Tehran Berlin

Persian·
££££
·
Silver Award
·

SquareMeal Review of Tehran Berlin

Silver Award

Tehran Berlin’s food offering has oscillated between various degrees of French, Modern European and Persian influences over the years, but in a recent turn of events, chef-founder Yuma Hashemi has decided to do away with the former to go back to his roots. Now the restaurant focuses exclusively on a Persian summer feasting menu, inspired by his favourite family recipes. 

The intimate dining room seats a maximum of 20 guests and has been designed in the style of an opulent Persian living room. Verdant green walls and wooden floors provide a snug foundation, but an ingrained sense of warmth comes alive in the details. Yuma has furnished the space with items reminiscent of his family home, including patterned Persian rugs and tablecloths, a beautiful gold drinks cabinet and black and white photos of himself as a young child.  

Just as if we’ve been invited into someone’s home, we’re not presented with a menu, and small plates start to arrive from the open kitchen on gold-rimmed crockery. Textures are soft and designed to be eaten with olive oil-slick flatbreads, while flavours range from smoky to sour to refreshing. Aubergine and tahini, scrambled egg and tomato and a herby walnut duo are all particular standouts. The main event is a glorious golden tahdig served with succulent chicken and barberries, plus two stews (beef and lamb) slow-cooked for 10 hours until tender and rich. Dessert signals a return to fine dining: an intensely fruity quenelle of pink barberry ice cream with a crunchy peanut crumble and rhubarb. Two and a half hours passes in the blink of an eye and we feel slightly deflated when it's over.

This all comes at the not-so-modest price of £85 per person, with the option to add a blind wine pairing crafted by Yuma himself for another £80. It’s a lot, but the skill and time taken to create each dish more or less justifies it. For just a few hours, we felt part of something that was more than just a fantastic meal, and you can’t put a price on that. 

Good to know

Average Price
££££ - Over £80
Cuisines
Persian
Ambience
Cosy, Fine dining, Quirky, Romantic, Traditional, Unique, Widely spaced tables
Food Occasions
Dinner, Lunch
Perfect for
Birthdays, Celebrations, Special occasions

About

Tehran Berlin - formerlly The Drunken Butler - is an intimate Persian restaurant in Clerkenwell by executive chef and co-founder Yuma Hashemi, that serves an exclusive multi-course feasting menu.

Yuma was born in Iran and grew up in Berlin, although the inspiration for his restaurant and its food is widely influenced by his time travelling the globe. In fact, Tehran Berlin originally started out as a modern European restaurant, serving a tasting menu inspired by the cuisine and flavours of Europe, Asia and beyond. Now, the restaurant solely serves a Persian feasting menu inspired by the food Yuma enjoyed with his family growing up.  

What hasn’t changed, though, is its signature intimate dining style. The space is designed to replicate the look and feel of a living room, to create a warm and relaxed ambience so that guests feel as though they are entering a house. Large square and circular tables covered in opulent tablecloths fill the space, along with further homely touches: a gold drinks cabinet filled with premium spirits, book-lined wooden shelves, a huge purple rug and black and white photographs on the walls of Yuma as a child.  

The multi-course menu starts with traditional snacks, such as bread with cheese and herbs, along with a variety of dips. The main event is a traditional Iranian rice dish, tahdig, with a crunchy golden topping and tinted yellow with saffron. This is served alongside a couple of meat stews and roast chicken, before finishing with a couple of sweet treats. While the menu’s core plates remain the same, various dishes are adapted to suit the seasons.  

Yuma has also curated the wine list, with guests able to select a wine pairing with the meal or choose by the bottle. Discover a list of premium negronis, too, for a short and punchy aperitif.  

The restaurant seats a maximum of 20 guests per sitting, with diners able to book an individual table, or a seat at the chef’s counter which overlooks the open kitchen.  


FAQs

Can it cater for dietary requirements?

Yes, the restaurant is able to cater for vegetarian, pescatarian and gluten-free diets.

Helpful? 0

Who is Yuma Hashemi?

Yuma Hashemi is the executive chef and founder. He was born in Iran, grew up in Berlin and spent many years travelling the globe learning about different cultures and cuisines, all of which inform his approach to the restaurant.

Helpful? 0

What did the restaurant used to be called?

In 2023 Yuma Hashemi changed the name of the restaurant to Tehran Berlin from what it was previously known as, The Drunken Butler. At the time, he said: 'Since opening The Drunken Butler back in 2017, we’ve been constantly evolving and with each change we make, we better understand our vision for what we want the restaurant to be. On a recent trip to visit family, I have reconnected with my Iranian heritage, and now more than ever I realise how proud I am of my origins. I was born in Tehran, raised in Berlin, and now call London my home. Now, as we prepare for new openings with new faces, it is time for a new name…we’ve made the decision to rename The Drunken Butler. From today, our beloved home on Rosebery Avenue will be Tehran Berlin - a love letter to my past, the places and people that make what we do possible.'

Helpful? 0

Tehran Berlin is featured in

Location

20 Rosebery Avenue, Clerkenwell, London, EC1R 4SX
Website

Opening Times

Lunch
Mon Closed
Tue Closed
Wed Closed
Thu Closed
Fri Closed
Sat Closed
Sun 01:00-16:00
Dinner
Mon Closed
Tue Closed
Wed Closed
Thu 18:45-20:00
Fri 18:45-20:00
Sat 18:45-20:00
Sun 18:00-20:00

Reviews

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2 Reviews 
Food/Drink
Service
Atmosphere
Value

Noel H

19 December 2022  
Food & Drink 5
Service 5
Atmosphere 5
Value 5

Fantastic intimate atmosphere. Like the best meal at your best chef friend's house, with a sommelier and cocktails to boot.

Lynette H

06 August 2019  
Overpriced, bad customer service. Booked private dining here and Yuma took advantage of his slightly tipsy guest by opening extremely expensive wines without disclosing the price. The bill was over £7000 for 18 diners and when queried his response was I asked if it was ok..
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