenting and open-fire methods as well - resulting in everything from grilled asparagus in miso butter to beef carpaccio and celeriac shawarma.
Looking for a cracking Middle Eastern restaurant in East London? The debut restaurant from chef Oded Oren, this Shacklewell Lane spot offers some of the finest small plates in Dalston. Inspired by the food of the Eastern-Mediterranean, Oren offers a unique take on the cuisine, with dishes such as crispy red mullet in tahini or persimmon and vodka sorbet sharing page space with more classic flavour combos like beans in barrel-aged feta. Their enticing eats earned them a spot in the Michelin Guide for 2024, so this is definitely one to watch.
Taking Middle Eastern barbecue to its most extreme, cult eatery Black Axe Mangal is adding a little extra metal to your meal. A lively spot on Islington's Canonbury Road, it's never known to be lacking an atmosphere, or big flavours as it whips-up Turkish-inspired flatbreads and incredible fusion plates. They serve a regularly changing set menu to share with the table, with plant-based and gluten-free options up for grabs too.
Looking to emulate the hole-in-the-wall eateries of Tehran, Soho's Berenjak offers home-style Persian food in a gorgeous setting, with an open kitchen for watching the talented chefs prepare your dish. Serving up sharing plates of aubergine stew or rotisserie chicken alongside kebabs and simple sides, this Romilly Street restaurant is one of the friendliest and most enticing dining destinations in the West End. They've also got a three-course set menu for just £40 per person, with wine and cocktail pairings up for grabs as well.
Enjoy the flavours of the Middle East over at Whetstone's Maya Lounge, which is bringing you good vibes as well as fantastic eats. The gorgeous restaurant exudes a relaxing ambience, offering gorgeous interiors, Lebanese grub and a vast variety of shisha flavours, as well as belly dancers and weekend DJs. As for the menu? Think falafel salads, marinated chicken thighs and grilled king prawns, with an indulgent sticky toffee pudding bringing it back to the UK for dessert.
Critically lauded across the board, Spitalfields venue Bubala is one of the top Middle Eastern restaurants in London, with a name that means 'darling' in Yiddish. This venue was once a pop-up in Spitalfields, having become a permanent destination due to its overwhelming popularity. Serving up only meat-free options, its menus are packed-full of clever veggie plates, from falafel served with tahini and sumac onions to confit garlic labneh or tamari mushroom skewers. They also offer lunchtime and evening sharing menus for as little as £30 per person, giving you a taste of all the tantalising flavours on offer here. As for drinks, they showcase all kinds of natural wines from some of the UK's best suppliers, as well as homemade Gazoz.
A collaboration between chef Assaf Granit and designer Tom Dixon, Coal Office is one of London's best Middle Eastern restaurants - reflecting the traditional eateries found throughout Jerusalem and the Mediterranean. Located in the heart of Coal Drops Yard, the venue offers some of the area's most astounding interiors, alongside a sublime selection of plates including grilled pork belly and Tunisian kimchi, and Octopus served with a Yemeni pancake.
On the hunt for the best Middle Eastern restaurant in Central London? The Palomar is a West End venue serving the flavours of modern day Jerusalem, however its mix of cleverly curated plates takes inspirations from across the Middle Eastern region, North Africa and southern Spain. If you're looking for an intricate mix of innovative dishes served in an intimate setting, this may just be the one for you. Wondering what's on the menu? Think beef tartare, grilled lemon sole with sumac onion and truffle polenta, to name just a few options.
With venues scattered across the UK, Comptoir Libanais is a cool and casual spot to fill up on phenomenal Lebanese food. Head over to their London Bridge location for decadent mezze spreads and refreshing cocktails, as well as the area's most colourful interiors that are made up of pretty flowers and vibrant patterned seats. Choose between mezze plates like halloumi with figs or slow-grilled chicken wings, followed by hearty burgers, wraps or tagines.
Situated close to Tottenham Court Road, Arcade Food Hall have quite the offering when it comes to Middle Eastern cuisine - thanks to Shatta & Toum bringing the goods. Take a seat at one of the marble-topped bars or on their long wooden tables for a whole lot of shawarma and mezze platters. While munching on scrumptious eats at its market, be sure to grab a cocktail or two. Oh, and the Lebanese gunpowder fried potatoes are divine.
Looking for a cracking Middle Eastern restaurant in Soho? Offering a taste of Istanbul in the heart of London, Yeni is the first London outpost from chef Civan Er. Having made a name for himself in his native Turkey with a modern take on classic Anatolian dishes, Er has now established a firm fanbase in the UK capital thanks to a unique menu of clever and contemporary cuisine that's earned this venue a place in the Michelin Guide - we're talking roasted celeriac, dried aubergine with fermented yoghurt and grilled octopus.
One of London's brunch icons, BabaBoom like to play around with their plates. Located in Battersea Rise, this Middle Eastern-inspired eatery specialises in big, flavoursome flatbreads and hearty breakfast spreads, and they also know their way around an epic frozen margarita. There are all kinds of mezze plates on offer too, from sweet potato hummus to halloumi fries, served in jaunty, colourful surrounds.
Inspired by North Africa's Barbary Coast, this gorgeous Middle Eastern restaurant in Covent Garden has become a must-visit for fans of this cuisine. Their menu items incorporate Mediterranean and Atlantic aspects too, creating a delicious melting pot of global influence and adventurous flavours across dishes like tahini miso broccoli, black salmon dukkah or seven-spice lamb ribs. There's an extensive wine list to choose from as well, alongside creative cocktails such as the shifka paloma.
