The best Turkish restaurants in London for a date or special occasion
Thirteen Turkish dining rooms for a first date, an anniversary or a birthday worth dressing up for, from Soho to Cockfosters, every one of them a place people rate highly.
By the Turkish Dish team · Last updated November 2026
If your search history reads “Turkish restaurant London date night”, this list is for you. Turkish food suits a date better than most cuisines: meze arrive in waves and invite sharing, the grill gives the evening a pace, and a glass of rakı slows everyone down. What changes from place to place is the room, so that is what we have focused on.
Each entry covers the setting, what to drink and how to book, from modern Anatolian kitchens in Soho to live music in the City and a few rooms further out that are worth the trip.
Also try: the best Turkish restaurants in central London.
Quick picks
- Best for a first date: KİD, Soho
- Best for an anniversary: The Mantl, Knightsbridge
- Best for cocktails: Lokal, Fitzrovia
- Best with live music: Fora City, Aldgate
How we chose
Every restaurant here is listed on Turkish Dish and rated highly by the people who eat there, checked in November 2026. We picked the ones whose room, drinks list or entertainment suits an occasion. Nobody paid to be included.
Soho, Fitzrovia and Mayfair
1. KİD
Frith Street, Soho · Modern Turkish grill
Best for: A first date at the counter
In short: New Soho grill cooking Turkish home food with British produce.
Why it’s here: Opened in September 2026 by chef Sertaç Dirik, who grew up cooking at his family’s grill in Dalston, and restaurateur David Carter. Counter seats face the wood oven and charcoal grill, which helps if conversation stalls. Dinner ends with Turkish coffee or tea, lokum and baklava.
Order this: Tombik pide (round, puffy bread from the oven); muhammara (roasted pepper and walnut dip) with beyaz peynir; grilled quail; lamb pirzola (chops) with grape molasses.
Insider note: The entrance is on Bateman Street. It is closed on Sundays.
- Find it: 53–55 Frith Street, W1D 4SJ · about 5 minutes from Tottenham Court Road
- Open: Monday to Saturday, lunch from noon and dinner from 5.30pm
- Book: Through SevenRooms
2. Zahter
Foubert’s Place, Carnaby · South-eastern Turkish
Best for: Date night after a wander round Carnaby
In short: Charcoal and wood-oven cooking from Turkey’s south-east.
Why it’s here: The room is elegant but relaxed, and in good weather there are tables outside on Foubert’s Place. The cooking leans on the charcoal grill and a wood-fired oven. There are plenty of vegetarian dishes.
Order this: Muhammara; stuffed artichoke with spiced rice; içli köfte (bulgur shells filled with spiced meat); pistachio baklava with kaymak (clotted cream).
Insider note: Order sütlaç (baked rice pudding) if you want something lighter than baklava.
- Find it: 30–32 Foubert’s Place, W1F 7PS · about 5 minutes from Oxford Circus
- Open: Daily from 11.30am; until 10.30pm, 9.30pm on Sunday
3. Lokal
Market Place, Fitzrovia · Anatolian meze
Best for: Rakı cocktails before dinner
In short: Big, good-looking meze room with its own cocktail bar.
Why it’s here: Opened in May 2026, with head chefs Salih Serden and Akacan Agir reworking Anatolian classics with seasonal produce. Leather banquettes, terrazzo-style tables and framed market photographs give the room warmth, and there is counter seating and a semi-private room for celebrations. The bar’s Galata cocktail mixes rakı with Tokaji.
Order this: House bread with tulum cheese; paçanga böreği (crisp pastry with cured beef and cheese); lamb tandır (slow-cooked lamb); kadayıf (shredded-pastry dessert).
Insider note: Book for weekend evenings.
- Find it: 7–8 Market Place, W1W 8AG · about 3 minutes from Oxford Circus
- Open: Daily, noon–11pm
- Book: Online
4. Chargal
Berkeley Street, Mayfair · Smart grill
Best for: A birthday worth dressing up for
In short: Three-floor Mayfair grill cooking over oak charcoal.
Why it’s here: Opened in December 2025 by Serdar Demir, who also runs The Mantl. Each floor has its own mood: relaxed meze downstairs, a more formal dining room on the first floor, and the Coal Lounge in the basement for cocktails and music after dinner. Chestnut velvet seats, chandeliers and dried flowers set the tone, and the house signature cocktail is smoked at the table.
Order this: Wagyu İskender (beef over bread with tomato sauce, yoghurt and butter); sucuk glazed with hot honey; pistachio lamb cutlets.
Insider note: The dress code is smart casual, and there is a private dining room.
