Next week is set to mark the first Ramadan fast, which is predicted to be on February 28, depending on the sighting of the moon. Ramadan marks a period of reflection, prayer, and giving. Both Iftar, the evening meal after Maghrib (sunset), and Suhoor, the meal eaten in the morning at dawn, are an important time to eat with family and ensure a successful fast throughout each day.
Based on the lunar calendar, Ramadan shifts by around nine days each year, and in some parts of the world, fasting periods will affected by daylight savings.
London is home to the largest Muslim community in the UK, with nearly 1.4 million people living in the capital – around 15% of the city’s population. There are a whole host of restaurants around the city that are open to eat for Iftar and Suhoor, with many offering special menus, Iftar buffets, and extended opening hours. Here are some of the best places in London to prepare to begin and end your fast during Ramadan.
Ramadan Mubarak!
1. Cinnamon Kitchen
Between March 3-31, you can head over to Cinnamon Kitchen Battersea by Vivek Singh for a beautiful spread of Indian dishes to tuck into. A sharing set for £38 per person gets you a nine-dish feast, which includes a tandoori chicken breast; lucknowi chicken biryani; Kentish saddle of lamb with keema saag & a saffron roganjosh sauce and more. Finish things off with a royal Punjabi malai kulfi with saffron and cardamon, and you’ve completed the perfect Iftar feast for family and friends. Find out more about The Cinnamon Kitchen and plan your visit here.
📍4 Arches Lane, Nine Elms, SW11 8AB
2. Spice Village
Another tasty London iftar buffet can be enjoyed at Spice Village in Southall. This runs every day during Ramadan, costing £19.99 per head on weekdays, and £22.99 on Fridays. Spice Village also run a special Iftar set menu — a combination of chicken tikka, Lahori chana masala, gajar halwa, and a mango lassi is appealing to me, but there’s plenty of options to pick from. Oh, and before taking on the Iftar set menu and buffet, you’ll be treated to dates and pakoras. Check out Spice Village’s website here.
📍185-189 The Broadway, Southall UB1 1LX
3. Meet Bros
Over at this Halal steakhouse in Paddington, a true Iftar feast awaits you. Between February 28 and March 31, you can break your fast with a stunning set menu offer. Before tucking in, diners can head up to the first floor of the restaurant where they’ll find the dedicated prayer space to reflect with family and loved ones. On the menu, you can start off with a lentil soup before eating some lamb, beef ribs, or grilled chicken, before finishing off with a rose rice pudding. All in the backdrop of a candlelit restaurant with fellow diners enjoying their Iftar each day during Ramadan. It runs each day betweeen 5-11pm at Meet Bros, and you can book your spot here.
📍29-31 Craven Road, W2 3BX
4. The Best Broasted
Credit: @thebestbroasted, via IG
These pair of restaurants in Willesden Green and Ealing are known for their original Broasted chicken recipe, the first in London to serve this variety, and thick-cut chips, shaped like crinkle-cut crisps that go soft next to the piping hot chicken. Go with a group of pals and order a full platter of broasted chicken and thank us later. During Ramadan, The Best Broasted is known to serve buffets with favourites from their menu, which also includes ‘hot mezza’ items such as Kebbeh Meshwi, and hummus shawarma. Those hoping to eat here during Ramadan are advised to call one hour in advance before Iftar due to demand. Read more about The Best Broasted on their website.
📍Willesden: 18-f High Road, NW10 2QD
📍Ealing: 14 Broadway, W13 0SR
5. Putera Puteri
Credit: @putera.puteri.london.official
Two of the finest spots for Malaysian food in London is certain to be a great eating-out destination during Ramadan. Each year, they run an Iftar menu, and you’ll be treated to plates including a variety of different roti dishes, oxtail soup, Nasi Kandaq, and much more.
Tables can be booked online, and you can check out more their dishes via their Instagram page.
📍 179 Queensway, W2 5HL and 56a Queensway, W2 3RY
6. The Great Chase
Credit: @thegreatchaserestaurant, via IG
The home of the great halal roast has a brilliant Iftar menu lined up for you, which runs all through Ramadan. As you’ll see in the above image, it’s a true feast! The thought of that creamy mushroom soup followed by lamb croquettes and a heritage mini beef roast is sending signals to my brain that are tough to ignore, and that’s just one of the routes you can go down.
Since last year, The Great Chase has moved to an even bigger restaurant space, meaning more people will be able to head in for an Iftar feast. The full reveal is taking place in the leadup, but if its anything like last year’s, diners will be able to join in a congregational prayer at the restaurant after their welcome water, odd number of dates, and bread. Anyone hoping to dine at the The Great Chase for the Iftar feast is asked to book ahead, and arrive 15 minutes before Maghreb. Find out more and book your spot here.
📍You can now find the new The Great Chase location at 6G Esther Anne Place, N1 1WL
7. Honey & Smoke
Credit: @honeyandsmokerestaurant, via IG
Coming at you with the most central London recommendation on our list so far: Honey & Smoke (from those behind Honey & Co). A Great Portland Street grill house that’s bound to have something you’re desperate to try out.
Their Iftar daily menu has been a staple in London for years, running all the way up to Eid from sunset each day. You can find a full Iftar sharing platter, which allows you to break your fast with an iced tea, dates, cookies and lentil soup, before the mezze items – from bread and creamy hummus to roasted celeriac – come out to play. Then, you can choose between a mushroom shawarma, a seared seabasss, or a chargrilled chicken joojeh for your main; before feta & honey cheesecakes, brownie bites, date & pine nut moomool, marzipan cookies, and mint tea to finish. Find out more about Honey & Smoke, view the full Iftar menu, and book your place here.
