Akub

What Akub Is Like

Akub opened in 2022 after a crowdfunding campaign and occupies four floors at 27 Uxbridge Street in Notting Hill. The space is worth noting before the food: ash-wood tables, tiled floors, beams, bowls piled with fresh lemons, foliage suspended from metal keys create a room that feels genuinely relaxed rather than designed-to-feel-relaxed. The natural light during lunch is a particular advantage. For an evening visit, the ground floor is the most animated; upper floors offer slightly more breathing room for conversation.

The menu is structured around three categories; ard (land, meaning vegetarian dishes), bahar (sea), and lameh (meat), drawn from the distinct culinary traditions of Galilee, the Gaza Strip, the West Bank. Chef Fadi Kattan, who hails from Bethlehem, treats these as a coherent architecture rather than a greatest-hits compilation. The progression from lighter vegetable-forward dishes through seafood and into the richer meat preparations mirrors the logic of a tasting menu, even in a sharing format. Starting with zaatar bread topped with sumac, thyme, toasted sesame seeds sets the register: familiar enough to orient you, specific enough to signal that this is not generic Middle Eastern cooking.

The freekeh risotto is an early highlight, nutty charred green wheat infused with saffron, finished with dried laban jameed (goat's milk yoghurt) and pine nuts. It demonstrates what the kitchen does consistently well: taking a preparation the diner already understands and reframing it with Palestinian ingredients so that the result feels both legible and new. The skate kofta, paired with loumi (black lemon), grape leaves, coriander, tahini, does the same in the seafood section.

Dish most talked about is the mansaf, the classic Bedouin lamb preparation, served here as three deep-fried filo parcels stuffed with pulled lamb shoulder, rice, garlic, set on a bright yellow laban jameed sauce. It is listed in the awards data as the 'crunchy mansaf', and it delivers on the description: the textural contrast between the crisp pastry and the tender interior is deliberate and effective. Order it. The Dead Sea chocolate cake, dark, offset with sea salt, served with caramel and tahini ice cream, closes the meal on a note that manages to be rich without being heavy.

Drinks list earns its place as content rather than afterthought. Cocktails draw on Levantine ingredients including dates, arak, apricots. The wine list runs to around 25 bottles from £28, combining French selections with bottles from Palestine and Jordan, including producers from the Taybeh Winery in Palestine. For a ££ restaurant this is a thoughtful, well-considered list. If your group drinks wine, factor it into the total and budget accordingly.

Group size is the most important practical variable here. The sharing format means two people can eat well, but four or more unlock the menu properly, you can cover ard, bahar, lameh without having to choose between them. A solo visit is possible but the format works against you; see the FAQ section below for specifics. For a special occasion, the combination of the Michelin Plate recognition, the unusual cuisine, the convivial setting makes Akub a stronger choice than many ££££ rooms that deliver less genuine surprise.

Timing matters. Dinner is the main event and the hardest reservation to secure, weeks out in peak periods. Lunch is more accessible and, given the natural light in the space, arguably the better meal. If you are visiting London and want to build an evening around Notting Hill, consult our London bars guide and our London hotels guide for nearby options. For context on how Akub sits within London's broader dining picture, our full London restaurants guide covers the wider field.