Persian/Iranian bar& restaurant in Kingston upon Thames

If you've ever wanted to try Persian food, then this is the place to experience it. We had a starter of wild garlic yoghurt, smoked aubergine that amazes the senses and freshly cooked thin bread to mop it up accompanied by salad of fresh salad leaves, walnuts, tarragon, mint and feta. For the main I had two types of lamb on skewers, one minced, both moist and succulent, accompanied by a mix of rice and saffron rice and my persian friend recommended adding an egg yolk to fold into the rice and a pat of butter . . Incredible. For dessert my wife and I shared a pistachio ice cream which had a hint of rose flavour. It's just so nice to find a good restaurant with reasonable prices and excellent food. The wine was also reasonable priced. What's not to like.

Great 👍 food Great Staff 👍 & Great service 👍 Very generous portion that will fill you up deliciously ..

I ordered the koobideh with rice with a side of salad and i loved it! the portion of the serving is huge and to be honest the best one i've had. i've been to other persian places but this place has the best selection and portions. tasty and you get a bang for your buck. Highly recommend!

My only complaint is that everything was too good!! Persian riverside has been my go to since I moved to Kingston!

I'm a big believer in giving restaurants second chances as 'off days' happen, but I feel really annoyed that after three visits over the span of around 10 years, Persian Riverside (formerly known as Narenj) is still really bad. As someone who is half Persian and has eaten Persian food frequently for over 30 years, everywhere from Toronto to Tabriz and many places in-between, Persian Riverside would be what I consider as one of the very worst out of hundreds of Persian meals I've had. I am fairly certain the starters were out of the tin. Watery and tasteless Maast-o-Musir, which should be made of thick, strained yogurt and packs a punch. The salad looked about a week old and the grilled tomato was mushy (it was well past its best!) Meagre portions too! I've never seen such a small portion of rice outside of the Persian fine dining arena. The only thing I could say was acceptable was the Joojeh on the bone. Not amazing but not terrible. It's always a worry when a chef can't get koobideh right. This is a Persian staple and the one at Persian Riverside really misfired. I'm annoyed that despite a re-brand and a social media campaign they still haven't got it right. I've heard from many people that the place is dead often, no atmosphere as they just can't get bums on seats. The service was ok, a bit lumpy but not terrible. The big red flag is when one of the waiters asked if I wanted chips with my kabob and then confused when I didn't want chilli sauce with it. Neither chips or chilli sauce are traditionally offered in a Persian restaurant. We ordered a salad that never arrived, but in hindsight, I'm glad. There are a ton of much better Persian restaurants in the borough and I hope the products improve. I'd be ashamed of serving up such diabolical food. Shameful.

I had a Fantastic experience in Persian riverside and I recommend it 👍their food was so nice and staff was so friendly

You got to wait a long time until the food arrives at the table! This Iranian or Persian restaurant could be nicer if they could manage bringing food earlier, not so late. Although not a very big place, narrow and with limited seats, with many friendly staff working on weekends but yet the kitchen chef is very very slow , and I mean it very slow. Food is good, not amazing but good to satisfy. Price is not so high but not low either. Location is water front and excellent, the ambient is authentic. Overall rating is 3 to maximum 4 because of super slow kitchen.

I’ve been visiting this restaurant for years, and it’s always a nice experience. The food is enjoyable, the service is friendly, and the atmosphere is warm. A great place to relax and have a good meal! The portions are also generous, making it even more satisfying.

Narenj exceeded all expectations! The food was absolutely delicious, with rich Persian flavors and perfectly cooked dishes. The ambiance was warm and inviting, and the staff were incredibly attentive, making the experience even better. A must-visit for anyone who loves great food and exceptional service!

Delicious food! We tried mix grill plater for one and it was enough for two people with couple of sides. Ayran is great if you familar with middle eastern food. May not be ok for everyone though. Personally, I love it.

Devine food,outstanding service,highly recommended

Friendly staff members who are attentive to their customers. I have visited many times , mostly to have food but some to just have their lovely Persian tea and enjoy the Thames view . The food is always fresh and the tea is well prepared and tasty. I highly recommend visiting this restaurant you won’t be disappointed!

Persian food is the best but not many people know this! This is a great restaurant, serving excellent food with lovely, friendly staff. Be adventurous and try them out - you won't regret it!

The food was so delicious and fresh that I have one of the best lamp shish and skewer that I’ve ever tried, the staff is super friendly and pay attention to the details. Thank you so much and we will visit again soon!

Great food, nice people. Will be back!

The kebab at this restaurant is absolutely outstanding – the meat is juicy, tender, and marinated to perfection, with a wonderfully smoky char that makes every bite a true delight.

