Syrian dishes: falafel, lamb, hummus, baba ghanouj
2.5, Top Floor, Kingly Ct, Carnaby St, Carnaby, London W1B 5PW, United Kingdom Get directions
£20–40
"A restaurant with a menu full of enticing Middle Eastern flavors designed for sharing." - The MICHELIN Guide UK Editorial Team
"A move to a slightly larger premises on the top floor of Kingly Court has not dimmed the ethos of this sweet restaurant. Affable chef-owner Imad was a restaurateur in Damascus before fleeing and settling in London, and his desire to provide and nourish is evident during your visit. The appealing, great value menu focuses on satisfying Middle Eastern flavours. Expect generous sharing dishes and plenty of lamb – and don’t miss the falafel." - Michelin Inspector
"Yeah, we didn’t think the words “Kingly Court” and “cultured” would ever appear in the same sentence either, but hear us out. This airy, blue-window-framed restaurant on the top floor feels like a courtyard in the Mediterranean—and obviously we feel most cultured on holiday. The menu has excellent traditional Syrian small plates and an amazing wine list where you can show off your (googled) knowledge before eventually landing on a Macedonian orange number. Bring some friends, wait your turn as owner Imad makes the rounds introducing himself to the dinner guests, and eat some of the best baba ghanouj in London." - rianne shlebak, heidi lauth beasley, jake missing
"Unlike some thoroughly bowlable varieties, Imad’s £2 coin-sized, doughnut-holed delights are probably the finest snacking falafel on this list. They measure perfectly on the crunch-to-softness ratio, and were we to be given a bowl of, say, 50 of these falafels at midday, we doubt there would be any left come late afternoon. In any case, you’ll find this Imad’s Syrian Kitchen over in Soho and you’ll find your simply dressed plate with tahini, sumac, and sesame seeds finger-wiped clean in no time." - jake missing
"Restaurants like Imad’s Syrian Kitchen are rare. Not only does this place make you feel like you’ve been transported somewhere far, far away where you could viably wear a vest without judgement or hypothermia, it also simultaneously makes you feel like you never want to leave London because, well, Imad’s Syrian Kitchen is here. Located on the top floor of Kingly Court, it serves a baba ghanouj we would lay down our lives for (probably), grilled okra, and tender lamb shoulder that will erase the bleak chaos of Oxford Circus station and replace it with the perfect white noise of chewing perfectly spiced meat. Is that the sound of waves in the distance?" - Heidi Lauth Beasley, Jake Oliver, Rianne Shlebak
