The best Turkish restaurants in London have become some of the city’s most-loved eateries, thanks to the cuisine’s far-reaching flavours that manage to deftly balance taste and texture in vibrant plates of grilled meats and seafood, dips, salads, breads, stews and soups.
For a long time, Turkish food was misinterpreted with kebabs that seemed only to emerge in the late (or early) hours after a booze-filled night. Thankfully, recent times have seen the disintegration of this reductionist façade, revealing instead the true, refined culinary experience based around fresh ingredients, aromatic flavours, and a sense of community.
While of course those of Turkish descent always knew there was more to their food than a wrap devoured after one too many, the rest of us have only recently caught up to have our eyes opened to the full culinary offering. And we think it’s safe to say, people like what they saw. This popularity has been born from people’s genuine appreciation for the culture, notably in the north east area of London. On Green Lanes there is a concentrated number of Turkish restaurants, resulting in the area being affectionately named ‘Little Turkey’ by locals.
As colourful as the culture’s mosaic decoration, Turkish dishes emanate a distinct taste of freshness, incorporating a range of spices and fragrant flavours that ultimately result in a delicious, well-balanced meal. As well as this, a large portion of the cuisine centres around sharing. If you’re looking to find restaurants perfect for group-dining, a Turkish restaurant would be ideal for this, with a lot of them offering a catering service for private events.
Hot and cold meze platters showcase a range of chargrilled meats or cheese, delicious vegetable dips and crispy pastries. If you’re not in the mood to share, there's still lots on the menu perfect for individual serves: pide, lahmacun, lentil soup, kebabs… and much more. The sweet showstopper is of course, baklava, which is a pistachio-filled filo pastry desert, soaked in honey or syrup – sure to be the sweetest way to end a beautiful meal.
We've created this list to help you pick the perfect Turkish restaurant for any occasion, meaning we've included a range of different menus, locations, and price range.
Best casual Turkish restaurants in London
Dining out doesn't always have to be super fancy. These restaurants serve authentic, tasty Turkish food in welcoming environments.
Pivaz, Hackney
![]()
What: A hidden oasis in the heart of Hackney, Pivaz aims to serve its guests with a true sense of Turkish hospitality. The restaurant is decorated with an eclectic interior and in a cosy fashion. With a wide variety of table sizes, Pivaz is perfect for either hosting both a larger group or for a more intimate dinner. Whether you’re wanting to visit for breakfast, lunch, dinner or just for a quick bite, the menu is bursting with different choices. As well as serving many Turkish classics, the menu also includes a section called ‘sexy plates’, which (logically) refers to a selection of pancakes.
Where: 34 Chatsworth Road, E5 0LP
Book now: Pivaz
Moira Restaurant, Canary Wharf
![]()
What: Canary Wharf is renowned for being London’s busy financial district, but as well as this it hosts a plethora of brilliant restaurants. One of these is Moira. This restaurant has an excellent reputation for consistently serving delicious food to those passing through its doors and it’s a great place to take a break from the day. Grilled hellim salad, meze selections, moussaka, and more... the menu covers a fantastic variety of Turkish classics. There are also many features geared towards group-dining, including a decently priced group menu, starting at £25.95 a person.
Where: 2 Mastmaker Road, E14 9AW
Book now: Moira Restaurant
Liman, Islington
![]()
What: It’s always lovely to find a restaurant that not only serves high-quality food, but also has a family-run feel. Liman is certainly a great combination of this, as the restaurant’s floor is on the smaller side, contributing towards an intimate atmosphere. This means that despite being a casual dining venue, it also feels distinctly sophisticated. In terms of the food itself, the restaurant takes inspiration from all aspects of Mediterranean cooking and cuisine, resulting in an extensive Meze selection, sure to please the entire table.
Where: 60 Penton Street, N1 9PZ
Book now: Liman
Antepliler, Haringey
![]()
What: Ahmet Ustunsurmeli, from Gaziantep, set up a bakery in 1993, serving authentic baklava, before eventually opening Antepliler that very same year. Since then, this restaurant has topped many ‘best Turkish restaurants’ lists, becoming renowned for its fresh and varied menu. Ingredients are carefully selected and a range are even imported from Turkey itself, meaning you are certain to enjoy an authentically created meal.
Where: 45-46 Grand Parade, N4 1AG
Book now: Antepliler
Original Turkish Eatery, Fitzrovia
![]()
What: OTE is less expensive than some of the other restaurants featured on this list, but by no means does this reflect in the quality of the food served. Granted, it is a different style of venue, catering more for a quick lunch-time stop rather than a sit-down dinner, buut what it does, it does well. OTE is inspired by the Esnaf chain of restaurants from Turkey itself, which have a reputation for serving stellar food at low-prices. The ‘Esnaf boxes’ allow you to pick a base, main, dip, and salad, meaning your meal is personalised, as well as well-balanced – all for under a tenner.
Where: 45 Charlotte Street, W1T 1RU
Book now: OTE
Le Bab, Soho
![]()
What: Located in Kingly Court is the original Le Bab, serving refined, seasonal kebabs and sharing plates. This is the perfect place to stop for dinner, perhaps before a theatre trip, since it’s so centrally located next to the West End. The menu includes a great range of different ingredients on the kebab front, such as pork ribeye, grilled chicken, roasted aubergine and paneer. On the side, indulge in the dirty shawarma fries, covered in beef brisket glazed in pork jus or the chipotle tahini broccoli.
