CERU South Kensington is a family owned Eastern Mediterranean restaurant on Bute Street, close to South Kensington station and the area’s major museums. Owners Barry and Patricia Hilton developed the concept through travels across Turkey, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan. Rather than reproducing one national cuisine, the restaurant draws together flavours and cooking ideas encountered across the Levant, a region shaped by Arab, Turkish, Persian and Mediterranean influences.
The seasonal selection uses nearly one hundred ingredients and more than twenty spices, creating a broad range of colours, aromas and textures. Fresh vegetables, herbs, nuts and citrus are especially prominent, with lemon used as juice, zest and slices throughout the kitchen. Produce sourced from London markets supports a menu that moves between vibrant salads, dips, grilled dishes and aromatic meat and fish preparations.
Small plates are intended to be combined and shared, reflecting the social style of Levantine meals. Vegetable dishes and refreshing salads can sit alongside meat or seafood mezze, allowing each table to build its own balance of lighter and richer flavours. The all day seasonal selection is almost entirely free from gluten apart from the Greek pita bread, making the restaurant practical for groups with varied preferences.
The South Kensington restaurant seats more than forty people and also has a small heated outdoor area. It serves lunch and dinner every day, with brunch at weekends, while fresh lemonades, cocktails and hand selected wines complement the food. Its proximity to the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Natural History Museum and the Royal Albert Hall makes it convenient before or after a cultural visit.
Address: 7–9 Bute Street, South Kensington, London, England SW7 3EY, United Kingdom
CERU Menu
Meats
Fillet of beef
Grilled medium/medium rare, served with a green zhug dressing and crushed hazelnuts
Lamb shoulder (signature dish)
Slow roasted for 5 hours in our secret blend of 12 shawarma spices, with a pomegranate sauce, fresh mint and pistachio
Shish taouk
Paprika and lemon marinated grilled cubes of chicken breast, with a herb yoghurt
Roasted leg of rabbit
Tender leg of french rabbit with spicy cannelini beans and citrus juniper dressing
Fish & seafood
Seared atlantic scallops
With garlic crushed petit pois and a citrus juniper dressing
Karides
Sautéed king prawns with spicy tomato, dill and fenugreek sauce
Roasted loin of cod
Marinated in fresh oregano, extra virgin oilve oil and aleppo pepper
Braised octopus
With celeriac purée and a citrus harissa glaze
Spice battered squid
With a harissa yoghurt
Dips
Houmous
With extra virgin olive oil and green chilli. Served with a complimentary basket of fresh greek pita bread or seasonal crudités
Fadi
Roasted zucchini, garlic, yoghurt and tahini. Served with a complimentary basket of fresh greek pita bread or seasonal crudités
CERU hamara
Tangy red pepper dip with walnuts and pomegranate molasses. Served with a complimentary basket of fresh greek pita bread or seasonal crudités
Three in one
Try a spoonful of all three of our delicious dips. Served with a complimentary basket of fresh greek pita bread or seasonal crudités
Salads
Radicchio, orange & celeriac
With shallots, toasted almonds, pomegranate and soft herbs
Artichoke, green peas & baby onions
Warm salad with preserved lemon, ginger and turmeric dressing
Crisp apple, mint & pomegranate
With toasted pine nuts and green chilli
Shaved fennel, pear & orange
With toasted almonds, dried cranberries and fresh herbs
Vegetarian
Sautéed portobello & shiitake mushrooms
With aromatic spices, spring onions, pistachios and tahini labneh
Sticky roasted baby aubergines
With date syrup and tamari dressing, sesame and coriander
Zucchini & feta fritters
With a mint and dill yoghurt
Spiced warm cauliflower & walnut
With pomegranate, spring onion and mint
Cypriot halloumi & red peppers
With a harissa dressing
Add sides to complete your dishes
Spiced polenta & feta fries
With a mint and dill yoghurt
Pan fried tenderstem® broccoli
With toasted almonds, spring onions and tahini
Spice roasted butternut squash
With beetroot puree, fresh mint and toasted hazelnuts
Orez CERU
Arabic scented fried rice with crispy onions, sultanas and parsley
Spice roasted potatoes
With fresh coriander and spring onion
CERU handmade gluten free pita
After many months of experimenting, we finally cracked it!!
