The Lebanese Bakery has today announced the opening of its second London site at the world-famous department store Harrods.
Despite the economic headwinds facing the hospitality industry The Lebanese Bakery has pressed ahead with its ambitious expansion plans following the successful launch of the first site in Covent Garden.
The Lebanese Bakery is a speciality eatery serving a delicious take on traditional Manousheh and Mouajjanet – the quintessential everyday Lebanese food. The signature dish is like a pizza.
The Lebanese Bakery is part of Qoot Co. restaurant group, which has an impressive portfolio of brands including plant-based restaurant By Chloe, The Gentlemen Baristas, and Vegan Dough Co.
Scot Turner, VP Of Operations for Qoot Co, said, “Following the success of our first opening in Covent Garden we have ambitious plans for The Lebanese Bakery, and despite the current climate we are confident of our expansion.
'We have seen such big demand for the food concept, driven largely by the increase in popularity of Lebanese cuisine within the city and this allows us to cater for more of that demand, especially in such a renowned location.
'COVID has been challenging for us and the industry overall but we are looking for opportunities as they arise and will have more plans to announce soon.”
The Lebanese Bakery is the creation of brothers Samer and Bassam Chamoun. Since opening their first site in 2016, the brothers have gone from strength-to-strength, opening locations in London’s bustling Covent Garden in May 2018 and Bahrain.
As well as having two more sites in the pipeline in Riyadh and Cairo, the restaurant and bakery in Harrods will be the fourth location for The Lebanese Bakery, and will see more of the delicious Lebanese treats they have become famous for along with new dishes created exclusively for Harrods.
The menu centres around freshly baked Lebanese flatbreads, bites and salads. Manakeesh are all served straight out of the bakery’s very own traditional basalt stone oven and finished with a variety of toppings.
Manousheh is one of Beirut’s most popular food and is made from a soft dough similar to pizza, they include a selection of Lebanese cheeses, from the well-known Halloumi sprinkled with fresh basil and pine nuts to the more adventurous Sirene cheese with fresh spinach.
Free range lamb, beef and chicken provide a carnivorous option, and the menu at Harrod’s will feature new add-ons for those looking for a more indulgent meal with bone marrow and truffle. For those with a sweeter tooth, try a Manousheh with Debess and Tahini, or Halawa and Strawberry.
As well as new signature Manousheh such as the new Beef Sharwarma (Baharat spiced beef, tomato, pickles, parsley, tahini vinaigrette and bone marrow) and Bottarga & Courgette (Mediterranean mullet roe, zucchini flower, confit garlic, and pistachio), salads and sides will be new specialities of The Lebanese Bakery Harrods’ menu.
Still featuring classic Lebanese flavours, diners will be able to tuck into Aubergine Fattoush, Lentil Tabbouleh and Cauliflower Freekeh salads. Also, on the menu will be Labneh with Makdous (preserved stuffed aubergine), Baba ghanouj (smoked aubergine with Tahini and pomegranate) and hot appetisers including Meat and Pumpkin Kebbeh, and Chicken Musakhan (pulled chicken, onions and sumac).
The brother’s passion and mission is to pay homage to Lebanese baking, the foundation of Lebanese cooking and bring the world a better type of pizza. Every layer of flavour captures the charming and diverse savours of Lebanon, where traditional recipes have been subtly enhanced and modernised to bring out the best in every ingredient. Rooted in Lebanese tradition, this flexible flatbread is an ideal choice for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Samer said, 'As a Lebanese born brand coming all the way from a neighbourhood in Beirut, we take pride in being in such a prestigious institution like Harrods. This will be a great opportunity to promote the Lebanese food culture and our star item the Manousheh to an exclusive and international crowd.'