When my office reached a suitably uncomfortable 26C, I made the only reasonable decision one can make in a heatwave: abandon all work and eat my body weight in ice cream. Festok, on trendy St Christopher’s Place just off Oxford Street, answered my icy cravings, their unique Middle Eastern desserts pulling me away from the hustle and bustle of central London with ease.
The family-run cafe, which claims to be the capital’s only Lebanese ice cream (or liquor) bar, has recently been hailed as a pistachio paradise by Tiktok’s foodfluencers. It’s easy to see when you step through a green facade, sit at a green table and hide in a lush bucket: this is a place that doesn’t shy away from what they love.
Encountered a list of tasty but unfamiliar flavors – What exactly is meghli? – the smiling man behind the counter is more than willing to help and assures me that I would love the achta. A wide-eyed “yeah sure, whatever you think” and £6.10 later, I’m presented with an overflowing bathtub. Even if you were put off by the price at first, you really do get a lot for your money, plus the ability to mix and match.
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The texture was truly unlike anything I’ve ever had. Imagine traditional gelato combined with jelly candy; it’s booze. I’m told by the staff that the secret ingredient is salep, a powder made from orchids that acts like a natural gum, giving the ice cream a distinct elasticity.
Achta, as it turns out, is clotted cream and mastic, with Festok also adding a fresh hint of orange blossom water. The generously sprinkled pistachio crumb adds a satisfying crunch, cutting through the perfectly balanced sweetness with ease. Spoonful after refreshing spoonful, I quickly conclude that vanilla is old news, achta should be the it girl of perfectly made simplicity. In short, it was absolutely delicious.
From my seat – one of only eight inside – I see the owner working away in the house’s kitchen. She first started the venture as a market stall in 2017 before opening this shop, just off Oxford Street, in 2021.
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Business is booming during my visit at 12.30 on a Wednesday afternoon and everyone seems to agree that this is the place to be. I see a steady stream of people being met with the same warmth I was, staff eager to share their knowledge. Plates of gooey semolina cake (nammoura), delicately spun vermicelli nests (osmalieh) and flaky baklava cups whiz past me, each looking more inviting than the last. If you told me I’d been transported to a local favorite in Beirut, I’d believe it – and ask to stay.
Not quite satisfied with just trying one flavor, I opted for a cone for the sweltering journey back to my desk. “Nuts?”, they ask, but of course it would be silly not to – Festok means pistachio after all. My choice – a scoop of half, one of dates – is somehow even better than the last.
The tahini of the half is light, the sesame flavor so delicate that it almost dances on the tongue. The richness of dating surprises me. Noticeably heavier, this feels like an adult ice cream, one to be taken seriously. Together, the combo is a joy. Stomach full and taste buds tingling, I bid farewell to this little piece of Lebanon knowing I will be quick to return.
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