Lebanese bakeries: in demand and getting creative in London

One blustery evening in London while brisk walking my way to Victoria train station something caught my attention. It was a window of a Lebanese bakery. It featured perfect rows of Kaak bread dangling from metal hooks attached to horizontal poles. The humble Kaak typically sold by street vendors from their rustic carts and bicycles in Beirut appeared somewhat posh in the window display. The place had already closed for the day but I found the simple and whimsical store front decor rather enticing and I promised to give this dine-in bakery a try soon. The place, Common Breads, I later realized is one of a slew of newly opened Lebanese bakeries that are quickly gaining momentum within London’s rich and diverse food scene.

A new wave of Lebanese bakeries in London

We can proudly say that Lebanese cuisine is firmly established within the culinary map of London. However, Lebanese baked goods­ - both savory and sweet - is steadily making its way up the ranks too. A cluster of well-established bakeries, such as Al Jabal (since 1990) and Kamil Bakery, are located in Park Royal, London’s largest industrial estate and hub for food production and distribution located in North West London. These bakeries have become favourites among the Arab communities. However, in the last few years many more have cropped up. In addition to Common Breads, there is Zeit & Zaatar, Beit El Zaytoun and Ta’mini.

Nermin and Ali El Homsi, the owners of Ta’mini (as in feed me), have just opened their third branch this summer in Kensington, after opening in Fulham and Bloomsbury Square. All three bakeries in prime locations are performing exceptionally well and their client base is 75% non-Arabs according to Nermin whose mission is to make the Manakeesh iconic. “The French have the croissant and the Danes have their Danish pastry and so the Lebanese Manouche must also become just as well-known globally,” insists Nermin. As a big Manouche fan I couldn’t agree more. Many Lebanese restaurant in London that typically offer a range of Mezze, grills and ‘Tabekh’ home cooked dishes, also include breakfast items on their menu, such as Manakeesh, Lahim bil ajeen, Labneh and so forth.  However, Nermin remarked that if you went to a Lebanese restaurant to order breakfast you were not given the best service. In her experience she felt that restaurant owners seemed to prioritize customers that are coming for the main à la carte meals because this is where the money is.

If you came just for tea and Manouche they’ll likely give you the worst table or not give you enough attention.

From street food to dine-in experience

Determined to offer Lebanese baked goods as a proper ‘dine-in experience’, she and her partner came up with a breakfast and all-day concept menu and opened their first branch in 2022. Today, each Ta’mini branch brings in an average of 300-400 customers daily, ranging from families that live locally, office workers, students to tourists. Their kafta wrap and baked falafel wrap (nothing is fried in Ta’mini) are their bestsellers and Nermin, the creative force in the bakery, is constantly coming up with new items so repeat customers are never bored.

Similarly, Common Breads, which opened just over a year ago by three Lebanese childhood friends - Abbas Fawaz, Abbas Zein and Kamal El Zein - is injecting newness and modernity to Lebanese traditional baking which is attracting a wide crowd and lots of glowing reviews. Getting creative with their Manouche you can find items such as the Chicken Musakhan Manouche that comes with tangy shredded chicken, sumac and red onions or the Manouche with Sujuk sausage and tomato sauce. Their artisan-style Kaak comes in a range of fillings, from the traditional Za’tar and cheese or Knafeh to items with interesting flavour combinations, like hummus, rose harissa carrots and honey or eggs with tomato chutney and toum. They also get playful with the Kaak bread and incorporate it in their décor. The owners, who come from banking and business backgrounds, initially worked with two consultant chefs to curate their menu. Common Breads has become a hit with tourists, office workers and residents within and around the up market Belgravia area explains Abbas Fawaz. “We were determined to elevate the Lebanese baking experience and make it accessible to many people in central London. Now, we are setting our sights on a second location in London.”

Ta’mini, which has successful branches in West and Central London with mostly repeat customers, is also setting its sights on a future branch which will be in East London. “Not everyone in London knows what Lebanese baking is about, so we are on a mission,” says Nermin.

You can eat Lebanese breakfast items for breakfast, lunch or dinner but a croissant is just for breakfast.

Perhaps, she has a point, and the versatile, wholesome and undisputedly tasty Lebanese baked goodies are clearly on the rise (pun intended). And that’s just another Lebanese export we can take pride in.