Levant book Cafe
Cafe · North Acton ·
Syrian cafe with 100-year-old dessert recipes, booza, chess
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Syrian cafe with 100-year-old dessert recipes, booza, chess
"Levant Book Cafe is open from 12pm to 12am every day, but it comes to life in the evening. This Syrian spot in Park Royal has trays of baklava and bright orange kunafa whatever the hour, books lining the walls, and what seems like a never-ending supply of strong, steaming Arabic coffee. Wooden chessboards are on every other table inside, and outside on the covered, heated terrace, groups of friends fight for bites of the stringy, cheesy kunefa, and a live band might be playing depending on the weekend." - rianne shlebak
"Levant Book Cafe is open from 12pm to 12am everyday, but it really comes to life in the evening. This Syrian spot in Park Royal has trays of baklava and bright orange kunafa whatever the hour, books lining the walls, and what seems like a never-ending supply of strong, steaming Arabic coffee. Wooden chessboards are on every other table inside, and outside on the covered, heated terrace, groups of friends fight for bites of the stringy, cheesy kunafa, and a live band might be playing depending on the weekend. Come for a cup of coffee, to peruse the Arabic books, or just to hang out by one of the fountains when all the other coffee shops are closed and you don’t want the night to end. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Pause Unmute" - Rianne Shlebak
"Honoring the chickpea and fava bean breakfast traditions of Damascus at weekends, the msabbaha bil sujik is the standout dish here. Translated as “swimming,” somewhat confusingly, in most of the Levant, msabbaha refers to unblended warm hummus, but here it refers to the spicy minced lamb sujik mix that swims on a silky hummus base. Even with a lighter base, there is no denying it is a hearty, sapid dish. It’s only served at weekends, alongside tiseeya bil samneh, a riot of chickpeas and pita chips in a yogurt tahini sauce topped with spices and hot ghee, and ful bil zeit: fava beans in olive oil. The sweets programme, however, runs all week, and it isn’t to be missed. Try the halawat el-jibn, a semolina and cheese skin filled with orange blossom-flavoured clotted cream, ashta; knaffeh nablusyiah (made with semolina, the original version of the dish hails from the Palestinian city of Nablus), and the slightly chewy-textured pistachio ice-cream. One can also go home with some homemade fruit preserves and fermented chilli shatta imported from Damascus." - Joel Hart
"In the courtyard water trickles from a stone fountain while customers sip strong Arab coffee and play chess on heavy wooden boards with ornately carved pieces; a waiter brings the café’s specialty dessert, booza, a traditional Syrian ice cream made with mastic that is pounded and stretched rather than churned, with an almost elastic texture, a refreshing taste subtly flavoured with rose water and topped with pistachios. Inside, shelves of Arabic books and phrases painted across the walls and ceilings — including “I live in London and Damascus lives in me” — make the café feel like a brief refuge for displaced Syrians and a momentary transport to Damascus for other visitors." - Zahra Al Asaadi
Gargi T.
Carlos B
The Curl “A K-A” A.
Katia “Katie” E.
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Hana C.
Margarita