- Find it: 11 Berkeley Street, W1J 8DS · about 3 minutes from Green Park
- Open: Dinner, Tuesday to Saturday, 6pm–10pm
- Book: Ahead, recommended
Marylebone, Knightsbridge and Victoria
5. Ishtar
Crawford Street, Marylebone · Ottoman-inspired
Best for: Impressing the parents
In short: Elegant, calm dining room serving Ottoman-inspired dishes, grills and meze.
Why it’s here: This is the polished, comfortable option: a stylish, calm room with a bar and, often at weekends, live music. The menu runs from a meze platter to slow-cooked lamb and charred kebabs, and the meat is halal.
Order this: Meze platter to share; beyti (minced lamb kebab wrapped in flatbread); slow-cooked lamb shank; Turkish tea with dessert.
Insider note: Book for Friday and Saturday nights.
- Find it: 10–12 Crawford Street, W1U 6AZ · about 7 minutes from Baker Street
- Open: Daily from noon; until midnight Friday and Saturday, 11pm otherwise
6. The Mantl
Brompton Road, Knightsbridge · Modern Turkish
Best for: An anniversary dinner
In short: Smart Knightsbridge room named after mantı, Turkish dumplings.
Why it’s here: Part of the Knightsbridge dining scene since 2019, it takes bookings for anniversaries, birthdays and business dinners and has a dedicated private dining area. Grills are cooked over British woodland charcoal, all the meat is halal, and the drinks list runs to wine, champagne, cocktails and mocktails.
Order this: Mantı with garlic yoghurt and pepper oil; muhammara with crispy simit; four charcoal-grilled lamb cutlets; künefe (warm cheese pastry in syrup).
Insider note: Vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free dishes are marked on the menu. Book through OpenTable at weekends.
- Find it: 142 Brompton Road, SW3 1HY · about 6 minutes from Knightsbridge
- Open: Daily, noon–11pm
7. SMOQUE Victoria
Wilton Road, Victoria · Grill and cocktail bar
Best for: A pre-theatre date
In short: Sleek Turkish restaurant and cocktail bar with an open charcoal kitchen.
Why it’s here: The room is modern with a touch of Mediterranean warmth, and the open kitchen puts the coal-fired grill on show. A full bar serves house cocktails, wine and beer, and there is a private room for parties.
Order this: Lamb ribs; Ali Nazik (Adana köfte over smoked aubergine and yoghurt); coal-fired sea bass, which is gluten-free.
Insider note: The dress code is smart casual. It stays open until midnight on Friday and Saturday.
- Price: About £26–40 a head, according to OpenTable
- Find it: 82 Wilton Road, SW1V 1DL · about 4 minutes from Victoria
- Book: Through OpenTable
The City and Islington
8. Leydi
Old Bailey, City of London · Modern Turkish
Best for: A long dinner with rakı
In short: All-day Istanbul-style dining in a Grade II-listed building.
Why it’s here: On the ground floor of a hotel in the former Spiers & Pond building, with a menu by chef Selin Kiazim. There is a large main room with an open kitchen, a second room with sofa seating and a small bar. Cocktails use Turkish ingredients, rakı is served properly, and the wine list includes Turkish and low-intervention bottles.
Order this: Tırnak pide with baked claypot hummus and pastırma brown butter; lamb loin Adana from the mangal (grill); künefe with pistachio and kaymak.
Insider note: The chicken and wagyu are halal; the lamb is not. It closes at 3pm on Sunday.
- Find it: 15 Old Bailey, EC4M 7EF · about 5 minutes from St Paul’s
- Open: Monday to Saturday, 7am–11pm
- Book: Through SevenRooms
9. Fora City
Houndsditch, Aldgate · Ottoman-inspired
Best for: Dinner with live music
In short: Ottoman-inspired dining room with live guitar most evenings.
Why it’s here: Live guitar plays from 6pm to 10pm, Tuesday to Saturday, and on Saturday nights there is a belly dancing show at around 9pm. Round tables and a private room suit groups, and the full bar includes Turkish wine. Directory listings describe the meat as halal.
Order this: İmam bayıldı (slow-cooked aubergine, served cold); lamb güveç (casserole); Adana köfte; the house İskender.
Insider note: Closed on Sundays. Book online for Saturday nights.
- Find it: 34–36 Houndsditch, EC3A 7DB · about 3 minutes from Aldgate
- Open: Monday to Saturday from 11am
10. Kilis Kitchen
Theberton Street, Islington · Charcoal and cocktails
Best for: A Friday night with a surprise
In short: Neighbourhood grill and cocktail bar named after its founder’s home town.
