Modern Middle Eastern fare in a historic pub setting

A pub in the heart of Glastonbury isn’t the first place you’d expect to find some of the best Middle Eastern food in the country, but Queen of Cups is full of surprises.

Leiths graduate Ayesha Kalaji relocated to the Somerset town from London (where she cooked at Bubala, The Good Egg and The Palomar) to establish her own restaurant with friend and business partner Mary-Elizabeth O’Neill.

The duo poured their creative energy into the historic pub on Northload Street, creating a beautiful space to match Ayesha’s innovative cooking. Drawing on her Jordanian heritage and French training, she crafts genuinely unique dishes that dazzle with their bold flavours and bright colours. Falafel, for example, is elevated with laverbread (a nod to her North Wales upbringing), sumac, lime, fennel and tahini.

Sourcing seasonally and locally is vital to this (mostly) female kitchen team. All of the meat comes from Stephens Butchers next door and most of the fruit, veg and herbs are sourced from small farms within five miles of the restaurant. As a result, the menu – which is split into nibbles, cold and hot dishes – changes regularly.

An intriguing wine list showcases lesser-known vineyards and local wineries such as Mowbarton Estate and Glastonbury Vineyard.

Trencherman’s tip: Over-order on the dips and flatbreads and take leftovers home for later. The Queen of Cups team have a stack of biodegradable containers ready and waiting.

Discover more Trencherman’s restaurants in Somerset here.