Hiba

"Platter of the day “As I waited to be seated at this Lebanese-Palestinian spot in Holborn, the diner who was sitting at my table before me, told me to order the platter of the day in a “trust me” kind of way. And so, I ordered the platter of the day. There was a huge helping of excellently nutty hummus, tangy baba ghanouj, two skewers of golden, tender chicken, a crispy falafel with the fluffiest insides, and citrussy, rice-stuffed vine leaves. It was one of the best lunches I’ve had all year and every component separately was so good that I couldn’t choose my favourite between them.”- RS" - Jake Oliver, Rianne Shlebak, Sinead Cranna

"The furnishings are unmistakablely Palestinian, but the menu admits to being both Lebanese and Palestinian. The hummus is not exactly velvety, but it isn’t meant to be. A nod to the Jerusalem tradition of hand grinding hummus, it is textural, zingy and flavorsome, and is set off wonderfully by fruity, pithy olive oil. Chilli sauce and garlicky toum come with every order, and adding some of each can pack an even further punch for diners wanting to get playful. The group’s other central branch, Hiba Street, offers a smoother style made with more tahini, and Hiba Taboun, their latest branch opened recently in Walthamstow, offers a different recipe still to go with its array of oven-baked breads." - Joel Hart

"This Palestinian and Lebanese restaurant and takeaway spot on High Holborn is a solid option when you’re being "kind of healthy”—and even when you’re not. The cold mezze makes for a light and refreshing meal when the weather’s warm outside. And their grilled meats—from the shish taouk to the kafta meshwi—are tender and flavourful, served alongside buttery Palestinian vermicelli rice that we could eat by the bucketful. They’ve always got a couple of free tables for walk-ins inside their compact, corridor-like dining room, as well as a few out front. If you're in a huge hurry, the £6.95 takeaway wraps are always a good shout. Get a sumac-heavy fattoush on the side and you’ll be full until tomorrow morning. Or at the very least until dinner." - rianne shlebak, jake missing

"This Palestinian and Lebanese restaurant and takeaway spot on High Holborn is a solid option when you’re being "kind of healthy”—and even when you’re not. The cold mezze makes for a light and refreshing meal when the weather’s warm. And their grilled meats—from the shish taouk to the kafta meshwi—are tender and flavourful, served alongside buttery Palestinian vermicelli rice that we could eat by the bucketful. They’ve always got a couple of free tables for walk-ins inside their compact, corridor-like dining room, as well as a few out front, if you’re in the mood for a quick sit-down situation. If you're in a huge hurry, the takeaway wraps are always a good shout. Get a sumac-heavy fattoush on the side and you’ll be full until tomorrow morning. Or at the very least until dinner." - Rianne Shlebak