Shawarma Bar

"Clerkenwell is the ideal area for a midweek dinner that screams ‘home by 10pm, comfy socks on by five past’. It’s quiet and full of a broad range of restaurants that will, if chosen correctly, work perfectly for a lunch or dinner that’s equal parts tasty and efficient. Which is where Shawarma Bar comes in. This Middle Eastern-inspired mezze and grill restaurant on Exmouth Market, from the people behind Berber & Q, serves small plates like babaganoush or fried aubergine hummus, alongside kebabs and rice bowls, all at a reasonable price. And it’s got bar seating which is perfect for a snappy meal." - Heidi Lauth Beasley, Jake Oliver, Sinead Cranna

"This smaller, more focused offshoot of the Haggerston Middle Eastern grilled-meats-and-big-beats game-changer comes on much less strong, which is undeniably a good thing. Mezze are tasteful, vegetable-led, and often quite beautiful to behold; an array of meatier shawarmas are unsurprisingly excellent. The cauliflower rice bowl might well be the best single-dish lunch in the whole of Exmouth Market." - George Reynolds

"At Berber and Q’s Exmouth Market venue, there is lamb for the carnivores, and cauliflower for the veggies. Either can be ordered in a classic pita, or as a rice bowl or plate. The restaurant recommends ordering a plate — which means more toppings — for the full experience of mixing, matching, and constructing the ideal bite. The lamb itself is tender enough, really flavoursome, with a satisfying char on the outside.  The charred fluffy bread gets slightly wetter than one might hope underneath the meat, but not too wet to get to work on building the goods. All the fillings have their place: velvety tahini sauce; smokey, spicy slightly and sweet harissa; fresh undressed herbs with shredded red cabbage; sumac-dressed onions; tangy hot green peppers; and then the highlights: Sweet, turmeric pickled cucumbers with a perfectly conceived level of delicate tang; and cumin salt which really ties the whole experience together. Cauliflower shawarma can be ordered as a side. Here it isn’t really shawarma, but for the smokiness on the outside which somewhat resembles the experience of eating shawarma. Pine nuts, and pomegranate and dried rose petals as toppings do make it a deliciously aromatic thing to eat, however, even if a little more tahini sauce underneath would be welcome." - Joel Hart

"A first glance at the menu of this cute Exmouth Market shawarma spot might not recommend it for an inexpensive lunch. Come with a friend or two though and things get interesting. Get a bunch of mezze to share, or a pitta (lamb, chicken or cauliflower are available, all for under a tenner) with some hummus a side of either rice or salad to share between you - we’d opt for the Iraqi hummus and some mejaderah - and you’re eating well for about £15 each." - oliver feldman, jo harris cooksley, heidi lauth beasley, jake missing

"Levantine grill joint Berber & Q's first foray out west is with Shawarma Bar, serving up their masterful take on the elevated kebab. And what they mean by kebab is melt-off-the-bone lamb or perfect rotisserie chicken served in a rice bowl or on warm pillowy pita. These, accompanied by their next-level pickles, hummus, tahini, and burnt eggplant dips, makes for an insanely flavorful—and intensely filling—meal. Middle Eastern-spiked slushies and their own house-made za'atar ale are on hand to help wash it all down. "