Guide to Middle Eastern restaurants in London

The humble kebab is elevated into something special at Le Bab. There are a number of these modern eateries around the city offering Middle Eastern wraps with upscale ingredients and full-on flavour. Chicken, lamb, veggie, and vegan takes on a kebab are served here. Mezze, wine, and cocktails are available as well.

In King's Cross there's Coal Office, showcasing Middle Eastern and Mediterranean flavours. A collaboration between Michelin-starred Israeli chef Assaf Granit and top designer Tom Dixon, it's a style-conscious venue with a contemporary look. Expect modern twists on classic recipes like shashlik skewers and Yemeni pancakes. A chef's table experience is also available.

Yalla Yalla dishes up Lebanese street food. The space is colourful, rich, and full of atmosphere. The menu includes family recipes like mezze platters, traditional grilled meats, and Lebanese-style burgers. Classic cocktails are available as well as the restaurant's unique mixes inspired by Beirut.

If you need a tempting restaurant that caters to both veggies and hardcore carnivores, Berber & Q is well worth checking out. This low-lit restaurant has a trendy feel and is packed with Middle Eastern decor. Live-fire cooking is the focus here and dishes are served family-style so it's great for group meals. 

Paramount specialises in Lebanese and Middle Eastern cuisine. Expect authentic food made from fresh ingredients and served in a bustling casual restaurant. You can try out classic mezze plates like hummus, falafel, and labneh, or go for wraps or Lebanese-style pizzas. Fresh juices are also served.

Understated Palestinian eatery Mr Falafel is serving up some of London's most sought-after falafel wraps. It's a humble spot with a simple interior where the focus is really on the food. There are wraps with a range of toppings and in different sizes to suit every preference. Wraps influenced by other Middle Eastern regions are also served here.

If you like your meals with a side of debauchery, head to Kapara. This seductive spot is inspired by the hedonism of Tel Aviv and it's open til late every day. There's a killer soundtrack, outdoor terraces, an underground private dining space, and a menu of vibrant and distinctive Israeli dishes.

Try out Delamina for healthy cuisine with Middle Eastern influences. Ingredients are enhanced through heady herbs and spices and prepared by grilling and roasting to bring out the distinctive flavours. The restaurant space is stylish and cosy with hanging lights and plants giving it an on-trend feel.

Visit Bubala for a Middle Eastern feast that's completely vegetarian. The restaurant is elegant and low-lit, giving it a cosy and intimate feel. Traditional favourites as well as inspiring new dishes are on the menu like halloumi with black seed honey, labneh, and crunchy falafel patties. A number of menus are available, including set selections.

Low-key family-run restaurant Yada's Green Kitchen is a top spot for Kurdish cuisine and shisha in Peckham. It's got a cool reputation and you're welcome to BYOB. The authentic menu includes hummus topped with olives or pistachios, simple sandwiches and wraps, grilled meat dishes, and veggie-friendly options like stew or dumplings.

Established by the man behind Comptoir Libanais, Kenza certainly knows a thing or two about Lebanese cooking. You'll be transported far from London in this bold and colourful space with hypnotic belly dancers and a menu of vibrant flavours. There's an express lunch in addition to the à la carte menu and you can complete your meal with signature cocktails or Lebanese wines.

A restaurant from top Israeli chef Yotam Ottolenghi, Nopi is a bright and airy brasserie in Soho. Pre-theatre dining is popular here but lunch and dinner are also served. Menus focus on fresh seasonal ingredients and bold flavours. Menus are subject to change but signature dishes include coriander seed-crusted burrata and courgette and manouri fritters.

Bababoom offers diners a fresh and exciting take on kebabs. These restaurants are bold and modern with exposed brick and comfortable furniture. Veggie, vegan, and gluten-free kebabs are available, as well as the classic meaty options. Mezze and salad bowls are also available and the Clapham location does a lively weekend bottomless brunch.

At Za'ta you get fresh and health-conscious fast food inspired by traditional home cooking in Lebanon, served in sustainable packaging. The eatery is bold, modern, and casual. On the menu there are hot and cold dishes like wraps, salads, mezze, pasta and stews, and savoury pastries. The food here is also available for takeaway and delivery.

Israeli and Middle Eastern eatery Balady has a reputation for its supersized falafel patties. These simple blue-fronted eateries are casual and straightforward, with decorative tiles along the counter. Try your falafel in a pitta bread, lafa, or a box. You can also try a hummus plate piled up with tempting ingredients or veggie-friendly takes on shawarma and schnitzel.

Try traditional Lebanese family recipes in a modern environment at Aline Lebanese Kitchen. This popular restaurant is bright and homey and serves contemporary takes on classic comfort dishes. You can sample fresh bread, sujuk sausages, mezze, and grilled meats. The wine list is exclusively Lebanese and beer from Lebanon is also available.

Check out Berenjak for authentic Iranian food. The Borough Market restaurant is spacious but the Soho spot is snug, lively, and full of character. There are creative twists on old favourites like hummus prepared with black chickpeas. Middle Eastern-inspired cocktails and wines from across the region are available as well.

In Notting Hill there's Haya, a Mediterranean restaurant with a heavy Israeli influence. It's a sleek and lively spot, inspired by the owner's travels in Tel Aviv. The nutritious and seasonal dishes here are intended for sharing, with options on the menu like falafel, hummus, homemade kebabs, and charred aubergine. There's also a global wine list that includes Israeli bottles.

Enjoy casual Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes in a bright neighbourhood setting at Ottolenghi. Takeaways are available but you can also take a seat at one of the communal tables. Food is served all day with Middle Eastern breakfast favourites, heaps of fresh salads, and well-presented cakes and desserts.

