Backgammon, vine leaves and Lebanese wine make this spot mighty fine.
Back at Christmas 2023, my family and I travelled to Lebanon to visit relatives. Our holiday consisted of walks around the suburbs, long evenings in Beirut eating fresh falafel and hot manouche, and morning coffees on the balcony with views of the Brummana mountains.
A noteworthy part of the trip was a visit to Batroun, a coastal city in the north and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Think ancient Phoenician stone walls, decorated with beautiful greenery and the smell of the salty air, set against the glittering waves of the Mediterranean Sea. As I stepped into Kinz, I felt transported there.
Created by Jad Lahoud, Karim Lahoud, and Rasha Khouri Bruzzo (also of Akub, the Palestinian restaurant in Notting Hill), Kinz is an ode to the beauty of Lebanon. Despite the name taking its inspiration from the Arabic word ‘kanz’, meaning ‘treasure’, it isn’t flashy and doesn’t try too hard. Instead, the establishment holds a quiet confidence.
We arrive in the middle of a heatwave, just three weeks after Kinz officially opened. You wouldn’t be able to tell, as the ambience is calm, the waiters are unrushed and the front of house is completely at ease. Kinz knows exactly what it’s doing.
Jad tells me that they kept Lebanon at the forefront of every decision. From the restaurant’s all-Arabic playlist to the hardware and ceramics imported from Lebanon, every aspect honours his home country.
The interiors evoke an al fresco feel without the actual outdoor space, owing to the high ceilings and original steel and wood beams of the former Lloyds Bank building Kinz is housed in. The menu is meticulously crafted, primarily made up of Jad and Karim’s mother Elene’s recipes. Each dish is lovingly prepared by a team that knows and loves the region, from the Kurdish chef to the Moroccan waiters.
In a first for London, the wine list is entirely Lebanese. We were recommended to try the wine from Mount Lebanon: a glass of the Oumsiyat Jaspe 2020 Syrah, which was fruity and fresh, and a glass of the Oumsiyat Assyrtiko 2025, leaning into crisp citrus flavours. Kinz has its own wine cellar, housed in the old vault of the former bank. The original door has been kept, which welcomes you inside to reveal walls lined with Lebanese wines and liqueurs. Here we try a sip of Jaouzi, a green walnut liqueur from Batroun, a strong spirit with a nutty aftertaste.
Food-wise, the menu is right on trend – seasonal and ever-changing. We went for a classic to start, a hummus so creamy and smooth it instantly took me back home. Suddenly I was in my grandma’s apartment in Jordan eating breakfast on her balcony. The Loubieh Bel Zeit, which combines French beans with tomato, onion, garlic and olive oil, could have done with more garlic and a dash of lemon, but it was still a great starter dish.
We sampled the Samke Harra, cod fillets with a walnut and tahini sauce, and a take on the traditional dish Batata Harra, which are spicy potatoes. The colour was somewhat unappealing, but the flavour made up for the aesthetics. The cod was divine, and paired well with the crunchy, muhammara-like sauce.
First place prize went to the Meat Kibbeh, bulgur shells filled with spiced minced lamb and beef, onions and pine nuts. You can always tell the authenticity of a Lebanese restaurant by its kibbeh, and Kinz did not disappoint. It came piping hot and crispy on the outside, and juicy and well-spiced on the inside. I’d return tomorrow just for the kibbeh.
Mains were an easy choice: Warak Enab, vine leaves and baby courgettes stuffed with rice and spiced lamb and served with lamb cutlets; and a plate of Mashawi, two skewers from the grill served with toum (garlic dip). The Warak met all expectations, arriving steaming and fragrant with succulent lamb cutlets. The Mashawi took a back seat, as the chicken was slightly overcooked and the kafta was slightly undercooked. Kafta is often best enjoyed when slightly charred yet tender on the inside, following traditional Arab barbecues.
The dessert was short and sweet, comprising the traditional Lebanese dessert Osmalieyeh, a crisp kunafa shell encasing a creamy rosewater filling, washed down with fresh mint tea and strong Arabic coffee – the go-to end to any Arab meal.
Despite only being open for a month, Kinz has already made its own unique mark on the neighbourhood. The future looks bright too, with breakfast menu to be introduced from September, a live music programme to accompany dinner, and plans to sell its own products, herbs and spices in-house.
It’s easy to feel at home here, from the warm service to the free-to-use backgammon boards. A meal here feels unhurried. In an area so used to tourist buzz, Kinz asks you to slow down.
Where: KINZ, 50 Notting Hill Gate, London W11 3JD
When: Daily from 12pm to 11pm
Contact: https://kinzrestaurant.com