🔗 Share this article

When compiling a ranking of London’s top eateries, one might anticipate familiar Michelin-starred establishments. Yet, tucked high among these food giants is a unpretentious salonu found in a outlying area of north London.

An Shocking Honour

The compact Turkish restaurant, concentrating in the specialties of Mersin, a city on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast, has been declared the 4th best restaurant in the city by a prominent culinary publication. This accolade has made the family completely astonished.

“I am totally shocked,” states a owner’s son, pointing to his family’s relentless work that resulted in their modest place earning such a high spot on a notable 99-strong list.

A Character of Modesty

The compact space, which used to be a basic cafe before its conversion into a buzzing food hotspot, has retained much of its earlier character. It accommodates just over 20 people and, aside from the impressive live cooking performance, the interior remains mostly unchanged. “It’s a tiny and intimate spot,” notes the owner.

A Star Offering: Tantuni

However, it is all down to the food, and this eatery more than delivers. The eatery’s namesake dish, tantuni, is a simple joy. The meat—whether lamb or chicken—is cooked with steam to maintain a tender consistency.

It is then added into a large pan with flavours and oil, which are incorporated in bit by bit. When the savoury mixture bubbles up, freshly made lavaş—a soft bread—is laid on top to soak in all the aromas. Finely sliced onions and a sprinkling of parsley are added before the flavourful meat is wrapped neatly inside.

It is usually eaten with a squeeze of lemon or some tangy accompaniments. The outcome is a powerful burst of flavour, with gentle hints of sumac, punchy onions and red, paprika-infused oil bringing it all together.

Beyond the Basic Tantuni

Patrons can also try yoğurtlu tantuni, where the meat-filled lavaş is sliced and topped with yogurt, tomato sauce and aromatic brown butter. The respected food critic described this dish “a part of London’s few perfect, no-notes dishes”.

When it comes to a sweet finish, the restaurant’s künefe goes down a treat. It is doused in lighter syrup than usual, imparting it a more intense, toastier and more balanced taste.

Rising Above the Titans

Notably, this modest restaurant has ranked above several renowned three-Michelin-starred establishments. It finds itself close to the summit of the list, following other notable dining destinations.

Whereas two people could easily leave this place full for below £25, equivalent tasting menus at high-end establishments can start at significantly more than that price.

A Creed of Hospitality

The restaurant is also among several Turkish restaurants featured and is found well outside the city’s central zones. “It’s not about luxury. London is an costly city. There is an assumption that in an expensive place you’re going to have the finest service and finest food but I don’t believe in that,” states the owner.

“I believe what is paramount is hospitality, friendliness and a place you can be yourself and be calm.”

The view is echoed by the list’s curator, who stated that if he were in a role of power, he would “make it mandatory to make every chef in London come to this spot as a finishing school, to teach them the traps of overthinking, and to demonstrate what is achievable if you do only a handful of – or three – things to their very best”.

A Journey of Perseverance

Unlike most chefs heading kitchens in the list’s top ten, the mastermind behind the food did not apprentice at Michelin-starred restaurants. “I feel really proud of our restaurant and our mum,” concludes her son.

Many restaurants take years to establish themselves, but this one first started seven years ago. Its success is owing to tireless, seven-day weeks of dedication.

“Our mum was really tired. She would go shopping in the morning and make the food in the afternoon. Each item is prepared manually; she would do all of this. She is a single mum and she balanced a life outside work but her friends would come here to help her. She was raising children and a house to care for as well. Each of these roles forged her into what she is now: a remarkable person,” he says.

An Accomplishment for the Culture

This restaurant’s success is bound to have meaning outside its own premises. “I think numerous people would be pleased, as I am, because the Turkish community is a major part of London,” notes the owner, highlighting the greater meaning of this gastronomic achievement.