Akub

This is a spectacular example of the benefits of living in London. I hadn’t heard much of Palestinian cuisine, but am I very glad I got to try it here. It is a bit on the pricy side, but definitely worth it given the ambiance, food, staff and overall experience. We had every plate on the menu, and we had a great time. I would recommend coming with a bigger group to make sure you get to try all they have to offer. Of course I can see if being very suitable for smaller parties, and you’ll likely find yourselves having a pleasurable experience.

Outstanding food - we loved the courgettes, the cabbage, the cheese, the dips, the bread and the desserts (the fish and the beetroot dishes were okay). The wine selection is lovely, and service is quick (albeit sometimes hard to get the servers’ attention). Love the decor of the place, perfect for a date night or a small group get together. Will definitely be back!

Having visited Palestine (and especially Bethlehem) on many occasions, many occasions I was excited to try this much talked about restaurant. Sadly it was not a great experience and lacked much of what I associate with the region, especially any sense of warm or hospitable welcome. On arrival my friend and I were shown to a table absurdly close to other tables, and it took a degree of protest to get us moved to a place where we’d be sharing our conversation with other diners. The menu was set out as small and large plates, and different servers gave us contradictory information about what would be served with what. To our surprise and disappointment both small and large plates all arrived with great speed at once. And the food was OK…. But nothing more. The ‘large’ plate monkfish was flavoursome but ungenerous and served on the same size plate as ‘small’ ones. The lamb shank had a small amount of nice sauce but nothing like enough to do justice to the meat, which was otherwise dull. We shared a ‘baba’ dessert which also came very rapidly and was large and dry. We were done well within an hour, little faster than if this had been McDonalds. Any sense of Arab gracious and abundant hospitality was utterly lacking. A truly disappointing experience.

Akub is a true gem. Nestled in Notting Hill, the service is incredible and the food is even better. Everything is delicious. Today, I really enjoyed the dagga gazawiyeh that had a lovely kick to it, a true nod to the homeland. The nabulsi cheese is dressed up in black seeds and so good. Desperately needed coffee, it was a home run. Of course, you can never leave akub without an order of crunchy mansaf — so so good! Truly the best. Never forget to order the fresh zaatar bread and focaccia - throw in some green shatta for a chefs kiss on any of the dishes or just dip your bread in it. True Palestinian excellence. The cocktails are great. I really enjoyed Dalia’s gin with mint and the zaatar martini. The waiter was excellent and gave great suggestions. He was very considerate and ensured every aspect of the meal was perfection. The restaurant oozes with genuine hospitality with an experience so sophisticated, I think it’d be hard for anyone to leave Akub without having had enjoyed themselves.