Meriden, Turkish Restaurant Guide

2021 Review: This “very good modern Turk” uses high-quality ingredients, including organic meats from Wales, to produce some interesting meals in this under-served town, and it “gets busy and can be very noisy”. There’s a spinoff branch in Berkhamsted.

This “fantastic upscaled-local Turkish restaurant” in Cockfosters gives the traditional North London Anatolian grill a modern makeover – and fans say it’s “wonderful to see it so deservedly busy” on account of its “excellent food and service”. “They’ve just expanded”, but it’s “harder than ever to get a table on a Saturday night”.

2021 Review: “Very lively and noisy with families and children” – the “large” Harringay original of this small Turkish group is over twenty years old, and remains “understandably popular, given its reasonable prices”: “the food is good and plentiful and just keeps coming”, and “the grilled meats are just yummy”. There are now spin-offs in Chingford, Walthamstow and Finchley. Top Tip – “doggy bags are readily provided”.

“One of the reasons we’ve yet to move house from Crouch End!” – local fans are sold on the virtues of this “stubbornly traditional Turkish restaurant (with murals on every wall depicting famous Turkish and other global tourist destinations… at least a step up from the glitzy establishments on Green Lane)”. “Despite recent price hikes, they are still very fair considering the high standard of cooking, as well as the warm welcome”.

“Still one of the best Turkish grills in town” – this Ladbroke Grove fixture might be “a bit spartan”, but “speedy service and BYO” make it a “cost-effective alternative to eating at home”. Top Tip – there’s “slightly less-packed seating in the extension next door”.

2023 Review: The “exquisite kebabs” at this family-run Turk in Kentish Town (which takes its name from the original Victorian sign above the door) have “set the standard in north London for years”. Don’t be put off by the “limited menu and basic amenities (more like a local chippy)” – the food is “fresh, good quality and delicious”, while “service is cheerful”.

2021 Review: “Very lively and noisy with families and children” – the “large” Harringay original of this small Turkish group is over twenty years old, and remains “understandably popular, given its reasonable prices”: “the food is good and plentiful and just keeps coming”, and “the grilled meats are just yummy”. There are now spin-offs in Chingford, Walthamstow and Finchley. Top Tip – “doggy bags are readily provided”.

Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, this smart Turkish operation in Marylebone wins consistently solid marks for the “excellent quality and taste” of its dishes – in particular the grilled meat and mezzes.