Now this has become my favourite Persian of all.

It is one of my favourite persian restaurants in UK.

Lovely restaurant, I thoroughly enjoyed my visit today. Staff were very friendly ❤️

Great service and fantastic food, highly recommended.

I've been here a few times now. It's a relaxing restaurant. Good food. Relaxed service. I love the fact that there is a customer sink in the restaurant to wash your hands before you eat, such a great idea. Just surprised it's not busier.

The food was fantastic, the flavours were fresh and interesting, and it was a filling meal that didnt feel greasy or too heavy. Very impressed with the decor, the service, the music, and the lovely teapots!

Had the best time at Persian restaurant,The food was absolutely delicious ,everything from the tender kebabs to the fluffy saffron rice was spot on. The flavors were amazing, and you could tell the dishes were made with so much love.

The new Persian riverside Resturant and bar formerly Narenj under new management is magnificent . The food was delicious, fresh and the staff were attentive and welcoming. We liked it so much that we bought food to take home too . I highly recommend this Resturant to all my friends and family .

"A wonderful restaurant with excellent food quality, pleasant environment and professional staff. A unique experience that is definitely worth repeating!" "A wonderful restaurant with excellent food quality, pleasant environment and professional staff. A unique experience that is definitely worth repeating!"

Persian Riverside in Kingston is a fantastic spot for authentic Iranian cuisine! The kebabs are juicy and flavorful, and the saffron rice is a standout. The warm atmosphere and friendly staff make for a delightful dining experience. Highly recommend trying their Ghormeh sabzi and makhsoos kebab 👌🏻 thank you guys for making our visit special everytime , will definitely come back again soon !

Good quality food and good service, atmosphere and location is lovely

We had family party at this beautiful place, they are absolutely amazing. The food is the best and they guys very friendly very helpful for everything, I do recommend this place to have good food and the best service

Excellent meal with my friends from university. Owner was very nice. Definitely recommend.

One of the best Persian restaurants recommended %100 and I’ll definitely go back

Best persian riverside restaurant.

We had early dinner at this restaurant and enjoyed a calm quiet spot by the river. I had the minced lamb kebab and tender fillet kabab but I like the tender fillet better. It was well cooked and marinated. We also enjoyed the naan and mirza ghasemi which tasted amazing. Big portions and the rice was well steamed.

Food is perfect, prices are very good. Everything is just perfect and as it should be. Taste of the food remind me of my own country as it's sooo good! Make sure to try the kebab! This is different;)

I been there last weekend the atmosphere was so nice and the dishes were lovely and so yummy I would like to recommend this Persian restaurant to everyone Nice staff and gentlemen manager

It was quite and nice food We enjoyed it

I had a brief service for takeaway and seems very decent. Food was average TBH. If you live very local it's fine otherwise we have plenty of better persian restaurants.

Friends meeting up for lunch. Checked out the menus of all restaurants along the river and finally decided on stopping at Narenj. Turned out to be the right choice. We were the only occupied table so we had full attention of the server who recommended the dishes and we loved what we had..... left now room for dessert. The servings were generous. Really enjoyed the meal.

Update September 2024: just revisited, and as great as ever. Delicious food, very friendly and helpful staff, great location and good value. Thanks Narenj! Lovely restaurant - great location, delicious food and very friendly staff. Just met up with six friends there for a very nice lunch - and four of us have travelled in Iran, so that also brought back some great memories!

We had a lunch in beautiful view of Narenj Restaurant. The Koobideh was very nice and well done cooked.

Highly recommended happy with everything thank you

Visited a couple times now, our favourite Persian restaurant! The food and service is great, I would highly recommend. The meats are super high quality and cooked to perfection!

Food was so good! Portions were good and staff soo friendly! We love coming back here time and time again.

Amazing food. Very friendly staff. Nice view. We will come again

This place doesnt do justice to Iranian food and the staff has an even more disgusting attitude. Do yourselves a favor and save your money to spend on a better restaurant with a better staff

Absolutely love this restaurant, great Riverside location with outdoor seating. Delicious food and fabulous friendly service. Normally have the momtaz which is mixed chicken and lamb kebab. One of my favourite Kingston restaurants.

