05-07-2025
I tried the Iranian canteen in central London - this is what turned up for £11.50
There's no shortage of cafes in every district of London. On the northern edge of central London, Fitzrovia - tucked between Camden and the West End - was once the Bohemian playground of writers such as Virginia Woolf, George Bernard Shaw and Arthur Rimbaud. Whether any literary giants still mingle today in Fitzrovia's plethora of indie bars, cafes and restaurants is impossible to say. But the good news is; those places are still there for the rest of us to eat and drink at.
The corner of Warren Street, facing the station of the same name, is bossed over by a 24-hour McDonald's which seems busy at all times. But walk further along Warren Street and you'll see a flurry of small, independent diners and eateries. There's Bento-Ya Japanese restaurant, Bang-Bang Vietnamese canteen, Miel bakery and the ever-popular Qima café.
Opposite Qima, a new cafe opened on April 14 this year and offers all the trappings of a traditional greasy spoon... with an Iranian twist. Joon cafe on Warren Street is a cosy, wood-beamed venue that offers delicious protein-filled main meals with a wide selection of salads and side dishes. You can book online or save 50% on selected dates by booking via The Fork.
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Joon's breakfast menu includes the likes of granola serviced with Greek yoghurt, fruits, conserve and nuts (£7.50); porridge with a choice of dates and banana (£7.50), seasonal fruits and nuts (£8.50) and peanut butter and conserve (£8); shakshuka (£13.50) made up of eggs cooked in a rich tomato base filled with roasted veg and sprinkled with feta, on a sourdough base; and its own big brekkie (£15) which comprises Merguez sausage, eggs, avocado, feta, homemade beans, sourdough toast and tahini date and conserve sauce.
It's late in the morning when I arrive at Joon's and I'm preparing to order a shakshuka breakfast, but the lunchtime menu has just appeared and the canteen's four main course options catch my eye. All four look utterly delicious on their trays, filled with huge chunks of meat, fish and tofu and brightly-coloured vegetables and sauces, so choosing just one is a hard task. There is golden chicken (£11.50), spiced beef stew (£12.50), tofu coconut curry (£10.90) and salmon teriyaki (£12.90).
Diners can choose a side, either race and grain, roasted potatoes, or a mix of both, along with two options from a wide selection of multicoloured salads, including gnocchi. While the beaming saffron yellow of the tofu coconut curry almost tempts me, I opt for golden chicken, served in a beautifully caramelised spice sauce, with rice and grain, roast potatoes and salad and gnocchi. It's a enormously filling meal and for the grand price of £11.50, it's amazing bang for your buck.
I choose a latte (£3.80) to drink alongside my meal and opt for an extra shot (50p), which turns out to be entirely unnecessary, as this is a really, deep rich coffee - the kind you'll expect in continental Europe than a British café. The staff are delightfully pleasant and conversational. A waitress gives me a uniquely shaped jug of water as I'm waiting for my meal and I'm feeling thoroughly spoilt and looked after sat at my little table.
The interiors are warm and ambient, made up of off-white walls, with a wood-beamed ceiling and wooden floorboards, lent a touch of Arabica with a Persian rug stapled to the walls. It's minimal without being bland, a look that Gail's aspires and fails to get right.
I pay my bill of £15.80, feeling very full and quite pleased at the price of such a big meal - and that's without The Fork's 50% discount. That's about concludes my review of Joon but it won't be my last venture into the cade. I've still got the other three mains to try...
Joon is located at Warren Street, Fitzrovia. The cafe serves walk-in diners but to book online, visit its website or The Fork.
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