If Fred Flintstone opened a dinosaur steakhouse, he’d do it in Dalston. This north-east nexus already has more places to eat great hunks of meat than Bedrock, yet there always seems to be room for more. Perhaps it’s this safety in numbers, surrounded by London’s densest concentration of Turkish barbecue restaurants, that led chef Josh Katz to open a Middle Eastern grillhouse on the southern fringe of Dalston in 2015, where yet another pall of smoke was unlikely to attract attention. But that’s cool for Katz, because the cool factor and quality of Berber & Q still marks it out from the crowds.
B&Q’s tucked away in a cave-like railway arch in a back street. The vibe’s like a bar or nightclub, except that here the staff greet you like old friends and guide you to a low-lit table. Their uncontrived charm is sustained for your entire visit.
As at many of Haggerston’s other eateries, a Turkish mangal (charcoal grill) is central to the kitchen for searing meats and many veg. But Katz’s magic carpet has visited many places in search of inspiration. There are Lebanese, Egyptian, and Sephardic Jewish dishes. As at many barbecues, the pickles, sides and vegetables are often more interesting than the meat. Chunks of beetroot are served on whipped feta and garnished with candied orange; grilled asparagus is served with toum, the Levantine version of aioli, then garnished with mustard seeds. Dill, coriander leaves and pomegranate arils are used as garnishes.
Time Out tip
It's not a vegetarian restaurant, but Berber & Q is still an excellent place to impress your veggie mates; their smoked cauliflower is legendary.
Nearby
The award-winning, ever-so-slightly pretentious, but still actually very good A Bar With Shapes for A Name is just around the corner. And it's open until 4am, so even if you leave dinner late, you'll have hours of cocktail time ahead of you.