We had a lovely meal and a bottle of wine here. Didn't realise until after we left that we had been overcharged. Service charge was automatically added and on top of that we were charged an additional £10. Our fault for not checking but just watch out

I have given this restaurant several chances as they’re the only Persian restaurant in the area, but I’ve been consistently disappointed. I’ve tried almost everything on the menu, including koobideh, baghali polo, shishlik, chenje, and joje. Each time, I hoped for improvement, but it never came. Their method for cooking baghali polo seems to be throwing the meat in water with no herbs or seasoning, resulting in a bland dish. The koobideh was so smelly that we couldn’t even eat it. The only edible item is the joje, but even that doesn’t taste fresh. They should also sign up for some customer service classes. The waiters and waitresses walk around with their heads down and never look around, making it nearly impossible to get their attention, even if the restaurant is empty. It's incredibly frustrating when you need something and can't get their help. I really wanted to support this local business, but the quality of the food and the poor service are simply unacceptable. I cannot recommend this place to anyone looking for authentic and enjoyable Persian cuisine.

As a Persian person, this food was absolutely awful, tasteless and crazy expensive. The kebab was anemic looking, fatty and hardly any meat to fat ratio. Also the rice was very cold, I got one skewer of chicken for £15.99 - first and last time.

Had the mixed grill, very nice and a great atmosphere with a great funny waiter who made the evening. Food nicely prepared, would recommend.

I had an excellent experience at Narenj The persian Restaurant, I will recommend them any time. thank you

Exquisite food and brilliant customer service; superb experience.

best customer service and food was great and fresh

Service is ok but food is uninspiring.

Best of the best in kingston, food amazing, service excellent and I strongly believe recent reviews are fake from *omid khalili* and his family as you can see he put 5 review fake.

One of the best Persian food ,I had for long time, good food.Warmly staff and good services. Highly recommended !

I ordered food from this restaurant and it was the worst and lowest quality meal I've ever had. The Barg Kebab smelled like a live sheep. The Koobideh Kebab was pale, salty, and made with poor-quality meat and the rice was anything but rice. When I called to complain, they responded rudely and passed me around among themselves. Not only did they not apologize, but when I said I would leave a bad review, they told me to do whatever I wanted. Don't waste your money here.

Last time i have ordered from this restaurant was an absolute disappointment. Would not recommended ever again.

I've never had that bad food experience, the whole

We ordered four dishes from this restaurant today, and it was the worst dining experience I’ve ever had. The quality of the meat was terrible, the rice was cold and tasteless, and (kashk-e bademjan) was extremely sour. If you value your money and health, do not order from this restaurant. Shame on you

Worst experience ever with Persian food! Can’t be worst than this!

Great food and great customer service.

Amazing taste for foods Best stuff Nice view Fresh materials chosen for dish

Got a mixed meat grill with rice, takeaway. Bloody outstanding

Sign on restaurant door states they open at 12pm on Sunday's. Arrived at 12pm today (Sunday) with a group of 11 plus 2 children. Doors were shut. No answer when we rang them. Waited until 12:15pm, still no activity. Decided to go Ocean Basket a few doors away. Their service and food was amazing. Narenj was open when we left Ocean Basket. Shame, we were craving persian food - therefore cannot comment on the food, service and atmosphere.

The food was truly delicious!!! Impressive portions without lowering the food quality! Pleasant and polite staff and all the above by Kingston river! We had a wonderful evening! Highly recommended! Thank you!🫶

By far among the best Persian restaurants in London. Food is incredible, and the staff are very welcoming and create an amazing atmosphere. Have been a regular customer for many years and will continue to be for many more. 5/5 stars.

Service was really poor. Food was good.

The Food and services were excellent. The staff are very hard working and friendly. I suggest going to Narenj again.

Severely understaffed, pathetic service. Decent food but not worth the terrible service. Would avoid.

Amazing restaurant, staff were super friendly and food was super delicious! Would 100% recommend

Very nice food and great staff. Coming from Egypt and impressed

By far Narenj has been one of the best middle eastern restaurants that I have visited. The food, the drinks and the staff were amazing.to start with the food had an amazing taste, it wasn't too spicy nor too bland but the taste of every ingredient was present and all of these ingredients were harmonious. The drinks were pretty nice and they weren't expensive compared to other places. What I enjoyed the most was the view and the service in Narenj. This place had some sort of outdoor seating that was amazing and it was super unique. The waitress who served us tonight was super friendly and a really hard worker. She honestly deserves much more than what she is getting based on the excellent service she is providing there.

We were walking along the river late on a Sunday evening and decided to try this restaurant. We were made to feel welcome and comfortable from the second we stepped foot in the door. The food is fantastic. The Persian Bread is a must. The waiter's recommendations were also spot on. This is a lovely restaurant with fantastic food and friendly, welcoming service. Such a lovely way to spend an evening.

This is the first time I have ever visited this restaurant and couldn’t be happier that there’s an actual gem in Kingston. The soup was amazing. The meat was flavourful and tender. The lady serving was so polite. Overall was a great experience and would definitely recommend!

