Istanbul Iskembecisi

If you’re looking for a decent meal at 3am (& many are, so close to Dalston’s late-night dens of iniquity), head for this capacious Turkish restaurant that’s open until 5am. Don’t limit yourself to dining in the wee small hours though – the food’s good, staff provide a warm welcome at any time, & a spruce-up has done away with the room’s previous 1990s-timewarp feel. The house speciality is iskembe (tripe soup), but there are plenty of alternatives to offal. Try the fresh hot & cold mezze, or the kebabs & grills (from simple lamb shish through to fillet steak). Fish & traditional dishes such as kuzu firin (joint of lamb in rich tomato & vegetable sauce) all come at impressively low prices too. Sip Efes Pilsen or raki, or choose from a decent selection of wines.