The best ocakbaşı grills in London
Eleven charcoal grills across London, from Dalston classics to Pimlico and Greenwich, every one of them a place people rate highly.
Last updated November 2026
To find the best ocakbasi London has to offer, follow the smoke. An ocakbaşı (“by the hearth”) is a restaurant built around an open charcoal grill, with a cook working skewers in full view. The good ones are judged on simple things: whether the Adana holds together, whether the ribs are crisp at the edges, and whether the grilled onions come dressed with pomegranate.
North London still has the deepest bench, so this list leans on Dalston, Stoke Newington, Newington Green and Green Lanes, but we’ve added grills in Edmonton, Shoreditch, Pimlico, Victoria and Greenwich. For the wider picture, see our guide to the best Turkish restaurants in north London.
Quick picks
- Best overall: Testi, Stoke Newington
- Best on a budget: Mangal 1 Ocakbaşı, Dalston (BYO)
- Best for groups: Şelale Restaurant, Harringay
- Best late: Enfes Ocakbaşı Harringay
- Best central: Cyprus Mangal, Pimlico
How we chose
Every grill here is rated highly by the people who eat there and cooks over open charcoal. Details come from menus, the restaurants’ own listings and our directory pages.
How to read an ocakbaşı menu
- Adana: hand-minced spiced lamb on a wide, flat skewer.
- Beyti: minced kebab, often wrapped in lavash and sliced (sarma beyti).
- Çöp şiş: tiny cubes of lamb on thin skewers.
- Ciğer: lamb’s liver, the regulars’ starter.
- Kaburga and pirzola: lamb ribs and lamb chops.
- Soğan salatası: charred onions with sumac or pomegranate molasses.
Our pick of ocakbasi London grills
1. Mangal 1 Ocakbaşı, Dalston
Dalston · Ocakbaşı · BYO · Best for: Old-school grilling on a budget
In short: One of the original Dalston grill houses, with the mangal by the door.
Why it’s here: Founded by Istanbul-born Ali Dirik, this is one of the grills that put this corner of Hackney on London’s food map. A big charcoal mangal sits by the entrance and there are around two dozen kebabs. The room is compact and no-frills, so expect smoke and noise on busy nights. There’s no alcohol licence: bring your own and the bill stays low.
Order this: Çöp şiş (small cubes of lamb on thin skewers), tavuk beyti (minced chicken wrapped in lavash) and a mixed grill platter.
Insider note: Off-licences on Stoke Newington Road are close by. Vegetarians are limited to starters and salads.
- Find it: Arcola Street, E8 · Dalston Kingsland Overground, about 6 minutes’ walk
- Open: Daily from noon to midnight, until 1am Friday and Saturday
2. Testi, Stoke Newington
Stoke Newington · Ocakbaşı & meze · Best for: Big group dinners with rakı
In short: Family-run, award-winning grill with the ocak at the centre of the room.
Why it’s here: On Stoke Newington High Street since 2000, it won Best Kebab Restaurant in North and West London at the 2019 British Kebab Awards. The dining room has a new look, but the menu and the central charcoal grill are unchanged. It’s licensed, with cocktails and rakı, and tables for two to twenty can be booked online. Vegetarians do unusually well.
Order this: The lokum kebab (charcoal-grilled lamb middle-neck fillet, the house signature), ciğer kebabı (lamb’s liver) and atom (hot roasted peppers on garlic yoghurt).
Insider note: Book through SevenRooms. Halal status isn’t stated, so ask.
- Find it: Stoke Newington High Street, N16 · Stoke Newington Overground, about 8 minutes’ walk
- Open: Closed Mondays; until 1am Friday and Saturday
3. Beyti Ocakbaşı, Newington Green
Newington Green · Ocakbaşı · Best for: A cosy weeknight dinner
In short: Looks like a takeaway from the pavement, with a proper dining room behind.
Why it’s here: Behind the front counter at 113 Green Lanes is a sit-down room hung with kilims, lanterns, boxing gloves and Arsenal scarves. The menu is long and traditional, from Adana to Akçaabat köfte (Black Sea-style meatballs), quail and grilled swordfish. Set meze and meal deals for four keep a group order simple, and wine, rakı and Efes are listed.
Order this: The namesake beyti kebab, kaburga (lamb ribs) and ıspanak tarator (spinach with garlic yoghurt).
Insider note: Call ahead for a larger group. Halal status isn’t published.
