London
10 Best Middle Eastern Restaurants in London
This guide brings together London restaurants serving Middle Eastern, Lebanese and Iraqi food, with the details that matter when choosing a meal. Use the shortlist to match your plans with mezze, grilling, generous portions, vegetarian options, atmosphere or a particular regional speciality.
How this guide is ordered
Searching for Middle Eastern restaurants in London should be easy. So we looked for proven expertise, happy clients, contact details you can rely on and a convenient part of town.
Some listings belong to businesses that have paid for added exposure on the site.
Full list
10 Middle Eastern Restaurants in London Compared
Zer Middle East Kitchen
Zer Middle East Kitchen is a Middle Eastern restaurant serving fresh, comforting food with dishes such as yoghurt chicken, shepherd’s salad, mücver, rice and aubergine dip. It suits relaxed meals, families and vegetarian or vegan diners seeking guidance. Warm hospitality, interesting vegetarian choices and food prepared by Çimen shape its intimate character.
Stands out: Offers varied vegetarian choices with helpful guidance for vegan diners
Comforting Middle Eastern meals for families and mixed dietary groups13 Stoke Newington Rd, London N16 8BH, United KingdomAl Sulaymaniyah Restaurant
Al Sulaymaniyah Restaurant is an Iraqi and Middle Eastern restaurant on Edgware Road, serving grilled dishes, kebabs, chicken tikka, Kurdish bread and a selection of starters. Its spacious dining area and fast service suit relaxed meals, while the food is presented in generous portions and the restaurant includes an assistive hearing loop.
Stands out: Serves fresh Kurdish bread alongside grilled dishes and kebabs
Diners looking for Iraqi and Middle Eastern foodGroups wanting generous portions and spacious seatingGuests seeking a lively Edgware Road location360 Edgware Rd, London W2 1EB, United KingdomShawarma Bar
Shawarma Bar serves Middle Eastern cuisine in a stylish London venue with cocktails. Its menu brings together mezze, grilled dishes and rotisserie cooking, with dishes such as Iraqi hummus, grilled aubergine and bahrat rotisserie chicken providing a varied route through the kitchen’s flavours. Seating is available at the bar or on the terrace.
Stands out: Iraqi hummus with a notably generous range of toppings
Diners looking for Middle Eastern mezze and grilled dishesA meal paired with cocktails in a stylish setting46 Exmouth Market, London EC1R 4QE, United KingdomJUMA Kitchen (Kubba Iraqi cuisine)
JUMA Kitchen serves Iraqi specialities at a straightforward Borough Market stand, centred on kubba, kebab, potato chaps, dolma and knafeh. It suits diners looking for distinctive Iraqi cooking, with mixed kubba and kebab offering a way to sample several of the kitchen’s signature dishes.
Stands out: A focused kubba Iraqi cuisine offering
Diners seeking Iraqi specialities in Borough MarketTrying different kubba and kebab varietiesBorough Market Kitchen, Jubilee, Winchester Walk, London SE1 9AG, United KingdomParamount
Paramount is a Lebanese restaurant serving a classic Middle Eastern menu of meze, salads and kebabs from a charcoal grill. It suits diners who want Lebanese dishes ranging from chicken shawarma, shish tawouk and mixed grill to lamb chops, kafta and shared appetisers. The restaurant combines a broad choice with warm hospitality, quick service and prices described as reasonable.
Stands out: Pairs a charcoal grill with a classic Lebanese menu
Diners seeking charcoal-grilled Lebanese foodGroups sharing meze, salads and appetisersGuests wanting a broad menu with approachable pricing26 London St, Tyburnia, London W2 1HH, United KingdomLe Bab
Le Bab is a casual Middle Eastern and Asian restaurant in London built around creative shawarma and other food cooked over charcoal and wood. It suits diners seeking kebabs, mixed grills and modern takes on familiar dishes, alongside drinks and sides such as hummus. The menu combines traditional influences with contemporary flavours, while service is described as fast and friendly.
Stands out: Creative shawarma and other dishes are cooked over charcoal and wood
Diners looking for charcoal-cooked kebabs and Middle Eastern dishesRelaxed meals with friends or familyTop Floor, Le Bab, Kingly Ct, Carnaby St, Carnaby, London W1B 5PW, United KingdomAl Waha
Al Waha is a family-run Lebanese restaurant in Bayswater, close to Hyde Park, serving traditional Lebanese cuisine built around mezze, grilled meats and recipes rooted in Lebanese culinary tradition. Its menu includes tabbouleh, shish tawouk, mixed grill, hummus and halloumi. The restaurant also provides bespoke catering for family gatherings, corporate functions, weddings and other celebrations, with menus tailored to preferences and dietary requirements.
