"A stalwart Hammersmith spot, Mahdi Restaurant has been serving top Persian classics to hungry locals since 1999. But these days it’s not just locals they’re serving. You’ll often find a queue for a table and once you have a bite of the pistachio koobideh, you’ll understand why. It’s nutty, buttery, and delicious. The other grilled meats are excellent too, and everything is served on an elevated stand for some extra pizzazz. Once you have a bite of the citrussy, charred boneless chicken, you’ll realise that a 15-minute wait is worth it." - rianne shlebak