Lebanese food is in a league of its own. It pulls you in with smoke, colour, and spice, while keeping you reaching across the table for more.
If you live in London, you are in luck because London is one of the best cities to experience Lebanese food. The city has a large number of restaurants serving traditional Lebanese food to locals.
In this article, we will explain the top Lebanese dishes to soothe your cravings at a Lebanese restaurant in London. Let’s begin.
Calamari
You can eat Calamari at Italian, Greek, and English restaurants. What sets Lebanese Calamari apart is that it’s made with a light batter that shatters when you bite through it. The squid in other versions of Calamari is rubbery and chewy, while the squid in the Lebanese version is tender and served with garlic, black pepper, and tartar sauce.
The tartar sauce has a sharp taste with enough acidity to add to the richness of Calamari. If you love seafood, Calamari is the perfect dish to start your experience at a Lebanese restaurant.
Baba Ghanouj
It’s a smoky baked aubergine paste made on slow heat. It’s cooked until the skin is charred and the interior becomes a soft, yielding pulp. The char is what separates it from mashed aubergines. Once you scoop the flesh out, you can eat it together with tahini or add garlic, lemon juice, or olive oil for extra taste. The pomegranate seeds on top add a sharp burst of sweetness to balance the savoury depth of this dish. Eat it with warm bread for the best experience.
Batata Harra
Batata Harra means “spicy potatoes.” This famous Lebanese dish consists of diced potatoes that are fried until they develop a golden crust and crisp. The coriander balances the warmth of the spices, while the garlic cooks into the dish rather than remaining raw. The mixed peppers add colour and mild heat. The dish maintains a perfect balance of soft and crisp. You can order it as a starter or side alongside grilled meats. If you are with friends or family, order batata harra and watch it become the thing they admire on the way home.
Lamb Kafta
Kafta has a version in almost every cuisine across the Middle East and the Eastern Mediterranean. You will find it from Turkey to Iran to Morocco, with each version having its own unique seasonings and traditions. The Lebanese version uses lamb shoulder because it has enough fat to keep the mixture moist on the grill. It has a dark, caramelised crust on the outside while the interior is slightly pink and tender.
It’s served with oriental rice, which deserves a mention of its own. The rice is typically cooked with vermicelli noodles and toasted in butter until it turns golden. It tastes fragrant and slightly nutty.
Shish Touk
Shish Touk is marinated cubes of chicken fillet grilled on skewers. The dish has a yoghurt base that tenderises the meat and helps it hold moisture during cooking. Into that goes garlic, lemon, and olive oil to add gentle flavour. Some Lebanese restaurants in London also add a touch of tomato paste for colour and a mild sweetness. It’s served with a side of fragrant oriental rice and toum, a Lebanese garlic sauce that elevates the overall experience.
Grilled Chicken Fillet
The Grilled Chicken Fillet is more complex than Shish Touk. The main difference is the mushroom gravy sauce, and the fact that the chicken here is marinated with mustard, garlic and mixed herbs.
The mustard brings a sharpness and depth that Shish Touk lacks. The garlic, as always, adds a strong taste, while the herbs typically include thyme, oregano, and a touch of dried mint. They also make the chicken smell extraordinary as it comes off the grill. The mushroom gravy sauce is glossy, deeply savoury, and poured over the sliced fillet. Order it if you want to surprise someone who is nervous about straying too far from familiar dishes.
Ribeye Steak
Lebanese cooking goes way beyond the kebab and kafta. The Ribeye Steak is a great example of that. It has enough fat to stay moist as it cooks, and enough flavour to hold its own against the accompanying mushroom gravy sauce. It’s served with hand-cut chips that are fried in a way that gives them a fluffy interior behind the crisp exterior.
Eating a ribeye at a Lebanese restaurant in London is a memorable experience. Try it today if you haven’t yet.
Lamb Shanks
They’re slow-braised with mixed spices, served with mushroom gravy sauce and oriental minced meat rice. In the Lebanese version, the spices include cinnamon, allspice, black pepper, and sometimes, a touch of nutmeg. These spices give the meat an aromatic depth that can’t be achieved any other way. They’re also served with mushroom gravy sauce, which adds to the richness of the braised meat.
Lamb Shanks take a long time to make, but they offer a taste that a quick grilled dish simply cannot match.
Vegetarian Mixed Mezze
The vegetarian mixed Mezze includes Hummus, Baba Ghanouj, Batata Harra, Falafel and Pumpkin Kibbe, all perfect for vegetarians. All five dishes are completely different from each other in terms of cooking techniques, textures and flavours. Together, they create a delightful combination for vegetarians. The Hummus has a smooth texture with a drizzle of olive oil pooled in the centre. Baba Ghanouj brings smoke and depth to the table. Batata Harra adds heat and crunch to the plate.
Falafel is made from soaked chickpeas that give it a rougher texture inside. The Pumpkin Kibbe replaces the meat with spiced roasted pumpkin to add warmth and sweetness. For vegetarian diners in London, a table full of Lebanese Mezze is a dream come true.
Conclusion
Lebanese food has become extremely popular in London. The city is full of top Lebanese restaurants bringing traditional flavours to Londoners. If you are a foodie in this city and you have not tried Lebanese cuisine yet, start with the dishes mentioned in this article. You will love the experience.