St John’s Wood is a quiet residential part of north-west London and its restaurants lean towards the neighbourhood kind. People come for a quick lunch or a slow dinner and the choice runs from small cafés to full table-service dining. Among them is a Lebanese restaurant inside a historic pub on Aberdeen Place.
Spaces under roof
Maroush at Crockers Folly is split into four distinct spaces and each one suits a different kind of evening. On warm summer evenings we also have the Outdoor Terrace for anyone who’d rather eat outside.
We use the Lords Dining Room for celebrations and corporate events too because the high ceilings and the grand original fireplace and the crystal chandelier give any occasion a real sense of scale.
Sharing is the point
A Lebanese meal usually means lots of small dishes landing on the table at roughly the same time with everyone reaching across to share them so the evening ends up feeling more like a long conversation than a set three-course service. Our menu follows that idea and takes its inspiration from the cafés and restaurants and homes of Beirut with small plates and comforting family meals making up most of it. Hommos and tabbouleh make a good start and grilled kebabs fill out the table nicely.
For a group the Maroush Feast puts hummus and baba ghanoush on the table with kebabs and fresh tabbouleh. It works well when a few people want to taste a bit of everything without arguing over what to order. If hommos is what you’re after then our piece on what makes authentic hummus so special explains what to look for in a good one.
What to drink with it
Cocktails are the natural choice in The 1898 Bar before dinner. Wine suits the meal itself and the restaurant serves Lebanese bottles that pair well with grilled meat and rich mezze. Our guide to Bekaa Valley wine is a useful read if you’d like to pick a bottle before you arrive.
Planning a visit
You’ll find us on Aberdeen Place at number 24 and the full postcode is NW8 8JR. It’s a residential street so it feels removed from the main roads and that adds to the sense of having found somewhere special. For larger occasions we offer private dining and the easiest way to start is to send an enquiry through our contact page.
We open from 12pm to midnight every day of the week so a late lunch or an early dinner or a table after a show all fit comfortably.