Tucked away in a picturesque corner of north west London, Janan is a neighbourhood Persian restaurant in Maida Vale that offers private dining and exclusive private hire for parties and occasion dinners. The restaurant sits just a short walk from the quaint, peaceful Regent's Canal, in a part of London known colloquially as Little Venice thanks to its calmness and abundance of little waterways.
The restaurant itself is glamorous, decked out with huge crystal chandeliers, lots of hanging foliage and bold, maximalist wallpaper. As well as the downstairs restaurant there is also an extensive al fresco terrace, set with plenty of tables as well as towering trees. A set of stairs takes you down from the terrace into the restaurant itself, where you'll find a private dining room as well as the main dining room. The former is ideal as a chic, elegant spot to hold more intimate private dinners and parties, but you can also discuss exclusive private hire with Janan as well if you're looking for somewhere to host a big event.
On the food front, Janan's menus are made up of typical authentic Persian fare. The menu opens with Persian mezze plates like yoghurt with mint and cucumber, baba ghanoush and Kask-e bademjan - a dish of slow cooked aubergine with seasoned yoghurt, crushed walnuts and mint. There are salads too, but Janan's calling card is dishes from the grill and clay oven. There are skewers of all kinds (ground lamb, chicken, lamb fillet and more), all grilled and glazed over open fires and served with rice of taftoun - a traditional Persian flatbread. You can expect more besides, including traditional stews, huge celebratory rice dishes on platters and even some international dishes if you feel so inclined.
Janan also offers plenty in the way of gluten-free and halal options, making it a solid choice for all sorts of different dining occasions.