Queen of Cups

The story

Queen of Cups: Modern Middle Eastern Restaurant in Glastonbury – Michelin Bib Gourmand

Queen of Cups occupies a 17th-century coaching inn on Northload Street, but inside the atmosphere is thoroughly modern. The restaurant takes its name from a Tarot card, a nod to Glastonbury’s mystical heritage, and the character’s qualities of emotional connection and compassion define the place.

Executive chef and owner Ayesha Kalaji draws on her Jordanian roots, as well as time spent in Wales and London, to create a personal style of Middle Eastern cooking. “This is food seen through my lens,” she says. “I use local produce and ingredients to create food that feels true to myself, my area and my ideas.” The result is a seasonally changing menu of colourful sharing plates that blend modern techniques, classic French methods and open-fire cooking.

The kitchen champions local suppliers: meat comes from the butcher next door, much of the fruit and vegetables are sourced from regenerative or organic farms within five miles, and seafood arrives on Brixham day boats. Wines follow a similar ethos, with an emphasis on small-scale organic producers, and the drinks list shines a light on Somerset’s distillers.

This commitment to quality and value earned Queen of Cups a Michelin Bib Gourmand, and the restaurant was also shortlisted for ‘best newcomer’ at the Estrella Damm Top 100 Gastropubs 2023. Kalaji herself won the Middle Eastern Food of the Year category at the BIH Spotlight Awards 2022.