Behind Maroush

When my wife Houda and I arrived in London over 35 years ago war was raging in our home country, Lebanon. It felt sad leaving our family and friends behind, but Londoners received us with a warm and genuine welcome.

At the time, people were only beginning to explore world cuisines and discover far-away cultures through food. We opened our first Maroush restaurant on Edgware Road in 1981 with the purpose of serving Londoners authentic Lebanese food–the traditional way. As chefs, we wanted to do so the way it’s done back home.

Sharing, generosity and hospitality are the hallmarks of Lebanese culture. Food, is a celebration of life: Endless varieties and magical tastes…it is healthy and naturally prepared. It all comes together at meal time, the time for a family get-together and the time for friends to catch up. It is the perfect setting too for closing that business deal.

At Maroush, our food and service reflect these traditions. We take great care in our cooking using only the finest natural ingredients. Meat comes from our own butchery. We never rush our customers and always serve the generous portions, for which we’re renowned, with a smile.Our success is a tribute to our loyal customers who appreciate the importance of serving good and healthy food in a warm and relaxed atmosphere.

From that first restaurant, we now have sixteen. These include more formal dining at Maroush Gardens, live entertainment in a more relaxed atmosphere at both Maroush Vere Street and Maroush I, while at Ranoush Juice we offer freshly squeezed natural juice to accompany our food–this is now available at most of our restaurants. More recently, we have launched Maroush Bakehouse, where our customers can get freshly baked artisan and Lebanese breads, sweets and cakes along with our traditional Lebanese fare.

We genuinely feel that the only way we can show how deeply grateful we are for what we’ve been able to achieve, is by continuing to serve the best Lebanese food in London.

So it is with open hearts and smiles that we welcome you to Maroush.

Marouf Abouzaki

About Maroush

The original Maroush restaurant was opened by Marouf & Houda Abouzaki back in 1981.* This Edgware Road stalwart is even more popular today than it was back then.  A lively, two-floor restaurant capable of seating more than 150 guests at a time, Maroush Edgware Road features a casual sit-down area on the main floor, and a larger dining room in the basement. Popular with families earlier in the evening, the crowd changes over to a younger set as the night wears on. One of the two Maroush outlets featuring live Lebanese music and belly dancing in the evenings, the atmosphere at Maroush Edgware Road is upbeat and energetic through to closing time at 2am.

A Taste of Lebanon in London

Maroush prides itself on excellence in the preparation of food, presentation and quality of service. Food critic AA Gill has said of Maroush: “Everything is dazzlingly fresh, beguilingly fragrant, exotic yet earthy.”

Serving some of the finest Lebanese cuisine available in London, Maroush restaurants will stimulate and delight your senses. Close your eyes as you savour this fantastic food and drink, and you’ll feel you’ve stepped into the heart of Beirut.

Lebanese Cuisine

Lebanese people spend much of their leisure time socialising, spending quality time with friends and family, taking part in lively conversations over Lebanese coffee (Kahwah) and eating good food. Lebanese cuisine is a true reflection of the country’s rich and distinctive culture.

The Lebanese dining table epitomises the social and “sharing” aspects intrinsic to the culture. Instead of a traditional three-course meal approach, Lebanese food is served in an array of small dishes, and is aimed not only at feeding diners’ stomachs, but also at entertaining them.

The cuisine of Lebanon epitomises the conventions of the Mediterranean diet. Common Lebanese dishes include an abundance of starches, fruits, vegetables, fresh fish and seafood. Poultry is consumed more often than red meat, and when red meat is used in food preparation, it is usually lamb.

Cultural standards of hospitality and passion for food have established Lebanese cuisine in a class of its own; dining in the Lebanese tradition is a celebration of life, and an invigorating experience.

Environmental Care

Maroush production kitchen, support our existing restaurants and delicatessen. Exceed required standards and legislation for health and safety, hygiene, and environmental controls. All staff are appropriately trained and vetted to support both quality and regulation compliance.
We have an arrangement with Veolia (http://www.veolia.co.uk/) for the recycling of waste food materials for use in energy generation and recycling. Landfill usage is kept to zero for the production kitchens.
Our take away packaging is food safe; PET accredited and PRC certified together with being fully recyclable.

All delivery vans are fitted with LPG capability to reduce their environment impact.