One dish at a time

Iran Restaurant began with a simple ambition: to bring the true taste of Persia to London. Our proprietor, Javad, arrived with a love of the food he grew up with — a cuisine where fresh green herbs, succulent meats, vibrant vegetables and luscious fruits come together in harmony — and set about serving it, without shortcuts, from a lane in Shepherd Market.

Since opening in 2001 we have kept to the same idea. The setting is white tablecloth; the welcome is family. Guests are looked after the Iranian way, which is to say generously — many of our regulars first came for dinner and have returned for decades.

The kitchen

The menu is built on the pillars of Persian cooking. Kebabs — chenjeh, koobideh, joojeh — are marinated overnight, skewered by hand and grilled over charcoal to order. Rice is steamed the long way, so every saffron-stained grain stands apart.

The stews cannot be hurried and are not: ghormeh sabzi begins with herbs cooked slowly until they turn deep green, and fesenjan simmers walnuts and pomegranate for hours until the sauce turns to silk. Only the freshest ingredients go into the pot — it is the commitment to quality on which our reputation rests.

Inside & out

Shepherd Market is one of Mayfair's little secrets — a web of lanes and small squares two minutes from Piccadilly, yet a world quieter. Inside, our dining room is classic and comfortable; outside, when the weather allows, tables spill into the Market itself and dinner carries on in the open air. When you book a table, tell us which suits your evening.

“The best Iranian restaurant I've been to outside of Iran.” — a guest review

We are open every day from noon until midnight, with last bookings at 10pm — because Persian evenings run late and the best conversations happen over the last pot of tea. Khosh amadid — welcome.