Berenjak Soho — Restaurant in London

During my last visit to London, we decided to try Berenjak Soho, having heard much about its Michelin recognition and wanting to see what all the fuss was about. The restaurant is typically overbooked and requires prior reservations. However, since we were already in the area, we decided to try our luck and asked if they could accommodate us. The receptionist informed us there would be a three-hour wait, so we added our name to the list and returned to our hotel.

We came back well ahead of our time slot, only to be told, rather casually, that our reservation was “gone” because we supposedly missed a call. That explanation didn’t sit right, especially since my mobile provider notifies me of all missed calls—even without active service. It was quite evident the gentleman hadn’t tried to contact us at all.

He then offered us another slot, with an estimated 40-minute wait, and given the late hour, we decided to stay rather than search for another place. Eventually, we were seated—at the counter, which turned out to be more of a street-facing bar-style setup overlooking the kitchen from outside.

The appetizers were quite enjoyable and creatively presented, but the main courses were underwhelming. We tried the Jujeh and Koobideh Kababs, which were fairly standard. The real disappointment, however, was the Barreh Kabab, priced at a steep £38. It was so over-salted that it was essentially inedible—likely the result of it having been left in its marinade for far too long. We managed one bite and left the rest untouched.

When the bill arrived, I raised my concern about that particular dish. The same receptionist, clearly aware of both the poor service and the quality issue, noticed it hadn’t been touched and graciously removed it from the bill.

Given the overall experience—the long wait, mismanaged seating, lackluster mains, and a supposed Michelin-starred expectation that fell flat—I would rate this a 2-star experience. I’m giving it 3 stars solely because the problematic dish was removed from the invoice, likely an acknowledgment that both the service and the kitchen had...

We went to the restaurant as we thought it was walk in only we had to wait for more than 60mins for a table which is understandable on a Saturday night but after the long wait we sat on one of the most uncomfortable stools with a very dimmed table mind you there were other tables but they wouldn’t let us sit there as they were booked already. The biggest issue is the wait time for the food itself. We had to wait for about 40 mins for our appetizers to be served -Truffle chicken salad was great the mix in flavor of the truffle and the the dill sprinkled on top matched the dish very well. -The dark peas hummus not so much it was creamy with a very strong tangy flavor that had an aftertaste taste to it and not a nice one. -The Bathingan (eggplant) was alright not the best but had a nice flavor and texture to it. As for our main we had to wait another 30 mins for at that point we had already felt stuffed from the water and bread and our back were aching for some lumber support we ordered. the Lamb kofta which was extra salty but the meat and the spices were nice. -The awsal (lamb chunks) had a very nice texture and the dish was cooked to perfection not being too chewy but still maintaining the juiciness the pieces of lamb were separated by pieces of red onions before grilling which added a great flavor to the meat Sides: -Shirazi salad was the best part of the whole menu adding sumac to the salad made for a great sour touch to the dish -Tourshi (pickled veggies) was also a nice sour and crunchy side Overall the restaurant is an overrated / overpriced experience and feels like another one of those places in London that doesn’t care much about how comfortable the atmosphere and seating is but more about cramming as many customers in one place as they can I usually put up with that if the food deserves the back pain and the wait but unfortunately this is not one of the latter especially with that price tag. I do have to say the employees were as nice as they can be so I think its an issue with the...

Please ignore some of the reviews made by over eating Persians who expect this establishment to be like the poor big meat platter they serve on Edgware Road. Now..

I don't usually give 5 stars to any restaurant only when it's exceptional. The food, service, ambience and relative price point need to be dot on for it to deserve a 5 star review.

Why does Berenjak get 5 stars.. Well they launched on Thursday. And we with our very critical palates were in on Saturday evening and they never disappointed.

First and foremost the greeting and seating was spot on. Its not a big restaurant. Street food Iranian with a urban twist surrounding its decor.

We sat at the front right in front of all the chefs who were working at 100mph. We had the Humus which was unlike our favourite from Berberq.. It had a rich tahini taste which was complimented with sümük and shaved walnuts.

The yoghurt and spinach was OK. Worked well, would have preferred to complement it with my mixed meat main.

The olives were unique.. They are a welcome surprise to your norm. Will not say too much but a must try!

Our mains Jujeh kebab, Lamb Chenjeh, Koobideh (minced goat shoulder) were all cooked over a charcoal grill and all were seasoned to perfection and soft and juicy even at the end of our meal.

The rice was again a little Gem. So if you have no diary allergies please ensure you order this wonderful dishe as this dish has a Berenjak twist with its flavour and crunchy texture in areas.

Taftoon & Sangak breads were a great compliment to above dishes.

And the Baklava ice-cream sandwich was a simple delight that was the best of both worlds.

The staff.. Well we spoke socially to the owner and the chefs including its helpful waiting staff. They were so open with us circling ingredients and its concept and it was a refreshing change.

We will Be visiting soon as this place will blow up soon no doubt.. This review stays at 5 stars until Our next visit.

Second visit.

Even better! 5 stars for this wonderful quirky take on persian...