Red Camel

Afghan restaurant · Leytonstone

Red Camel

Afghan restaurant · Leytonstone

552 High Rd Leytonstone, Bushwood, London E11 3DH, United Kingdom

Highlights

Generous portions, tender lamb, flavorful pulao, friendly owner

552 High Rd Leytonstone, Bushwood, London E11 3DH, United Kingdom Get directions

@redcamel.london

£10–20

@eater

The Best-Value Restaurants in East London Are Cheap, But Not Cheap Eats | Eater London

"Leytonstone High Road is filled with unlikely shop-fronts — Lithuanian chain pubs and Romanian bakeries; a certain Thai restaurant. Red Camel is another, a rarity: a destination takeaway joint. Run by an Afghani couple, Farishta and Ackbar, from Mazar-i-Sharif, this brightly signed, small space serves excellent and homely food. Choose from small cushions of lamb shish and koobideh, spiced with cumin and chilli, and gossamer thin-skinned mantu stuffed with lamb mince and topped with yoghurt and chickpeas, to expertly cooked aubergine and okra stews and huge plates of long-grained Qabily pallow, rich with lamb fat. Things may run out, but this is the sort of place where Farishta might disappear for half an hour only to reemerge with a completely fresh batch." - Jonathan Nunn

https://london.eater.com/maps/best-value-restaurants-east-london-cheap-not-cheap-eats

View Postcard for Red Camel

Jennifer H

Google

If you’re craving authentic home-cooked style Afghan food then you won’t be disappointed! We ordered the pulao rice with lamb - so tasty! The lamb was tender and the rice was delicious! We also ordered the aubergine stew which was also devious and went really well with the rice. We also ordered a bread which was great. The meal came with fresh cucumber, tomato, and onion salad and a really zingy green chilli sauce. I will definitely be back and will try the lamb tikka skewers which the chef recommended. The rice size we ordered was a Large and it was more than enough for 2 people. We had leftovers which we took home. So happy we stumbled across this authentic Afghan restaurant!

Laiba K

Google

We stopped by Red Camel for dinner, not knowing exactly what to order, but the lovely owner guided us through the menu and made us feel so welcome. We went with the chapli kebab and lamb tikka — both were absolutely delicious, full of flavour, and cooked to perfection. The chapli kebab especially was juicy and spiced just right. The atmosphere was warm and authentic, making it a really enjoyable dining experience. Service was top-notch — friendly, patient, and genuinely caring. Plus, there’s convenient parking right outside which made everything even easier. Highly recommend if you’re in the area and craving Afghan food — we’ll definitely be back!

Adam Papadopoulos

Google

Amazing service and hospitality! Ordered a mixture of everything off the menu to try and each dish was amazing with its own unique flavours. The tender meat and richness of the lamb stew, the perfectly grilled meats which were so soft and juicy and the pulao which was a flavour explosion and had nice pieces of tender lamb throughout. Will definitely visit again when back in London!

Kaif Ul Majed

Google

Very tasty Middle Eastern food. We had Kabuli Polao and Chapli kebab. The portion sizes were generous, making for a very filling meal. The flavors were well-balanced—rich but not overwhelming—with the extra chili sauce adding a nice kick for those who enjoy some heat. The atmosphere is nothing to be amazed with. It is a small shop with some tables here and there. It is a bit cramped. There are pictures of Afganistan on the walls. The staff were friendly overall, though we did run into a small issue with payment. The restaurant prefers cash, and when we paid by card, the server strongly advised us to bring cash next time.

Nasser Ali

Google

Went to Red Camel to try it out and it definitely exceeded my expectations. The owner was a lovely person who was more than helpful at suggesting what to order and provided an excellent level of service. The star of the show was without doubt the Lamb which was ‘melt in the mouth’ delicious. A true gem of a place and well worth visiting. I will definitely be back!

Shaf Alam

Google

amazing quality and taste in every dish, the warmest welcome from the owner and team. Highly recommended!

Ayat Kazi

Google

The food was absolutely delicious, fresh, and full of flavor. Every dish was cooked perfectly. I’ll definitely be coming back. This place is a hidden gem! The flavors were spot-on, portions were generous, and the vibe was just right. Loved every bite.

Amna Ali

Google

Mum saw on tiktok so we thought we'd check it out. She was hesitant to walk in after seeing the restaurant as it was smaller than she thought and she wasn't sure what to expect but we are very glad we went in. The owner is very friendly and we left with my brother saying it's the best Afghani food he has had asking when we are going back. We all throughly enjoyed, thank you!