The Mezze Box Made for Autumn Evenings

As we slide into winter, there's a particular kind of comfort in food that feels like someone who genuinely cares about you made it – and The Lebanese Bakery in Claremont does that better than almost anywhere I know.

I recently had their platter – hummus, baba ganoush, mohammara, tzatziki, dolma, (the best marinated aubergines I’ve ever had in my life) – crispy falafels, warm pita bread, and then baklava and date balls to finish. What I love about Middle Eastern food is how refreshingly unlike anything else it is – and how brilliantly it all works together. The deep, smoky dips, the bursts of spice, the richness offset perfectly by the pita and pastries. Everything made from scratch, every element on the table quietly telling you that someone in that kitchen put real thought and real love into what they were doing.

This is a cuisine I find endlessly fascinating – layered, generous, deeply flavoured, and utterly unlike anything else. And here's the thing: even the most committed carnivore won't miss the meat. You graze, you share, you keep going back for more of the thing you loved most – and somehow the table still looks full.

For me it was the aubergines. Obviously. But honestly, everything deserved that moment.

One tip if you're ordering to take home – pop the pitas in the airfryer for a few minutes just before you tuck in.

Consider this your sign.

203 Imam Haron Road, Claremont | lebanesebakery.co.