Yeni in Soho serves modern Turkish cooking, with a focus on cooking over open fire. Both the interior and the dishes are well-presented and style-conscious. The seasonal menus are constantly changing, but you can choose set menus to share, tasting options, or dishes from the à la carte selection like citrus salad and Cornish squid. The wine list includes bottles from Turkey.

Ceru presents diners with a distinctive fusion of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean flavours. These bright restaurants have some outdoor tables and specialise in East Mediterranean and Levantine cooking. The food is indulgent whilst still being health-conscious and intended for sharing. Try dishes like sautéed mushrooms, braised octopus, and polenta and feta fries.

You'll find some of the city's most sought-after Persian food at Iran Restaurant in Mayfair. This smart and elegant venue has a private dining room and some outside tables. Luxury caviar is on the menu as well as classic Persian recipes like lentil soup, curries, and kebabs.

Vegetables are the star of the show at Rovi. Fermentation techniques and cooking over fire are used to bring out Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavours. Meat and seafood dishes are served but veggie dishes are more prominent, with options like charred hispi cabbage with almond XO sauce and grilled leeks with olive and caper butter.

Vibrant Middle Eastern grillhouse Honey & Smoke serves specialities like kebabs, octopus, and seasonal veggies, all barbecued or roasted over flames. Menus are seasonal and there's a set lunch on weekdays. Mediterranean wines and house cocktails complete a meal here. The restaurant itself is bold and contemporary with large-scale graphic wall art.

Try Middle Eastern cuisine in an easygoing environment at Mihbaj. This is a modern incarnation of Levantine cooking. You can stop by just for a coffee or enjoy a meal here with options like burgers, wraps, and classic dishes like stews and moussaka. Breakfast is also available here, with imaginative options like a falafel waffle.

Surround yourself with festival vibes in the Bedouin tent at The Tent (at the End of the Universe). Originally a members-only restaurant, the eatery is now open to all. Beneath a faux-night sky you'll enjoy contemporary takes on Middle Eastern recipes like saganaki cheese schnitzel or hummus with chilli oil and burnt lime.

Get a real taste of Beirut at Abd el Wahab. The restaurant interior is sleek and smart and there are some outdoor tables as well. Expect genuine Lebanese hospitality and a menu of bold dishes like fattoush, tabbouleh, grilled meat, and savoury pastries. Lebanese wines and beers are served here as well.

Honey & Co. has developed a reputation as a leader for authentic Middle Eastern cuisine in London. The Bloomsbury restaurant is homey and contemporary with plants and colourful textiles. Walk-ins are welcome. Food is served all day, from shakshuka for breakfast to seasonal sharing meals later on. Dessert is also a big deal here and the feta and honey cheesecake has a serious reputation.

At ShakeShuka in Marylebone you get comforting Palestinian cooking. The restaurant looks bold with hot pink walls and matching furniture. At this casual spot you can try mezze, sandwiches and wraps, and main courses like lamb cutlets, kebabs, and shawarma. Palestinian desserts and fresh juices are on the menu as well.

Head to The Palomar for food that's inspired by North Africa, Southern Spain, and the Levant. There's a lively atmosphere here that makes it a popular spot for weekend meals. You'll find a variety of Israeli recipes on the menu including glazed octopus, harissa chicken, and cumin broccoli with za'atar yoghurt.

Inspired by Tel Aviv, Bala Baya is a style-conscious spot housed in a railway arch in Southwark. The Middle Eastern dishes here are designed for sharing and focus on vibrant fresh ingredients. Options include wine-glazed cabbage, beef brisket Moroccan doughnuts, and kebab dumplings. Signature cocktails and a lively party atmosphere complete the experience.

With a name that means street market in Hebrew, Shuk; brings authentic street food to London. Ingredients are carefully sourced and the food packaging is plant-based and compostable. Try a fluffy pitta loaded with tempting fillings like chicken shawarma, falafel, or sabich. Vibrant salads and platters are also on offer at these energetic modern eateries.

Chef Fadi Kattan is a leading authority on Palestinian cuisine and he brings all that know-how to his West London restaurant, Akub. British ingredients and distinctive herbs from the region come together and showcase the diversity of Palestinian cooking. Wines and cocktails inspired by Palestine are available here as well.

Enjoy a fine dining meal with authentic Middle Eastern cuisine at Jeru. This restaurant in Mayfair is low-lit and intimate and has warm and welcoming hospitality. The menu includes mezze dishes as well as main courses like a chocolate-aged tomahawk steak. Global wines and cocktails are also served here and private event hire is welcomed.

The team behind The Black Cow, which gave an American steakhouse a Middle Eastern twist, has extended the concept to an American-style diner. The new restaurant serves a variety of dishes, such as burgers, platters, and sharing plates, all with intricate flavours and made from high-quality ingredients. The restaurant aims to highlight the importance of simple pleasures and friendship through dining.

Don't expect a menu at Tehran_Berlin. This restaurant, previously known as The Drunken Butler, has a stripped-back rustic look and serves a tasting menu of Iranian flavours. Vegetarian, pescatarian, and gluten-free diets can all be catered for. Wine is a major part of the experience and you can order by the glass or choose wine pairings with your meal.

Hafez has been serving Persian cuisine in a quirky and rustic restaurant space since 1983. This welcoming spot has unique decor like kitchen utensils adorning the walls and colourful lampshades all around. The menu combines classic Persian recipes with modern Iranian cooking, with everything being freshly made on-site. Expect small plates, signature kebabs, stews, and rice dishes.

Sohaila is inspired by Lebanon, serving a selection of Middle Eastern small plates that are fab for sharing, alongside a curated range of low-intervention wines. This trendy spot in Shoreditch does good too. It's run by a social enterprise that provides support and work experience to help Londoners in temporary accommodation move into long-term homes.