Silk Road Café

Lonely Planet review

Museum cafes don't often make you salivate, but this vaguely Middle Eastern-North African-Mediterranean gem is the exception. On the ground floor of the Chester Beatty Library, it is the culinary extension of the superb collection upstairs, gathering together exotic flavours into one outstanding menu that is about two-thirds veggie.

Complementing the house specialities like Greek moussaka and spinach lasagne are daily specials like djaj mehshi (chicken stuffed with spices, rice, dried fruit, almonds and pine nuts and served with okra and Greek yoghurt). For dessert, there's Lebanese baklava and coconut kataif, or you could opt for the juiciest dates this side of Tyre. All dishes are halal and kosher. Complementing the house specialities like Greek moussaka and spinach lasagne are daily specials like djaj mehshi (chicken stuffed with spices, rice, dried fruit, almonds and pine nuts and served with okra and Greek yoghurt). For dessert, there's Lebanese baklava and coconut kataif, or you could opt for the juiciest dates this side of Tyre. All dishes are halal and kosher.