Imad's Syrian Kitchen review | Middle-Eastern restaurant in London
Imad's Syrian Kitchen in London is a must-try restaurant for those who love Middle-Eastern cuisine. Here’s everything you need to know about this restaurant and my honest review as a plant-based foodie.
The story behind Imad's Syrian Kitchen
Imad's Syrian Kitchen was named after its founder, Imad Alarnab who is a Syrian chef and entrepreneur but also a refugee who had to flee and found safety in Europe.
Imad ran 3 successful restaurants in Damascus as well as several juice bars and cafes. They were all destroyed by the war, but Imad’s passion for food grew even stronger.
He used to cook for other refugees and later went onto organising charity food events in London. Imad’s Syrian Kitchen opened in 2021 and is his first permanent restaurant in London.
Are there vegan options at Imad's Syrian Kitchen?
Imad's Syrian Kitchen is a vegan-friendly restaurant with a variety of plant-based options on the menu. There are also some vegetarian dishes.
Where is Imad's Syrian Kitchen in London?
The restaurant is on the top floor of Kingly Court, Carnaby Street (W1B 5PW). It is open for dining on Monday night and from Thursday to Saturday for lunch and dinner. The restaurant is closed on Sunday,
I would highly recommend booking via their website to secure your table.
Honest review of Imad's Syrian Kitchen
The restaurant
It’s a reasonably sized restaurant with an atmosphere that puts you at ease. No loud music, no OTT decor. The open kitchen is at the back of the room and the bar is on the side.
If you have a table by the windows (my favourite spot), you’ll be able to watch the buzzing Kingly Court whilst you wait on your food.
Make sure to book your table, they can fill up pretty quickly.
The menu
There are a lot of sharing plates, most of which are vegan or veggie. The vegan options are all absolutely delicious, from the classic Hummus and Falafels to the Baba Ganoush which is like hummus but eggplant-based and sprinkled with pomegranate seeds. Definitely order some extra pita bread to go with it!
My favourite sharing plate is the Zahraa Harra, which is baked cauliflower with garlic, coriander, olive oil and tahini. It’s full of flavours and unsurprisingly one of the most popular dishes on the menu.
They recommend about 4 sharing plates for a table of 2 and if you’re still hungry, carry on with a main dish per person. My partner and I love the starters so much that our whole meal is made of sharing plates, with extra pita bread.
Middle-Eastern cuisine is so delicious but also very filling, and we’ve always been too full to try any desserts.
But if you could do with something sweet, you can finish your meal with a Syrian ice cream or a Baklawa. I believe you can have vegan ice cream if you ask for it.
Drinks wise, they have a lovely wine selection and deliciously refreshing juices.
The service
The service is excellent in all aspects and I wish more London restaurants had this level of service! The waiters are very friendly, happy to recommend dishes that suit your taste and they check on you without being too intrusive. The drinks arrive almost straight away.
They are doing an amazing job in the kitchen as well. We’ve never waited more than 5 minutes to get our first sharing plate and everything is served fairly quickly.
The price
Count between £8 and £10 for a sharing plate, and a little more for a main. The drinks are reasonably priced, a glass of wine is about £8-£10 and soft drinks about £5 to £7.
Our bill is usually around £60 - £70 for 2 people. It includes 4-5 sharing plates, extra pita bread and 2 drinks.
It is not the cheapest experience, but both the food and the service are top notch. It’s always been a great experience and it’s definitely “our spot” in London when we want to treat ourselves to a nice meal out, because we know we won’t be disappointed.
If you love Middle-Eastern cuisine and have a special occasion coming up or want to treat a loved one to a delicious meal, I would definitely recommend going to Imad's Syrian Kitchen!