Why it’s here: Founder Mehmet Kocakerim was born in Kilis, close to the Syrian border, and the menu mixes that region’s kebabs with Syrian and Lebanese meze. Its website advertises a close-up magician on Friday evenings, and there are seasonal menus for occasions including Valentine’s Day. Cocktails, wine and beer are served.
Order this: Fıstıklı kebap (pistachio kebab); humous chawarma (hummus topped with lamb and pine kernels); künefe.
Insider note: A 12.5% service charge is added for all parties. Halal status is not stated, so ask.
- Find it: Theberton Street, N1 · about 7 minutes from Angel
- Book: Online via Dojo
Further out, worth the journey
11. Skewd Kitchen Cockfosters
Cockfosters Road, Cockfosters · Modern Turkish
Best for: A special night in north London
In short: Named best fine dining restaurant at the British Kebab Awards 2019.
Why it’s here: Statement lighting, blue velvet seating and wall murals make the room feel like an occasion. Fish is a strength, much of it bought from Billingsgate, and there is a full cocktail and wine list. The Vault, a private room, takes celebrations.
Order this: Kuzu şiş (lamb fillet, the signature grill); hummus kavurma with sautéed lamb and pine nuts; künefe with vanilla ice cream.
Insider note: It is listed as halal. Book through SevenRooms, especially at weekends.
- Find it: 113–115 Cockfosters Road, EN4 0DA · about 5 minutes from Cockfosters
- Open: Evenings Monday to Thursday; from noon Friday and Saturday, from 10am Sunday
12. Beyzade Turkish Kitchen
Upper Richmond Road, Putney · Meze and grill
Best for: A relaxed neighbourhood date
In short: Welcoming East Putney room built around shareable meze.
Why it’s here: A popular local spot for dinner and weekend lunches, with a bar for wine, beer and cocktails and some seating outside. The sharing-led menu works well for two, and there is a good choice for vegetarians and vegans.
Order this: Tarama (smoked cod roe mousse); halloumi with sucuk; karides (prawns with spinach, garlic and tomato); kuzu şiş.
Insider note: Bookings are taken by phone or email, not online. Closed on Mondays.
- Find it: 75 Upper Richmond Road, SW15 2SR · about 3 minutes from East Putney
- Open: Dinner from 5pm Tuesday to Friday; from noon at weekends
13. Galata Pera
Ferry Quays, Brentford · Meze and grill
Best for: A Thames walk, then dinner
In short: Casual riverside Turkish restaurant looking across towards Kew.
Why it’s here: Set right beside the Thames at Ferry Quays, it makes a natural finish to a walk along the Thames Path. The room is casual, and the menu covers halal grills, hot and cold meze, yoghurt-based kebabs, fish and a vegetarian section.
Order this: Hummus kavurma; arnavut ciğeri (pan-fried lamb’s liver with red onion); Adana köfte; baklava.
Insider note: Book through the reservations page on its website.
- Find it: 1A Soaphouse Lane, TW8 0BT · about 10 minutes from Brentford station
- Open: From 4pm on weekdays and noon at weekends, until 11pm
Turkish restaurant London date night FAQs
What is the most romantic Turkish restaurant in London?
It depends on the date. For a stylish, calm room, try Ishtar in Marylebone or The Mantl in Knightsbridge. For something buzzier, KİD in Soho has counter seats by the grill, and Galata Pera in Brentford sits right on the Thames.
Which Turkish restaurants in London have live music?
Fora City near Aldgate has live guitar from Tuesday to Saturday evenings and a belly dancing show on Saturdays. Ishtar in Marylebone often has live music at weekends, and Kilis Kitchen in Islington advertises a close-up magician on Friday evenings.
Where can I get rakı or Turkish cocktails in London?
Lokal in Fitzrovia has a cocktail bar with rakı-based drinks, and Leydi in the City serves rakı alongside Turkish wines. Chargal in Mayfair has a basement cocktail lounge, and SMOQUE Victoria doubles as a cocktail bar.
Are there halal fine dining Turkish restaurants in London?
Yes. The Mantl states that all its meat is halal and also serves wine and champagne. Ishtar is halal, and Skewd Kitchen Cockfosters is listed as halal. At Leydi, the chicken and wagyu are halal but the lamb is not.
Keep exploring
- The best Turkish restaurants in central London
- Turkish restaurants on Upper Street, Islington
- Turkish restaurants in Edgware Road and Marylebone
- Turkish restaurants in Islington and Angel
Know a spot that belongs on our Turkish restaurant London date night list? Tell us, as long as the people who eat there rate it as highly as we would.