Fresh baked greek pita bread
Served warm, straight from the oven
Desserts
Dark chocolate & tahini mousse
With crystalised ginger, delightfully rich yet light indulgence
Flavours of baklava ice cream
Cardamom ice cream with a nut brittle and burnt honey caramel
Labneh cheesecake
With caramelised fresh figs
Jerome’s bird nest
Fine shredded filo pastry with citrus whipped double cream, lemongrass infused syrup and chopped pistachios
Blackberry mess
Meringue and fresh blackberries mixed with creme fraiche and our unique spiced blackberry and mint puree
Lemon sorbet
Portion of 2 scoops
Brunch
Turkish Eggs
Poached eggs with spiced yoghurt, herb oil and warm Greek pita bread
Shakshuka with Halloumi
Baked eggs in tomato sauce with pan-fried Halloumi cheese, served with Greek pita bread
CERU Kahvalti
Merguez sausages, grilled Halloumi and baked eggs in a spicy tomato sauce with Greek pita bread
Fresh Homemade Lemonades
Please ask what we have made for you today! (250ml)
Made only with fresh ingredients and our homemade syrups and lots of lemons. Served chilled without ice.
Coffee & hot chocolate (served with a piece of homemade baklava)
Espresso (single)
Espresso (double)
Macchiato (single)
Macchiato (double)
Americano
Latte / cappuccino
Flat / white
Hot / chocolate
Tea
Turkish apple tea
Fresh mint leaf tea
Twinings tea
English breakfast, green, or camomile
CERU green detox
Green tea, fresh mint and honey
‘Spiked’ turkish apple tea
With morgan spiced rum
Beirut blanc
Eau de rose and natural honey, served with a piece of homemade baklava
One for the road
Douce nuit (125ml)
Late harvest dessert wine from lebanon
COCKTAILS
Iceberg Ahead – Staff Favourite
Morgan Spiced Rum, apple liqueur, Champagne, lemon sorbet, kaffir lime leaf
Passionista
Russian Standard Vodka, Passoa, lime, sugar, passion fruit purée, egg white
Cucumber Martini
Hendricks Gin, Martini Bianco, cucumber, elderflower, lemon, mint
Trouble In Paradise
Beefeater Gin, Campari, lemon, elderflower, sugar
Negroni
Beefeater Gin, Campari, Sweet Vermouth
Espresso Martini
Agave Blanco, Kahlua, espresso coffee, sugar
CERU Cosmopolitan
Absolut Citron, Triple Sec, lime, cranberry juice
Margarita CLASSIC OR SPICY
Agave Blanco, Triple Sec, lime juice, sugar syrup
Gin Revolution
Beefeater Gin, fresh lime wedges, mint, ginger syrup, ginger beer
Am I Old Fashioned?
Woodford Reserve, Angostura bitter, sugar syrup, cinnamon stick
MOCKTAILS – Non-alcoholic!
Orange and Ginger Mojito
Ginger syrup, orange juice, lime, fresh mint
Sirocco
Orange juice, cranberry juice, lime, chilli, elderflower
Apple Mojito
Apple juice, lime, fresh mint, sugar syrup
Passion Fruit Mojito
Passion fruit purée, lime, fresh mint, sugar syrup
BEER – Our own craft beers are gluten free
Levare Amber
Damask rose, orange blossom honey and saffron
Pilsner (VEGAN)
Dry, crisp and ultra refreshing
Reef Point Lager (VEGAN & ALCOHOL-FREE)
By Big Drop Brewing, soft & golden, alcohol-free 330ml can
CIDER
Cryals Classic
Medium sweet cider from the award winning Charringtons Farm in Kent 330ml bottle
CHAMPAGNE & BUBBLY
Gocce Di Favola Prosecco DOC, Italy
Glera
Champagne Lelarge-Pugeot 1er Cru, France
Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
Champagne Bernard Remy Brut Rosé, France
Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay
LIQUEUR – Special Selection
Fig Liqueur (50ml)
This exquisite liqueur captures the essence of ripe figs, served chilled
Rose Liqueur (50ml)
Delicious Rose liqueur made in Amsterdam since 1578