- Find it: 113 Green Lanes, N16 · Canonbury Overground, 10–12 minutes’ walk
- Open: Daily, 11am–11pm
4. Enfes Ocakbaşı Harringay, Harringay
Harringay · Ocakbaşı · Best for: Late meals on Green Lanes
In short: Bright, canteen-style grill house with the ocak in full view.
Why it’s here: Closer to a canteen than a formal restaurant, and better for it. Meals start with warm flatbread, cacık (yoghurt with cucumber), ezme and grilled onion salad, and tables push together easily for a crowd. Lamb’s liver is a house speciality, and the kitchen keeps going until midnight most nights.
Order this: Ciğer (grilled lamb’s liver), bıldırcın (whole quail) and Ali Nazik (grilled lamb on smoky aubergine and yoghurt).
Insider note: Book on its website. Ask about halal and alcohol, which aren’t stated.
- Find it: 485–487 Green Lanes, N4 1AJ · Harringay Green Lanes Overground, about 5 minutes’ walk
- Open: Daily, 11am–midnight, until 1am Friday and Saturday
5. Şelale Restaurant, Harringay
Harringay · Ocakbaşı · breakfast · Best for: Families, and dinner after midnight
In short: Long-running Green Lanes mangal in a smart, refurbished room.
Why it’s here: Recognised at the British Kebab Awards, it now has a wide glass frontage, velvet booths and pendant lights. Beyond the charcoal grills there’s pide, seafood, dry-aged steaks and a proper vegan section. A children’s menu, accessible entrance and toilet, and platters for up to five make it an easy family choice.
Order this: Kuzu şiş (lamb cubes over charcoal), bıldırcın (quail) and the Selale Special mixed grill for two to three.
Insider note: Breakfast starts at 9am. Book online for weekend evenings.
- Find it: Salisbury Promenade, Green Lanes, N8 · Harringay Green Lanes Overground, about 10 minutes’ walk
- Open: Daily from 9am to 1am, until 2am Friday and Saturday
6. Yıldız Restaurant, Finsbury Park
Finsbury Park · Ocakbaşı · Best for: Arsenal match days
In short: Blackstock Road grill making handmade kebabs over charcoal since 2006.
Why it’s here: A short walk from the Emirates Stadium, the owners point to 40 years of experience behind the grill. Kebabs arrive with bread to mop up the juices and a sharp onion and sumac salad. Big tables seat six, and the drinks run to Turkish wine, Efes on draught, rakı and şalgam (fermented turnip juice).
Order this: Adana kebab (hand-minced spiced lamb), lamb ribs with crisp edges and arnavut ciğeri (fried lamb liver with cumin).
Insider note: Book or arrive early on match days. Halal isn’t stated, so ask.
- Find it: Blackstock Road, N4 · Arsenal (Piccadilly line), about 5 minutes’ walk
- Open: Closed Tuesdays
7. Kelebek Ocakbaşı, Edmonton
Edmonton · Ocakbaşı · Best for: Offal fans and big tables
In short: Fore Street grill whose menu goes well past the usual skewers.
Why it’s here: The grill list covers Adana, şiş, chops and ribs, then keeps going: lamb’s liver, heart, sweetbreads and quail. Starters lean towards home-style meze, and slower dishes such as patlıcan kebabı (aubergine and spiced mince) are cooked to order. It’s a sit-down family restaurant that can handle large parties.
Order this: Kaburga (lamb spare ribs), pişmiş soğan (grilled onions with şalgam and pomegranate) and, on a cold night, paça çorbası (lamb soup).
Insider note: Call ahead for big groups. Alcohol and halal status aren’t published.
- Find it: Fore Street, N9 0PD · Edmonton Green Overground, about 7 minutes’ walk
- Open: Daily, noon–midnight
8. Taş Fırın Shoreditch, Shoreditch
Shoreditch · Ocakbaşı · stone oven · Best for: Grilled meat with oven-fresh bread
In short: Corner restaurant with a wood-fired stone oven and an open grill in view.
Why it’s here: Taş fırın means “stone oven”, and this corner of Bethnal Green Road, near the top of Brick Lane, runs both: the oven bakes bread and thin lahmacun, while the charcoal grill handles Adana, shish, köfte, ribs and fish. It’s cosy and family-friendly, with high chairs and a kids’ menu. Listings note halal options.
Order this: A mixed cold meze platter, the Adana kebab and taş fırın ekmeği, bread straight from the oven.
Insider note: Phone ahead for a big group at weekends. Alcohol isn’t clearly confirmed.