Where: Kingly Court, W1B 5PW
Book now: Le Bab
Gökyüzü, Haringey
![]()
What: The Yavuz family set up Gökyüzü in 1999, with the intention of serving fresh, mouth-watering meat and vegetarian platters while offering welcoming service. The family certainly achieved their goal, as this Turkish restaurant is regularly referenced as one of the best. Using fresh ingredients, the wonderfully flavoured dishes are sure to please everyone. Truly creating a home-away-from-home feeling, this restaurant has a great overall atmosphere.
Where: 26-28 Grand Parade, N4 1LG
Book now: Gökyüzü
Aksular, Enfield Town
![]()
What: Perfect for dining with the family or a group of friends, Aksular in Enfield Town provides good-quality Turkish food in a casual, welcoming environment. Aksular is one the less 'fancy' restaurants of this list, which makes it a great place for casual dining. The menu is centred around the Turkish tradition of sharing platters, serving authentic dishes with a modern twist. There is also a great children’s section of the menu, making this a real family-friendly restaurant in London. This restaurant has year-round outdoor seating, which is always a popular feature too.
Where: 8-10 Silver Street, EN1 3ED
Book now: Aksular Enfield Town
Best fine dining Turkish restaurants in London
Turkish food is ideal for sharing, meaning it would be a great choice for your next private or group dining event. These restaurants provide a sophisticated setting, combining delightful decoration with beautiful food.
Hovarda, Soho
![]()
What: Serving Aegan-inspired food in a distinctly luxurious setting, this restaurant is great to visit with a group of friends to make the most out of the sharing plates and signature cocktails. The formal dining room would be ideal for special occasions and corporate meetings alike. Hovarda's menu features many delicious seafood dishes, in both the cold and hot meze sections. As well as this, there are other equally tempting options for meat-lovers and veggies alike; lamb shank with oyster fried mushrooms, stuffed vine leaves, pastichio baked pasta with cheese sauce, or beef fillet with fois gras, for instance.
Where: 36-40 Rupert Street, W1D 6DW
Book now: Hovarda
Zahter, Soho
![]()
What: Chef Esra Muslu has curated a menu designed to give guests a true taste of Istanbulite cuisine. Decorated in a smart, sleek, and modern fashion, Zahter is certainly one of the more trendy Turkish restaurants London has to offer. If you choose to dine here you'll be met with a lovely selection of hot and cold meze dishes, sure to be wonderfully fresh, as the menu is seasonal and changes quite frequently. Ideally situated off of Carnaby Street in Soho, this is the perfect place to eat after exploring the buzzing city.
Where: 30-32 Foubert's Place, W1F 7PS
Book now: Zahter
Kebab Queen at Maison Bab, Covent Garden
![]()
What: If the silly name isn’t enticing enough, then the quality of the food surely will be. Kebab Queen at Maison Bab looks at traditional Turkish cuisine through a contemporary lens, giving classic flavours a bit of a twist along the way. Serving a seven-course tasting menu, guests are encouraged to eat with their hands straight from a heated counter top here. Those concerned about sanitation will be reassured by the fact that the counter is made from a bacteria-resistant material called Dekton, and it is wiped down between each course. The restaurant is serious in style all throughout, promising a delicious, entertaining evening.
Where: 4 Mercer Walk, WC2H 9FA
Book now: Kebab Queen
Oklava, Shoreditch
![]()
What: This restaurant has been a success since it opened, and with good reason. Oklava is inspired by Turkish-Cypriot influences, serving Ottoman-style dishes coupled with amazing, warm service. This restaurant is definitely one of the more sophisticated on the list, with a tasting menu format (which makes it the perfect place to book for special occasions, or for when yo ureally want to impress). The clever run of chef-designed dishes ensure you get a taste of all the best bits of the cuisine, and there's a wine pairing available too - should you want to go all out. Despite feeling pretty fancy, the tasting menu here comes in at just £45, and the slick, modern interiors ensure you feel relaxed from the moment you want through the door. Pick between either countertop seating where you can watch the chefs at work, or plump for larger tables on the dining room floor.
Where: 74 Luke Street, EC2A 4PY
Book now: Oklava
Yeni, Westminster
![]()
What: This modern and sophisticated restaurant creates an elevated Turkish dining experience.‘Yeni’ is the Turkish word for ‘new’, which seems to be a fitting name for this restaurant that aims to push the boundaries of traditional Turkish cuisine. Chef Civan Er, one of Turkey’s most critically acclaimed chefs, has curated a seasonal menu that constantly changes. The menu is centred around the idea of sharing, and unlike other restaurants in this list, is much more limited in choice. However, there are still ten courses to get through… so you’re sure to be full of delicious food by the end of the meal.
Where: 55 Beak Street, W1F 9SH
Book now: Yeni
Kibele, Fitzrovia
![]()
What: Located on Great Portland Street lies Kibele, a vibrant Turkish eatery offering beautiful dishes that are not only accompanied by tasty cocktails, but also live music and belly dancing. The restaurant has a long list of resident performers, meaning there is sure to be something for everyone. This makes the restaurant a great place to gather with friends, as it combines a culinary journey with colourful entertainment. Most of the entertainment takes place in the venue’s Lounge bar, which can be hired out for a private party or event.
Where: 175-177 Great Portland Street, W1W 5PJ
Book now: Kibele
If you're still in the mood to explore London's Middle Eastern food scene (let's be honest, it's hard not to be) then have a read through our summary of the 18 best Lebanese restaurants in the city. If you're looking for somewhere to go with a large group, then check out our definitive guide of where you should go for your next private dining event.