Bab Al-Yemen

The bright neon sign and glossy faux marble tables at Bab Al-Yemen do a good job of making this somewhere we’d comfortably spend a couple of hours in. But the traditional Yemeni-style floor seating is what’ll make you want to gather everyone you know for a big group birthday dinner where the main event is a pre-ordered £300 lamb. The well-seasoned meats—like the slow-cooked lamb haneeth that pulls apart with little to no effort, or the golden chicken mandi that you’ll want to eat with both the flakey ratab bread and the colourful, softly spiced rice it comes with—are also both excellent choices. And if you don’t end a meal here with the masoob with cream & honey (a dessert of mashed bananas, shredded flatbread, cream, and honey) you’re doing it wrong. If you aren't dining with a group, or if eating cross-legged on the floor isn’t your thing, there are plenty of walk-in tables available if you happen to be around West Brompton.

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch