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Turkish food is one of London's great everyday pleasures, built around the ocakbasi, the open charcoal grill, and generous mezze. The city's Turkish and Kurdish communities have made whole streets worth travelling for. This guide covers the best grills and the modern kitchens reinventing the tradition.
The classic ocakbasi grills
For the authentic experience, head north. Mangal 2 and the original Mangal 1 in Dalston are beloved for charcoal-grilled meats and a warm, bustling welcome, while FM Mangal in Camberwell flies the flag south of the river. The stretch of Green Lanes in Harringay is a destination in itself, lined with grill houses such as Antepliler where the meze, bread and grilled meats keep coming late into the night.
Modern Turkish and Anatolian
A newer generation has brought Turkish cooking into the spotlight. Oklava in Shoreditch reinterprets Anatolian and Cypriot dishes with modern flair and a serious wine list, showing how far Turkish food in London can go beyond the grill. Wherever you eat, expect generous portions, superb bread and warm hospitality that make Turkish restaurants some of the best value in the city.
What is an ocakbasi?
An ocakbasi is a restaurant built around an open charcoal grill, often with seating around the fire itself. It is the heart of Turkish grill cooking in London, turning out skewers of lamb, chicken and kofte alongside warm flatbread and mezze. Dalston and Green Lanes are the classic areas to find them.
Where is the best Turkish food in London?
Dalston and the Green Lanes stretch of Harringay in north London are the great Turkish neighbourhoods, thick with excellent, well-priced grill houses. For a modern, refined take, Shoreditch is the place to head.
Where to go next
For more grilled and Middle Eastern flavours, browse the best restaurants in London, or find a great local in our neighbourhood guides.
