Our city is full of fantastic restaurants slinging out cuisine from across the globe, and of course Middle Eastern is no exception. Here, you’ll find award-winning Anatolian hotspots, sumptuous steakhouses and family-run favourites, where dishes like fancy kebabs and sweet tooth-appeasing kunefe are up for grabs. So if you don’t want to mezze out on all the action? Check out our roundup of the best Turkish restaurants Manchester has to offer.
Cafe Istanbul
If you’re looking for a top Turkish restaurant near Manchester’s Deansgate, Café Istanbul laid down its roots on Bridge Street nearly 40 years ago. Decked out with red and orange patterned chairs, this warm eatery's speciality includes Turkish pizzas (from £11.90) made with freshly baked pastry, featuring toppings such as minced lamb, and the dessert menu showcases traditional kunefe: noodle-like pastry soaked in sugar-based syrup, layered with cheese and pistachios (for £5.90).
This Deansgate haunt is a gorgeous spot for a juicy bite to eat.
Saray Café And Bistro
Got a hankering for a breakfast with a Turkish twist? The award-winning Saray Café and Bistro have got you sorted. This neighbourhood eatery on Wilbraham Road is cooking signature fry-ups (£11.95) featuring sucuk (the country's traditional sausage), jam, honey and clotted cream. It also serves gozleme (£7.50), a toasted tortilla filled with minced meat and cheese, to get you going first thing in the morning. The main menu is equally as extensive, offering a traditional dining experience including vibrant plates of Turkish shepherd's salad (£8), chicken princess (£15), and homemade baklava for only £5.50.
Etci Mehmet Steakhouse
With locations in Liverpool, Birmingham and Manchester, Etci Mehmet Steakhouse has made a name for itself on the restaurant scene. Not only is it a modern, stylish spot to revel in prime cuts of meat that have been slow-cooked for nine hours, but it's also an award-winning, buzzing entertainment destination, boasting fire shows and live cooking experiences seven days a week. Nab a spherical, velvet booth and order the likes of the juicy hanging kebabs (£21), a giant spicy meatball (£28) or, if you're looking to splash the cash, opt for the gold menu and splurge up to £200 on a tomahawk steak.
Invite your mates to hang out at Etci Mehmet Steakhouse.
Topkapi Palace
Taking the same name as the large museum and library in the Faith district of Istanbul, Topkapi Palace is an atmospheric restaurant located in the heart of Deansgate. It's a family-run business, led by head chef Seref Dursun, serving Turkish food for around thirty-six years. Its interiors are welcoming, featuring mustard yellow leather seats, as well as an open kitchen so you can watch your pick take form. The menu includes tempting starters such as imam bayildi (£6.95), the famous national dish of baked aubergine stuffed with sauteed green peppers, tomato, garlic and onion, plus delicious signature cocktails, like the Espresso Turk Martini (£8.50).
Anatolian Grill
For some modern Turkish fare in the North West, hit up its first wine and mezze bar, Anatolian Grill. Its menu represents the country's culture via dishes influenced by various regions, from the Aegean to the Black Sea, directly descending from Anatolian cuisine, hence this gorgeous spot's apt name. Inside, you'll uncover bejewelled light fixtures, olive green booths and pretty foliage dotted around the main dining space. Sip on the national drink, Raki, as well as cocktails like the Turkish Delight Martini (£9.50), before tucking into plates such as a lamb casserole (£17.95), swordfish steak (£20.95) and some creamy baba ganoush (£6.25).
Quirky cocktails and modern munch: Anatolian Grill has it all.
Turkish Delight
A renowned, family-run business since 1985, now managed by passionate mother-and-son team Deniz and Tina Dikgoz, Turkish Delight is Chorlton’s go-to for authentic and contemporary Anatolian cuisine. Loved by locals, the restaurant is usually buzzing with families, date nights and friends celebrating birthdays, thanks to its cosy, welcoming atmosphere and affordable home-style menu. Though the huge, award-winning kebabs usually steal the show, with lamb shish (£9.90), garlic chicken (£9.90) and more served with nan bread and salad, there’s plenty more to tuck into; think slgara bolek (lamb-filled pastries at £4.90), yaprak dolma (vine leaves stuffed with tomatoes and herbs for £4.90) and freshly baked pide.
Istanblue Royton
Using the freshest ingredients and occupying chefs who've spent years working in the finest restaurants, Istanblue Royton is a must-visit when scouring the north for droolworthy food. This eatery's space oozes charm, with ropes laced across the ceiling, mounted photographs showcasing intimate moments in Turkey and plush, orange seats. You'll discover hand-crafted kebabs on the menu here and see why it was named the best fine dining restaurant at the British Kebab Awards, in addition to traditional meatballs (£8.95) and a spit-roasted sirloin steak doner (£29.95 each), perfect for groups.
Feeling Istanblue? Then head to this pretty joint.
Sultanahmet Grill
You'll find the most scrumptious meatballs at this Turkish
restaurant on Wilmslow Road, which is reason enough to visit
Sultanahmet Grill alone. The establishment was
opened in 1920 by Mehmet Seracettin Tezçakın, who after
seeking his fortune in Istanbul, discovered the recipe for the
perfect meatball and passed it on through generations. It's a
humble abode from the onset and has a canteen-like feel inside
thanks to its checkered flooring and brick walls. Come for the
signature dish (£12) and stay to wolf down chicken sizzlers (£17),
koftes (£14.50) and more.
Istanbul Restaurant
For a Turkish restaurant in Cheetham Hill, look no further than this gorgeous hangout. Packed with floral decor, leafy greens and neon signage, this multi-coloured eatery is the home of the kabab. Dishes are made with love by experienced chefs who understand the cuisine innately, perfecting their own blend of ingredients to construct delicate plates. Istanbul Restuarant's menu is bursting with top-tier tasty dishes like sucuklu pide (£13.55), topped with garlic sausage and mozzarella, chicken kofte beyti (£16.95) plus plenty of veggie options like falafel or moussaka.
This Turkish restaurant in Manchester is halal and hot.
Tegtat
Consider this authentic bakery when your tummy's rumbling for some Turkish fare - you'll find Tegtat slinging out soft simit sandwiches made in-house at Unit 14. With outposts popping up across the country, this cafe is aiming to be the best in the business when it comes to delivering delectable boreks, stuffed with feta cheese (£3.99), partnered with Turkish tea, and the likes of trilece (a light sponge soaked in either pistachio, chocolate or caramel at £6.49) for dessert.
The perfect place for a sweet treat.
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