- Find it: Bethnal Green Road, E2 · Shoreditch High Street Overground, about 5 minutes’ walk
- Open: Until midnight Friday and Saturday
9. Cyprus Mangal, Pimlico
Pimlico · Ocakbaşı · Cypriot · Best for: First-timers near Victoria
In short: Busy Pimlico grill, open since 2005 and a short walk from Victoria.
Why it’s here: A Good Food Award winner in 2020, its kitchen is built around the charcoal grill: lamb şiş, Adana, beyti, pirzola (lamb chops) and quail, plus Cypriot hellim and kleftiko. Undecided? The four-course tasting menu (minimum two) covers a bit of everything. A separate bar serves cocktails and Turkish wine.
Order this: The house speciality mixed grill (köfte, chop, rib, şiş, fillet, wing and quail) and charcoal-grilled hellim.
Insider note: Phone for same-day tables or parties over 12.
- Find it: 45 Warwick Way, SW1V 1QS · Victoria, about 7 minutes’ walk
- Open: Daily from noon; until 11pm, midnight Friday and Saturday
10. SMOQUE Victoria, Victoria
Victoria · Charcoal grill · cocktails · Best for: Pre-theatre and date nights
In short: Sleek grill and cocktail bar with an open charcoal kitchen.
Why it’s here: Part of a small group with sister sites in Bromley and Warlingham, it cooks over coal in an open kitchen that puts the grill on show. It’s the smartest room on this list, with house cocktails, a private room and a smart-casual dress code. Coal-fired sea bass and lentil soup keep lighter eaters happy.
Order this: Lamb ribs (slow-cooked, then charred), chicken Adana and the gluten-free coal-fired sea bass.
Insider note: Book on OpenTable before a show at the Apollo Victoria.
- Find it: 82 Wilton Road, SW1V 1DL · Victoria, about 4 minutes’ walk
- Open: Daily from noon; until 11pm, midnight Friday and Saturday, 10.30pm Sunday
11. Sultan Sofrası Greenwich, Greenwich
Greenwich · Ocakbaşı · stone oven · Best for: Birthdays and office parties
In short: Charcoal grill and stone-bake oven, two minutes from Greenwich station.
Why it’s here: This branch of a small family of restaurants (its sister is at Bow Church) pairs a charcoal grill with a stone-bake oven for lahmacun and bread. The menu is built for sharing, vegetarians, vegans and children each get their own section, and it hosts private events for up to 100.
Order this: Adana köfte, kaburga lamb ribs and hummus kavurma (hummus topped with spiced lamb).
Insider note: Book on its website. Halal isn’t stated, so ask.
- Find it: 63 Greenwich High Road, SE10 8JL · Greenwich (Southeastern and DLR), about 2 minutes’ walk
- Open: Daily, 11am–11pm
Tips for your grill night
- Order for the table. Mixed grill platters beat a row of single plates, and you can try the liver without committing to a portion.
- Check the drinks policy. Some grills pour rakı, some are BYO and some are dry. Our listings flag each one.
- Book at weekends. Green Lanes and Dalston fill up from 8pm. Browse Harringay and Green Lanes or Dalston and Stoke Newington for more.
Frequently asked questions
What is an ocakbaşı?
An ocakbaşı is a Turkish grill restaurant built around an open charcoal hearth, the ocak. Meat is cooked on skewers in full view and served with flatbread, salad and grilled onions. In London the style is strongest in Dalston, Stoke Newington and along Green Lanes, but you’ll find good grills in every direction.
Which ocakbasi London restaurant is best for a group?
Testi takes online bookings for two to twenty and has set sharing menus, while Şelale Restaurant serves platters for up to five and stays open late. South of the river, Sultan Sofrası Greenwich hosts private parties of up to 100 guests.
Are ocakbaşı restaurants halal?
Many are, but few publish certification. Taş Fırın Shoreditch lists halal options and Kozan Grill in Newington Green is tagged halal on delivery apps. Elsewhere it often isn’t stated, so if it matters to you, ask when you book. Staff are used to the question.
Keep exploring
- Turkish restaurants in Dalston and Stoke Newington
- Late-night Turkish food in London
- The best lahmacun and pide in London
Every grill above has a full listing on turkish-dish.com, with opening hours and directions. Know an ocakbaşı we’ve missed? Tell us. It needs a real charcoal grill, and the people who eat there need to rate it as highly as we would.
More guides: cheap Turkish eats in London · the best baklava and Turkish desserts · Turkish supermarkets, grocers and delis · Turkish restaurants for a date or special occasion
