Guide to the best Turkish restaurants in London

Mangal 1 Ocakbasi is an open-grill restaurant in the heart of Dalston that's gained a solid reputation amongst London foodies throughout the years. It's bring your own booze, so you can save your pennies for trying even more of the delicious dishes on the menu, like the grilled meat platter and aubergine moussaka.

Gökyüzü has a cult following amongst Turkish food lovers in London. This casual eatery has several branches located around the city and offers dishes for every kind of diner. Opt for a pide or a hefty grilled platter to share amongst the group with a side of garlicky cacik. The restaurants are all large, making them a good choice for a group meal.

This Camberwell-based restaurant is the perfect spot to bring a big group for dinner. It's located on Stoke Newington's iconic Church Street, with bars, pubs and independent boutiques. It consists of three floors where you can feast on the menu of fragrant Turkish fare like freshly-baked bread and melt-in-your-mouth kofta served with salads, starters and sides.

Traditional Turkish kebabs come by the dozen at Meze Mangal, a laid-back family-run restaurant in Lewisham. It's kitted out with a wood-panelled dining room and a counter that displays all of the delicious food. The menu is chock full of tasty dishes, but a few favourites are the freshly-baked pide topped with minced meat, onion and peppers and the lamb skewers cooked on the charcoal grill.

Mangal 2 is the fancy sister to the legendary Mangal 1 in Dalston, both opened by owner Ali Dirik after he moved to London from Istanbul in the 80s. This well-known ocakbasi restaurant cooks many of its Anatolian-inspired dishes on the open charcoal grill, like Cornish mutton loin with grilled carrots and house chilli sauce and Devonshire duck with offal bulgur.

Cirrik 19 Numara Bos II is just one of the many excellent Turkish restaurants in Stoke Newington. It's an old-school joint serving classic Turkish dishes cooked on an open grill, like their sharing platter, ideal for sharing amongst a group. It comes with lamb shish, minced lamb skewers, chicken shish and lamb ribs, plus more depending on which platter you opt for. Their starters, like the deep-fried pastry pockets filled with cheese and the spicy Turkish sausage, are also pretty special.

This Turkish restaurant and kebab shop is a Kentish Town local that got its name from the sign hiding underneath the wall's exterior when the owners stripped it back. They serve a simple menu of kebabs, shawarma, wraps, falafel and kofta, which you can enjoy in-house or take away. The smells of the meats grilling on the charcoals will be enough to lure you in to enjoy a meal in this laid-back, stylish restaurant where mosaic flooring steals the limelight.

Umut 2000 is a classic ocakbasi restaurant just off Kingsland Road. They serve a menu of hot and cold starters, meat and fish dishes and plenty of vegetarian options at this Dalston institution. Menu highlights include stuffed vine leaves, falafel and spiced aubergine and juicy lamb ribs. It's casual and very no-frills, with the option to eat in or take away.

This authentic Turkish restaurant on Turnpike Lane is the place for traditional Turkish and Kurdish cuisine. They mainly specialise in tantuni, a famous dish of Mersin City, made with cubed stir-fried beef or lamb stuffed into a wrap. It's open all day and late into the night, so you can get your Turkish fix at most times throughout the day.

Antepliler is one of Green Lane's oldest restaurants, located in the heart of Harringey in an area chock with Turkish restaurants. Expect a buzzy atmosphere and a fresh menu of Turkish classics made to a high standard. Baskets of freshly baked Turkish bread come free-flowing here, along with bowls of creamy hummus.

Zahter is a premium Turkish restaurant in Carnaby Street serving an upmarket menu of aromatic dishes, such as hot and cold mezzo platters, freshly-made pide and zingy cocktails, like the zither martini made with gin, homemade vermouth and mint oil. Save this one for a special occasion since it costs a little more than its Green Lanes siblings.

01 Adana is another Green Lanes institution where they plate up mouthwatering Turkish cuisine in their stripped-back space. Expect fresh meat being chargrilled on open coals and mountains of creamy cacik, perfect for dipping, dunking and mopping up with warm fluffy pitta. The restaurant is big and bright and open from early morning until midnight,

For spruced-up kebabs, try Le Bab, located in restaurants around the city, including Kingsley Court in Soho. This contemporary kebab restaurant serves Michelin-star kebabs, like the spiced paneer with coconut and beetroot doused in curry mayo and the slow-cooked shawarma with pickled cucumbers in fondue sauce. Even though their kebabs are premium, the space is still laid-back and casual.

Ustun Lahmacun is located down the Newington Green side of Green Lanes, where you'll find many Turkish restaurants and patisseries. It's a small spot dedicated entirely to lahmacun and pide. They make everything in-house, stretching the dough until it's almost transparent, spreading various toppings and then cooking in their wood-burning oven. Oh, and it's cash only.

Glitzy Green Lanes restaurant Hala is lively and sophisticated, with a dining room boasting lots of metallic details. A broad variety of traditional Turkish dishes are served to suit every palette. Meat from the grill is a popular choice but you can also sample hot and cold mezze and vegetarian and vegan dishes like falafel and moussaka. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are available here.

Liman Restaurant is a popular pick for Turkish cuisine in Islington. This modern and welcoming space serves authentic food and is also a top local venue for events and parties. Choose from the mezze and main courses on the menu or savour a platter of mezze to share. A convenient set lunch menu is also on offer here.

Vibrant restaurant Selale has won awards and is a bustling spot to eat in Green Lanes. This vast and modern restaurant is known for its prompt and friendly service, as well as the authentic Turkish recipes on the menu. Start your day with a Turkish breakfast or try out hot and cold mezze, pides, seafood, and grilled meats, paired with complimentary bread and salad.