Iran Restaurant — Restaurant in London

A taste of Persia in the Heart of Mayfair

I enjoy new dinning experiences, especially the unfamiliar. That is why I enjoyed this place so much. So if you haven’t had Persian cuisine, let this review be your tour guide…kinda. First of all, wasn’t quite prepared for the gastronomic adventure that awaited me at this Persian gem tucked away in Mayfair. What started as a casual dinner recommendation turned into an absolute surprise and delight, like there was a party in my mouth where everyone was invited.

Location and Atmosphere: The restaurant sits in one of London’s most exclusive neighborhoods, where Bentleys and Ferraris line the streets and money flows as freely as the Thames. Yet stepping inside, you’d never feel intimidated by Mayfair’s notorious pretension. This place manages to be both sophisticated and welcoming, attracting everyone from locals grabbing a bite to celebrities passing through, in fact during my dinner I spotted Hayden Christensen, the Canadian actor famous for his Star Wars roles, strolling by.

The Food Experience For a Persian food novice like myself, this was nothing short of a gastronomy wonderland. Every dish that arrived felt like discovering a new flavor universe. The portions are refreshingly generous, none of that precious, artfully arranged nonsense you sometimes get in this part of town. These are hearty, soul-satisfying plates that leave you genuinely full and happy.

The authentic flavors were immediately apparent, even to my untrained palate. Each bite carried layers of spices and techniques that spoke to generations of culinary tradition. The rice alone was a masterclass in texture and seasoning, and don’t get me started on the perfectly prepared lamb shank that practically melted off the bone.

Pro Tips for First-Timers Here’s the most valuable advice I can offer: if you’re new to Persian cuisine like I was, bring a friend who speaks the language or knows their way around the menu. While the staff absolutely understands English and provides excellent service, having a cultural guide transforms the experience from good to extraordinary. They can navigate the extensive menu, recommend the perfect combination of dishes for sharing, and help you discover flavors you might never have tried otherwise.

A Word of Caution Be prepared for the full Mayfair street experience, from rags to riches. That means you’ll likely encounter beggars who approach your table directly asking for handouts. Additionally, you’ll also get a street performer or two, I learned the hard way by casually filming the moment, not knowing they would ask for a compensation, my bad.

Despite these minor street-level distractions, this Persian restaurant stands as a testament to authentic cuisine thriving in one of London’s most exclusive areas. It hits that sweet spot of exceptional authenticity, meets genuine hospitality, and where even Persian food skeptics like myself leave planning their return visit.

Final thought: A must-visit for anyone looking to expand their culinary horizons in an atmosphere that’s both upscale and...

Unfortunately not the best of experiences. We went here on the high number of good reviews and having been there, for the life of me I can not understand both the number of reviews this place has and more shockingly the number of good reviews. It really doesn't deserve it. The food was average at best and price is on the high side especially for what you get. Firstly we didn't get fresh bread as the oven was out of commission and instead we received some packet pitta bread. Not ideal but we should really have been told before we sat down or when we were ordering as we would have gone elsewhere. However, saying that they didn't charge us for the bread. The starters were pretty standard. For our main we had a chicken and lamb skewer. Lamb was ok, but the chicken was really, really not ok. It was like chewing on a boiled piece of chicken with no flavour. The service was very good and we got some complimentary tea. Overall we wouldn't go here again. We love our Persian food and so many other better Persian restaurants to go to. Would have been 2 stars at any other place but because of their prices have to knock it down to 1.

Edit: In response to the owner reply - Yesterday I went to Sadaf in Kensginton (feel free to read my review on Sadaf) which reminded me of just how bad your restaurant is....and as such it warranted an edit. Compared to other Persian restaurants like Alanouk, Hafez and Berenjak I thought my review was fair. I have no reason to make it look like a recent review. Saying that I am surprised by how many 5 star reviews you have based on the quality of your food. Maybe you should go back to doing what you do best, which is serving overpriced mediocre Persian food. You would think you'd have better things to do over the festive period than reply to 5 month old reviews.....seems like you're the one suffering...

I am leaving a one star review only because I can not leave any less than that. Saying that my culinary experience at this restaurant was terrible is an understatement. As an Iranian person who knows exactly what Iranian food must taste like, I can confidently say that the food here is far from authentic. Not only this, when you question the authenticity of the food, you are treated with disrespect and told “this is how we make it here”. I Guess if they want to make Iranian food their way, then it shouldn’t be labelled as Iranian food right? The prices are absolutely outrageous!! As an Iranian person I can not justify paying 50 pounds for a dish that I know very well I can make for 5 pounds at home!! It’s totally unacceptable as they are taking advantage of people’s lack of knowledge. In other words it’s a tourist trap. We ordered mast moosir which was terrible! Not authentic what so ever. Tasted like it had been mixed with mayonnaise and had huge chunks of garlic when in reality this dish should have neither of those ingredients. The zereshk polo was mixed with some ingredients that I had never even tasted in my life. No sign or trace of saffron in any of their dishes. You can definitely see the yellow colour on the chicken and rice. However I’m afraid this is just food colouring and not real saffron. The first thing I noticed was how dirty the restaurant was. It was very noticeable and you could not ignore it. The whole place smelled like a butcher’s shop as it smelt like raw meat. We paid 190 pound for two people for a garlic dip, two chicken and rice kabab and one ghorme sabzi. Can you justify that? It’s a no for me!! Take advice from an Iranian woman who knows her food, DONT GO TO...