Private Dining Rooms

Overview

The City of London’s hidden jewel, welcome to Kenza, meaning ‘treasure’ in Arabic,

Kenza lives up to its name; walk down the spiral staircase and feel transported to the Middle East, with luxurious fabrics, intricate detail in every corner and the beautiful scent of incense in the air.

The first thing to behold is our popular and glamorous cocktail lounge, with a delicious cocktail and champagne list, indoor shisha and seating over 70 people it is perfect for after work drinks and for drinks with clients and groups of friends.

To the right of the lounge is our beautiful 130 cover restaurant, serving Middle Eastern cuisine for lunch and dinner; there is something for everyone, from booth seating to baklawa, our ever popular feast menus to friends in groups both big and small.

There is also a semi-private booth that can sit up to 15 people - perfect for hen nights & birthday celebrations - and finally, next to the lounge and the restaurant, is Dar Cherifa, our private dining room which can seat up to 50 people for a meal and 65 standing for drinks/canapés.

Dar Cherifa is the ultimate room for any function; having had belly dancing lessons, corporate events and even wedding receptions in there, it is as diverse and as beautiful as our belly dancers.

Dar Cherifa is perfect for those looking to have that extra wow factor for their event in a relaxed and comfortable setting.

Insider View

So many places are described as hidden gems these days, but there’s no other way to label Kenza. Almost totally hidden in an alleyway off Devonshire Square at the back of Liverpool Street Station, the hostess reliably informs me there are workers in the offices above that are still unaware of Kenza’s existence – a fact I can fully believe.

But they’re the poorer for it.

From the unassuming entrance, a small Middle Eastern style water feature with fresh flowers provides guests with an inkling of what they might expect but as they descend a spiral wooden staircase strewn with real rose petals, it’s impossible not to become intrigued by what awaits. The stairs open up into a cavernous jewel of a venue. It’s huge, with a total capacity for over 200, like walking into a traditional souk and completely unexpected.

Everything is hand crafted in the traditional manner, if it wasn’t shipped from the Middle East it was made on site. Even the lampshades, of which there are many, have hand beaded tassels which sparkle under their red and orange glows.

For those who know owner Tony Kitous and his previous projects, which include Pashca, Levant and Levantine, the above will come as no surprise, but for those who don’t, Kitous has a knack for taking Middle Eastern dining to a different level from anything else on offer in London.

Kenza is remarkable, from its luxurious bar/lounge area to its U-shaped booths which seat up to six, the whole restaurant is a movable feast as all the ‘fixtures’ are moveable partitions.

The Dar Cherifa private dining room seats 50 on three long tables or 60 for drinks and canapés, although for exclusive hire, this area is often used as a dance floor.

There are candles and fresh flowers everywhere; each table is strewn with fresh rose petals. The traditional wooden décor has inlaid wood carving walls as partitions which can be opened up or fully closed depending on a party’s privacy requirements. The room’s décor is full of rich reds, oranges and gold, Arabic letters are on flock-style wallpaper on the walls.

Low seating is the order of the day, either on banquettes or bucket chairs, surrounded by copious amounts of cushions. It’s Middle Eastern luxury at its finest and is often booked for weddings or proposals as well as city folk on the hunt for ‘something different’.

The smaller semi private area is an extended booth, Das Lazrak, which seats up to 15. It’s very popular with friends or hen parties and families with children at weekends. Belly dancers perform every night at 7.30, but other entertainment such as snake charmers, henna tattooists and fire dancers can also be arranged.

Events work on a feast basis here, with Lebanese and Moroccan dishes forming a three course menu starting with a mezze selection, followed by mixed grills and desserts, finished off with a superb mint tea. All food is cooked freshly on site, from the hummus to the flat-breads, everything is prepared daily – there are no freezers on site.

Minimum spends are dependent on the time and date of the booking and a la carte can only be ordered by parties of up to seven, with larger groups needing to order the feast menus.

Oh, and if you’re worried about disabled access and all those stairs, there’s even a lift.