
03 Dec 2024
Turkish cuisine is hugely popular in London, with different pockets of the city having their own thriving Turkish communities. Here, we’ve gathered up some of London’s best Turkish restaurants, which we love and we’re sure you will too.
Kazan infuses taste and history to recreate classic Ottoman dishes with modern inspiration. In addition, the menu has an excellent grill section. Our pick is The Sultan’s Shish, which consists of prime cuts of delicious, marinated chargrilled meat with vegetables, salad and chunky fries or rice (Sultan not included). Other menu options are slow-cooked lamb shank on a bed of root vegetables with creamy garlic mash potato, fire-roasted king prawns in garlic sauce with chunky fries, and Imam Bayildi for the vegans out there. This is a slow-roasted aubergine stuffed with vegetables, cooked with olive oil and served with rice. Don’t sleep on Kazan when choosing a Turkish restaurant for your meal out in London.
Kibele strives to provide Turkish cuisine from multiple regions of the country. Interestingly, its name is derived from the ancient Pyrgian Mother of the Gods, a nature goddess with a background in central and western Anatolia. Naming itself after a nature goddess is reflective of the restaurant’s values. It focuses on using quality, seasonally fresh ingredients in all its dishes. The food menu has sharing platters, salads, sides, vegan options and a grill section. The grill section is split into chicken, lamb, fish and one Kibele mixed grill special. Our more carnivorous readers will love Kibele because they’re going to be spoilt for choice, but vegan options like wild mushroom risotto and vegetable grill are excellent choices. The drink menu’s cocktail section is split into house cocktails (generic cocktails like a pornstar martini or negroni) and signature cocktails. The Naked Goddess is our top pick, which is a mixture of Grey Goose, Midori, strawberries, cinnamon and citrus blend. But an honourable mention goes out to the Ocean Blue: Belvedere, coconut rum, peach liqueur and blue curacao.
The M Kitchen distinguishes itself from other Turkish restaurants with its award-winning grill. Although the beautiful, heated garden and terrace doesn’t hurt either. The menu includes hot and cold sharing platters, multiple shish options, wings, lamb burgers and ribs. Most importantly, it has a signature dish section with delicious options to lure in even the most disciplined foodie. Some examples are tender lamb chops, chargrilled boneless chicken thighs and handcrafted lamb mince kofte flavoured with herbs and spices. The expansive drinks list includes an impressive selection of white wines, reds, roses, champagne, classic cocktails, signatures and mocktails. We love the signature cocktails Bubble Duck; it’s a mix of vodka, triple sec, bubble-gum, blue curacao and whipped cream. Naughty, but oh so nice.
Rox Restaurant specialises in Ottoman cuisine, which is described as “a fusion and refinement of Central Asian, Caucasian, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and Balkan cuisines.” The owners have also been in the catering industry for more than 20 years, so you are in good hands when you dine here. Their menu is one of the most varied menus we have come across and has entire sections dedicated to kebab skewers, wraps, stone-baked pizza, (hot or cold) meze, pasta, oven-baked food, fish and chef’s specials. Talk about catering to everyone.
Mangal means a communal open charcoal fire, which families use to cook and socialise. So, you can expect a friendly reception and service and lots of superb grilled food options when you dine here. Best Mangal prides itself on the community spirit and use of the freshest ingredients in its chargrills. The grilled meat options include, but are not limited to, chicken shish, lamb cutlets and a mixed grill. Meanwhile, vegetarian diners can choose between vegetarian moussaka, falafel, hellim salad or aubergine salad. We would be doing you a massive disservice if we didn’t mention that this place also serves Baklava with ice cream; if you’ve never tried this before, now is definitely the time.