Had a very nice meal with my daughter, tasty food and lovely welcoming staff.

Great view, very nice Persian food, highly recommended

A real hidden gem! Amazing food, lovely staff and great location on the riverfront! Recommend to anyone in Kingston or just looking for a great Persian meal with lovely atmosphere

Had a very yummy kebab. Friendly service and very tasty pistachio saffron ice-cream from Iran. Friendly staff and great food. Highly recommended!

A memorable night. Warm and cozy atmosphere, and unbelievably delicious food. Thank you for your excellent and warm service. I ordered the SALAD OLIVIEH as a starter and then the CHENJEH as the main. I highly recommend trying them both.

What an amazing night. Live music and high quality food. Thank you Mahdi.

The service and owner’s attitude was so poor and unprofessional; we had such a horrible dinner with large group of my friends there. The food, quality of serving and the restaurant interior is below average but you pay a fat fee! By reading some reviews, I just realised how right I am about manager/owner’s character, he has not responded to most of bad reviews, albeit there are a few reactions from him, good to read before stepping in this unpleasant restaurant! :)

Delicious food, and helpful friendly staff. We’ve often enjoyed a takeaway before but even more delicious to eat in

The Koobideh kebab I had here, was among the top 3 I've ever had in London. It was very delicious, and a mouth watering kebab which you could eat with both rice and fresh bread, because the the balance of the fat was perfectly controlled, if you know what I mean. Chengeh kebab was also amazing and tender. Their bread is also fresh and it tastes wonderful. In total, I highly recommend this place and now it's one of my favorouite places in London.

Great food, lovely space and the MOST fantastic friendly service. Took a large group booking in their stride, thank you so much. Highly recommend!

Went in tonight. Very friendly staff, but we waited 50 minutes for food. No updates. No communication. Food was a recommended dish but came Luke warm and not worth the money. The second order never came. We walked out and left. Really disappointing.

Enjoyed a speedy pre theatre meal here and was not disappointed. Two of us shared a mixed meze plate plus another couple of dishes and all dishes were very tasty, generously sized and good value for money. Very friendly and welcoming staff. Would definitely go back.

as a family of 4, every one of us was very pleased. the food was delicious and cooked beautifully, couldn’t recommend more!

Im so pleased , I enjoyed my dinner like never before. Took me back years and years to my great Persia. Delicious and nostalgia food , meat was tinder , fresh, I highly recommend it, and definitely I will be here again and again.

We ate at Narenj as a group of 6 friends (& two pups) last night on a Saturday evening and we had such a wonderful time. The atmosphere was great, the food absolutely delicious and best of all was the service. The whole team were so welcoming, friendly and attentive. Can’t wait to go back!

Very rare to find Shirazi Loubia Polo in a restaurant, and even more rare if you are in London! But Narenj is now offering an absolutely delicious Shirazi Loubia Polo with lamb neck, and they’ve done it to perfection! If you’re around Kingston I suggest you try it.. you won’t regret that!

You so rude talking to customers 👎

Persian cuisine may not be as exciting as some, but we ate very well at a very fair price. Friendly service, nice decor. Atmosphere very quiet, but it was a Monday night in January.

I have tried many Iranian Restaurants, but this Restaurant by far has the best GHORMEH SABZI . I didn’t know it could taste that good.everything on that plate was yummy, finished it all. Also the staff was very friendly. Looking forward to visit it again so let’s support to make sure they stay with us.😍

It's cosy place but it would be better if the customer service was beter, they forgot about us until we told them that we are still there even though the restaurant was almost empty and only had one big table other us and they became the priority. The kebabs weren't any better.

Narenj Restaurant provides an exceptional Persian dining experience. The Koobide Kabab stood out with its tender meat and juicy flavors, showcasing the culinary mastery of the chefs. The inviting ambiance and attentive service complemented the delicious cuisine, making it a memorable dining destination for Persian food enthusiasts.

We had mixed grills, grilled prawns and a Doogh, a fizzy yogurt drink with mint. Delicious food. Amiable service. Doogh recommended.

One of the best Persian cosine in London…. :)

Really enjoyed our dinner. We had a Salad Olivie, Ash, and Momtaz kebabs with rice. Food was excellent, as was service (very friendly servers). Would return. Only thing was the back area was a little draughty - would sit further inside on cold nights.

we came here as a group for a work night out and the food was very delicious and authentic. definitely a cut above your average iranian/persian food.

I ordered dishes I wasn't familiar with to try something different. I was not disappointed, they were delicious. Definitely recommend.