Packed inside the bustling streets of Borough Market, you’ll find Berenjak, a Persian restaurant, inspired by the home-cooked, family dining occasions often found in the Alborz Mountains. This compact restaurant, complete with dimmed lighting and beautiful décor came highly recommended, and it’s not hard to see why.

The menu offers a look into Mazeh-style sharing dishes, with grilled meats and breads, all whilst using seasonal British produce. Their second site in Soho interprets the hole-in-the-wall eateries that fill up much of Tehran’s streets, and has held a Michelin Bib Gourmand since 2019, received a year after opening.

Seated overlooking the small kitchen, I watched all our dishes freshly prepared, grilled, and plated. We ate off the set-menu, starting with both Sangak, a pebble-baked flatbread, and Barbari, a clay-baked flatbread, dipped in a delicious black chickpea hummus topped with walnut.

The Panir Sabzi, Persian feta with fresh herb salad, was refreshing and light, a welcome change from the garden leaves that usually make up a garnish.

Our table opted for the Jujeh Kabab, boneless chicken breast seasoned with saffron, lemon, yoghurt and Ghaimeh Bademjoon, an aubergine stew served with black lime and split peas. Portion sizes are generous and are accompanied by saffron rice and Salad Shirazi. Both were delicious.

With a quiet ambiance, this restaurant offers the perfect place for long lunches. Service is attentive without being overbearing, and despite the small location, you don’t feel as though you are surrounded by strangers’ conversation.