Comptoir Libanais – Westgate Oxford

We are really excited about our new edition coming up in Oxford! We cannot wait to share a taste of Lebanon with the local residents this coming October.

We are very proud to have a new Comptoir Libanais restaurant coming to Westgate Shopping Centre where we will be spreading the love of Lebanese cuisine and the generous culture. We have been looking for an opportunity in Oxford so were so happy with the restaurant at Westgate Shopping Centre became an option.

Translating to mean ‘Lebanese Counter’ Comptoir Libanais is somewhere for everyone where they can eat casually with no fuss. However comfort, style and authenticity are not sacrificed in anyway. I am the founder of Comptoir Libanais (Tony Kitous) and I grew up with such a variety of delicious food from the Middle-East and my dream has always been to share that with people across the rest of the world. We serve real Lebanese home-cooking all day, every day. Our menu is based on Lebanese and Middle-Eastern mother’s food and recipes. It is healthy, fresh and offers a huge variety of different dishes. Our way of eating is all about bringing friends and family together to share food around the table just like we do in Lebanon and all over the Middle-East.

On the menu you will find dishes such as the Mezze Platters which ideal for sharing, Lebanese wraps, marinated Grills, Tagines, Man’ousha- flat breads, a selection of Baklawa and Lebanese desserts as well as homemade lemonades such as Romana (orange blossom water & pomegranate lemonade), Rosa (rose, lemon and lime lemonade), and the popular Rose Mint Tea which follows a traditional recipe and is served in a beautiful silver teapot.

You can also order a healthy, freshly squeezed juice, or a speciality Lebanese wine or beer.

Families are very welcome at Comptoir Libanais, there is a children’s menu which has a great selection of dishes for children to choose from and it also features an activity pack and colouring in section to keep little ones entertained.

The restaurant will be a bright and beautiful mix of colours and patterns. Our design is real story telling , based on my childhood memories. We want to make you feel like you are eating in a souk somewhere in Beirut, Marrakesh, Istanbul or Cairo. The décor is friendly, fun, humorous and very inviting – a true Middle-Eastern experience.

The restaurant walls and floors are filled with colourful tiles which can be found in Arabic homes, courtyards and kitchens. As well as grandmother’s oilcloth chairs, brass tables, harrisa tins, vintage brass and silver trays, old family pictures, Fez hats, hand of Fatma all adding to the setting.

My dream for Comptoir is to create a place for everyone to eat, drink in humble and friendly surroundings. I always wanted to make Lebanese and Middle-Eastern food accessible for everyone and spread the love of the genuine cuisine and warm hospitality. I also wanted to create a small “souk” - market to help our guests find authentic ingredients, goodies and homeware that are hard to source on the high street.

The shelves of Comptoir Libanais are over flowing with beautiful gifts or speciality ingredients for you to purchase and take home with you. You will find spices such as Sumac, Zatar, or Orange Blossom, Rose Water, Tahina, and sweet treats such as Nougart and Baklawa. The handmade bags are made in the villages in the Middle-East. There are also two cookbooks you can buy if you want to cook Lebanese food for your family and friends.

Opening at the end of October the restaurant already has had Christmas bookings! We are so happy that the residents and employees of Oxford are already embracing our food. Our Christmas Menu is available to book now and we have a Lebanese Feast available for you, with dishes like our Turkey Kofta served with orange blossom cranberry sauce, or our Lamb Tagine with Spiced Lebanese fruits. The menu is available to view: https://www.comptoirlibanais.com/christmas/