In a corner of north London, a Palestinian supper club at Cafe Metro has become a symbol of resistance amid the Israel-Gaza war. Run by Faten and Mahmoud, the club serves traditional dishes like maqluba and stuffed aubergine, with proceeds funding aid for Gaza's hungry and homeless. Tickets sell out weeks in advance, and the event has grown from a one-off fundraiser into a cultural fixture.
Faten, who moved to London in 2014, cooks recipes taught by her mother, whose family once lived in Beit Hanoun, Gaza, and now resides in a refugee camp. The food connects her to her heritage, which she says Israel's actions aim to erase. Cafe Metro, open since the 1980s, has long been a Palestinian hub, but faces competition from chains like Costa Coffee, Starbucks, Greggs, and most recently, Gail's bakery.
Gail's, a luxury bakery chain with nearly 200 UK shops, opened two doors from Cafe Metro, sparking controversy. Critics accuse its parent company, Bain Capital, of investing in Israeli security firms, though Gail's denies political ties. The night before opening, Gail's was vandalised with red paint and slogans like 'reject corporate Zionism'; windows were later smashed. No arrests have been made, and the Board of Deputies of British Jews called it part of a trend to drive Jews from civil society, noting Gail's Israeli founder.
Mahmoud, Cafe Metro's co-owner, distances himself from the vandalism, saying they compete legally. 'Our cappuccino is £2.95 and theirs is £4.50. That’s how we compete,' he says. The two cafes, from different worlds, now find themselves on a frontline defined by power imbalances, reflecting broader tensions in the Israel-Gaza conflict.