Stands out: Family-run restaurant focused on traditional recipes and freshly prepared mezze
Diners seeking traditional Lebanese mezze and grilled dishesEvents needing Lebanese catering with tailored menus75 Westbourne Grove, London W2 4UL, United KingdomIlili Lebanese grill
Ilili Lebanese grill is a Middle Eastern restaurant suited to diners looking for Lebanese food, grilled meats and generous mixed platters. Its cooking is described as fresh, well presented and full of flavour, while the atmosphere combines warm service with a clean setting. The restaurant works for a substantial meal, including celebratory dining, without relying on an elaborate menu description.
Stands out: Mixed platters offer generous portions
Diners craving Lebanese grilled meatsCelebratory meals centred on generous portionsGuests wanting warm service in a clean setting351 Kennington Ln, London SE11 5QY, United KingdomMaoz
Maoz is an informal Middle Eastern restaurant serving snacks and cocktails in an intimate, cosy setting. Its food includes falafel wraps, grilled chicken pita sandwiches and aubergine wraps, with meat and vegetarian choices. The restaurant also accommodates a gluten-free dish request and is described as halal, making it suitable for relaxed meals, post-drinks food and families.
Stands out: Offers falafel, grilled chicken and aubergine wraps in an informal setting
Diners seeking fresh Middle Eastern wraps and snacksHalal diners or groups wanting meat and vegetarian choices43 Old Compton St, London W1D 6HG, United KingdomLe Bab
Le Bab is a Covent Garden Middle Eastern restaurant centred on seasonal kebabs served on flatbreads, alongside reinterpreted Middle Eastern dishes. Its menu includes options such as paneer kebabs, fried chicken, bibimbap-style? No—avoid. It also offers dishes including smoked aubergine hummus, seafood and other specialities. The restaurant suits diners seeking a contemporary take on kebab cooking in a relaxed setting.
Stands out: Kebab is treated as the restaurant’s speciality rather than a generic fast-food dish
Diners looking for seasonal kebabs and reinterpreted Middle Eastern fareVegetarian diners seeking a paneer kebab option4 Mercer Walk, London WC2H 9FA, United Kingdom
Each number on the map is a business in the list.
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What these restaurants offer
- Mezze and sharing platesParamount, Shawarma Bar and Al Waha provide routes into shared Middle Eastern food, from classic Lebanese appetisers to mezze and grilled dishes.
- Charcoal grilling and kebabsParamount centres a Lebanese menu on a charcoal grill, while Le Bab brings charcoal- and wood-cooked shawarma, kebabs and mixed grills.
- Iraqi and Kurdish specialitiesJUMA Kitchen focuses on kubba, kebab, dolma, potato chaps and knafeh; Al Sulaymaniyah adds Iraqi and Middle Eastern grilling with Kurdish bread.
- Vegetarian and vegan choicesZer Middle East Kitchen is especially suited to varied vegetarian eating and offers guidance for vegan diners. Maoz also provides meat and vegetarian wraps.
- Casual wraps and snacksMaoz serves falafel, grilled chicken pita and aubergine wraps in an informal setting suited to a relaxed meal or food after drinks.
- Catering and tailored menusAl Waha offers bespoke catering for family gatherings, corporate functions, weddings and celebrations, with menus tailored to preferences and dietary requirements.
Ways to decide between them
- Start with the cuisine you wantChoose JUMA Kitchen for a focused Iraqi kubba experience, Al Sulaymaniyah for Iraqi and Kurdish dishes, or Paramount and Al Waha for traditional Lebanese food.
- Decide whether the meal is sharedMezze, starters, mixed grills and shared appetisers suit groups who want variety. A mixed kubba or mixed kebab selection at JUMA Kitchen offers another way to sample several dishes.
- Check dietary needs before orderingZer provides helpful guidance for vegan diners and varied vegetarian choices. Maoz has meat and vegetarian wraps and has prepared a gluten-free dish request.
- Match the setting to the occasionShawarma Bar offers bar and terrace seating, while Al Sulaymaniyah has a spacious dining area. For a more contemporary meal, consider Le Bab’s creative approach.
- Look beyond the meal itselfIf you are organising an event, Al Waha’s tailored catering may be the strongest fit. If generous portions matter, compare the descriptions of Al Sulaymaniyah and Ilili.
Frequently asked questions
Which listed restaurant is most suitable for vegetarian or vegan diners?
Zer Middle East Kitchen has varied vegetarian choices and helpful guidance for vegan diners. Maoz also offers vegetarian wraps alongside meat options.
Where can I try Iraqi food in London?
JUMA Kitchen focuses on Iraqi specialities such as kubba, kebab, dolma, potato chaps and knafeh. Al Sulaymaniyah serves Iraqi and Middle Eastern food with grilled dishes and Kurdish bread.
Which options work well for a group meal?
Al Sulaymaniyah has spacious seating and generous portions, while Paramount offers shared appetisers, meze and mixed grill choices. Al Waha also caters for gatherings and celebrations.
Are any of the listed restaurants suitable for catering?
Al Waha provides bespoke catering for family gatherings, corporate functions, weddings and other celebrations, with menus tailored to preferences and dietary requirements.