RestaurantsLondonDalstonE8

survey result

Summary

£37
    £
5
Exceptional
3
Good
2
Average
* Based on a three course dinner, half a bottle of wine, coffee, cover charge, service and VAT.

“One of the OGs and still one of the very best!” – this renowned Turkish dive in Dalston gets some diners’ votes as “the best-value restaurant in London”. “The smell of grilled meats entices you into the deservedly bustling interior”, where it “delivers amazing food every time”: “wonderful BBQ, lovely warm bread and generous salad”. One of owner Ali Dirik’s sons runs nearby Mangal 2, putting a more modern slant on grill cooking.

Summary

£34
    £
5
Exceptional
3
Good
2
Average
* Based on a three course dinner, half a bottle of wine, coffee, cover charge, service and VAT.

“Succulent BBQ meat and great-value meze” have earned this Turkish grill in Dalston a major and well-earned reputation. For some, a meal here represents “the best value in London” – helped by a “liberal BYO policy that means you drink as well as your cellar allows”. Top Tips: “the sweetbreads are sensational”. And for an ambitious modern take on cooking over fire, head round the corner to Mangal 2, now run by owner Ali Dirik’s sons Sertaç and Ferhat (see also).

Summary

£37
    £
5
Exceptional
2
Average
2
Average
* Based on a three course dinner, half a bottle of wine, coffee, cover charge, service and VAT.

“Often imitated, never beaten!” – Dalston’s original Mangal grill is still “the long-running undisputed champion” of “sublime Turkish/Kurdish barbecues”. And it’s not just for carnivores: “they also serve top, authentic homemade mezze – including a good range of veggie choices”. Regularly name-checked by celeb chefs (Ottolenghi, Oliver et al), it’s also “great value – a meal for two for the price of a single course elsewhere”. Top Tip: “BYO policy means you can bring along the best bottle from your own cellar!” (Mangal 2, two minutes’ walk away, has been taken over by Ali Dirik’s sons, and is now a place of some ambition; The Observer’s Jay Rayner called it “serious and inventive… properly delicious”.)

Summary

£29
    £
5
Exceptional
2
Average
2
Average
* Based on a three course dinner, half a bottle of wine, coffee, cover charge, service and VAT.

“Still the best Turkish BBQ in town”, say fans of the original Mangal grill that put Dalston on the carnivore’s map. “I’ve been coming here for over 20 years and it’s still one of my all-time favourite restaurants. Never fails with great food and excellent service”. BYO helps keep the costs down.

For 33 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).

Have you eaten at Mangal 1?

Restaurant details

Menu
No dress code
100

Prices

Traditional European menu

Starter Main Pudding
£5.00 £14.30 £3.50
Drinks  
Wine per bottle £23.00
Filter Coffee £2.00
Extras  
Bread £0.00
Service 10.00%
Opening hours
Monday12 pm‑12 am
Tuesday12 pm‑12 am
Wednesday12 pm‑12 am
Thursday12 pm‑12 am
Friday12 pm‑12 am
Saturday12 pm‑12 am
Sunday12 pm‑12 am

Best Turkish restaurants nearby

Gem
Turkish restaurant in Islington
£48
   ££
3
Good
3
Good
3
Good
Gallipoli Again
Turkish restaurant in Islington
£50
   ££
3
Good
2
Average
4
Very Good
Haz
Turkish restaurant in The City
£63
  £££
3
Good
2
Average
2
Average

Best similarly priced restaurants nearby

The Dusty Knuckle
Sandwiches, cakes, etc restaurant in Dalston
£39
    £
5
Exceptional
2
Average
3
Good
Franco Manca
Pizza restaurant in Stoke Newington
£39
    £
2
Average
2
Average
2
Average
Franco Manca
Pizza restaurant in Hackney
£39
    £
2
Average
2
Average
2
Average