📍216 Great Portland Street, W1W 5QW
8. Berenjak
Let’s stick around in central London, shall we? We’ve raved about Berenjak on plenty an occasions–who wouldn’t be obsessed with bottomless kababs?–and during Ramadan, the Soho stalwarts are known to run an Iftar menu.
You’ll find the pair of Iranian restaurants in Soho and Borough Market, and a trip to either means feasting on their kababs and numerous smaller plates. Tuck in! Read more about Berenjak here.
📍27 Romilly Street, W1D 5AL (Soho) and 1 Bedale Street, SE1 9AL (Borough Market)
9. Vatavaran
This luxury Indian restaurant only opened in Knightsbridge back in November, and comes from Michelin-starred chef Rohit Ghai and his partner Abhi Sangan. There are four levels to the restaurant inspired by the Himalayan peaks, and it’s perfect for an occasion and getting the family together to try their stunning flavours for Iftar. Try the slow-cooked lamb biryani or the robata-grilled tiger prawns before finishing ff with a garlic almond cannoli with pistachio mawa and mixed berries. Find out more and book here.
📍14-15 Beauchamp Place, SW3 1NQ
10. Ayam Zaman
Credit: @ayamzamanlondon via IG
If you want a London Iftar buffet then look no further. Perched on a corner of the Shepherd’s Bush end of the Uxbridge Road, Ayam Zaman is a large, beautifully decorated Syrian restaurant serving up classic Middle Eastern dishes, from mixed barbecue dishes to plates of crafted falafel.
During Ramadan, Ayam Zaman runs a buffet that changes regularly, making it an ideal spot for a group outing for Iftar in London. Check out their Instagram page.
📍258 Uxbridge Road, W12 7JA
11. Villa Mamas
Find this Bahraini restaurant in Chelsea for one sweet Ramadan feast for Iftar, with three courses of delightful and comforting flavour from Chef Roaya Saleh. I’ve got my sights set on a hand-rolled warak enab before a Bahrani chicken machbous or a lamb shank, before ending on a saffron-infused Elgaimat with ice cream… but there’s no going wrong with these selections. This is a mean spot to break the fast througout the month. Find out more about Villa Mamas and plan your visit here.
📍25 Elystan Street, SW3 3NT
12. InterContinental London Park Lane
Credit: @icparklane, via IG
Head over here between February 28 and March 30 to be treated to another glorious feast for Ramadan. Their feast takes place in the Wellington Lounge and Arch Bar each day, and is created in collaboration with their culinary team and Chef Ayesha Kalaji. Try a divine combination of a red lentil soup with crispy shallot and lime; mezze with Wild garlic labneh topped with garlic confit and more; slow-cooked lamb on a bed of rice, nuts, raisins and royal mint; and chocolate and Persian lime crémeux to finish. And that’s just one route to go down! Find out more information and book your space here.
📍One Hamilton Place, Park Lane, W1J 7QY
13. Chaiiwala
This Indian street food favourite has plenty of branches around London, and several are known to be open in the early hours of the morning, which is ideal for those hoping for a large Suhoor meal for breakfast before fasting.
Anyone heading here is advised to treat themselves to the all-day Desi breakfast; an omelette, spicy beans or daal, roti and karak chai. Read more about Chaiiwala on their website.
📍Various locations.
14. Alhaji SUYA
Credit: @alhajisuya, via IG
You’ll find Alhaji SUYA locations (Peckham, Greenwich, Walworth and a kiosk in Brixton) around London, and they’re a fine spot to taste Nigerian cuisine.
They’re known for their beef suya (a type of grilled and spiced meat) with jollof rice, but you’ll also find tasty meat pies and shawarma. In previous years, Alhaji SUYA in Peckham was available to order before Maghrib, and you’ll also be able to purchase their food for an Iftar suya feast. Check out their website here.
📍15 Peckham Park Road, SE15 6TR (Peckham)
📍Arch 210 Carter Place, SE17 2TF (Walworth)
📍Unit 15 Angerstein Business Park, 12 Horn Lane, SE10 0RT (Greenwich)
📍Alhaji Suya Brixton Kiosk, 9 Brixton Station Road, SW9 8QQ (Brixton)
15. Ritu
Credit: @ritu.london, via IG
Over at Ritu Seasons Of India in St John’s Wood, a special Iftar menu is often created each year for those looking to break their fast with a delightful set of dishes to enjoy with the family. Past years have brought on the opportunity to be treated to an Iftar platter consisting of dates, fruit, traditional rose & nut sherbet, and Laban. Then, you can tuck into a hearty selection of appetisers, including stuffed yellow pepper pakoras before taking on the Nawabi-style lamb chapli kebabs. Read more about Ritu, and check out their Iftar menu here.
📍 1 Blenheim Terrace, NW8 0EH
16. Ishbilia Lebanese Restaurant
Credit: @ishbilialondon, via IG
A Knightsbridge favourite that masters in the art of Lebanese mezzes and grilled meat. You can expect their usual classics, and they’re also known to serve up special drinks, desserts and mains during Ramadan. Their platters are as easy on the stomach as they are on the eye, so it’s one to note down for an Iftar meal out in London. Find out more and book here.
📍8-9 William Street, SW1X 9HL