Abu Afif Edgware Road

"Although Abu Afif is canteen in style, the Iraqi restaurant’s plastic trays and paper plates belie the flavour and tenderness of its shawarma. Pretty much everything about this big corner spot on the Edgware Road is straightforwardly solid. A plate with salad, hummus, taboon straight from the tandoor, and a pile of steaming meat is a tenner and it’s great. While the space—full of solo diners stuffing their faces with shawarma, friends scrolling on their phones mid-bite, and families taking a break—is exactly what everyone needs night and day." - jake missing, rianne shlebak, sinead cranna

"Near Edgware Road Pretty much everything about Abu Afif, an Iraqi canteen-style spot on the corner of Edgware Road, is straightforwardly solid. A plate with salad, hummus, taboon straight from the tandoor, and a pile of steaming meat is generous and tasty. The space is usually full of solo diners stuffing their faces with shawarma, friends scrolling on their phones mid-bite, and families taking a break—exactly what a rainy day calls for. " - Team Infatuation

"Although Abu Afif is canteen in style, the Iraqi restaurant’s plastic trays and paper plates belie the flavour and tenderness of its shawarma. Pretty much everything about this big corner spot on the Edgware Road is straightforwardly solid. A plate with salad, hummus, taboon straight from the tandoor, and a pile of steaming meat is a tenner and it’s great. While the space—full of solo diners stuffing their faces with shawarma, friends scrolling on their phones mid-bite, and families taking a break—is exactly what everyone needs night and day. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch" - Jake Missing

"Another good option if on the hunt for shawarma on Edgware Road. Lamb is the one to go for here, which is piquant and enticingly singed. Better still, in addition to ordering it in a wrap, diners can order it in a rhombus-shaped, crusty samoun, or a doughier, thicker tanoor baked in a clay oven. It comes with warm tomatoes that sit underneath the spit, salad, and optional sauces. The key here is to avoid everything but the tahini sauce, as the heavy spicing of the meat calls for a simple contrast. A word of warning for chilli lovers: don’t be tempted by the chilli sauce, as it tastes generic, sweet and detracts from an otherwise great meat-in-bread experience." - Joel Hart