Handsome and fashionably modern, new-wave Arabica is a world away from Edgware Road’s Levantine cafés or the marble palaces designed to attract Gulf money. Originally a stall selling imported Middle Eastern provisions, it now peddles a huge menu of native and international hits – think za’atar spiced flatbreads, mezze, pide, lahmacun (Armenian pizza), creative shish kebabs etc. Arabica also has branches in King’s Cross and Selfridges, plus a couple of street-food market stalls.
MARCH 2020: We’ve added Bubala in Spitalfields, which deals in on-trend veggie small plates, and Nutshell, a stylish modern Iranian restaurant in Covent Garden. Also in Theatreland, we love Kebab Queen – the latest (and quirkiest) offering from the guys behind Le Bab and Maison Bab.
London has been blessed with a load of world-class Middle-Eastern restaurants. Offering everything from tender grilled meats and kebabs to exceptional vegetarian dishes, these places will spice up your life. Here's our pick of the best.