Espresso Macchiato
Ali Ocakbasi

Ali Ocakbasi

16 Irving Street, London I-WC2H 7AU, United Kingdom

Turkish • Barbecue • International • Mediterranean


"You can’t deny that Central London has a certain buzz to it! We visited Ali Ocakbasi, a fantastic Turkish Restaurant in Leicester Square and dined alfresco on a warm evening. The staff were super friendly from the outset and there was a lively and relaxed atmosphere. There is a whole host of amazing dishes on the menu focusing on traditional Turkish feasts. You can choose main dishes from the grill or oven or, like us, choose several starter dishes as mezzes. There are 14 cold starters and 5 hot starters so plenty of variety and choice. We paired our mezzes with a glass of Turkish red wine each Buzbag, Anatolia, Turkey £7.75 glass/£39 bottle). It was a warming wine, yet light and crisp with deep fruity notes. We had the following Cold Mezzes all priced at £6.40: Beyaz Peynir – Traditional Anotilan white cheese Acili Yogurt – Homemade yoghurt served with chili red pepper slices on top Kopoglu – Small cubes of fried eggplant, potatoes and green capsicum pepper) served with special tomato puree and yoghurt on top Muhammara – Traditional spicy paste prepared with crushed walnuts, twice-baked bread, tahini, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice Kisir – Special bulghur salad mix with Anatolian spices and vegetables Turkish restaurant in Leicester Square We opted for the following Hot Mezzes: Semsek – Traditional pidette with cheese £3.80) Sigara Boregi – Deep fried pastry rolls, filled with cheese and parsley £6.40) Sicak Hummus – Warm homemade hummus served plain or with your topping of pastrami, Anatolian sausage or both £8.40-£10.90) As you can see we had 8 mezzes between the two of us and this was absolutely plenty. Each dish was pretty much perfect – amazing colours, great levels of spiciness.We were impressed by the quality and flavour of every dish and all had something different to offer the palate. This is just such a stunning Turkish restaurant in Leicester Square. In such a busy part of London you really do get the best of both worlds here – the tranquility of exquisite dining whilst watching the hustle and bustle of the busy tourist hub. There was amazing hospitality, something we saw them deliver to every customer which makes all the difference. A thoroughly recommended restaurant."

Verdi's

Verdi's

237 Mile End Road London, E1 4AA, United Kingdom

Beer • Wine • Pasta • Pizza


"among a large number of fried chicken restaurants, almost food joints and numerous bangladeshi restaurants is a rustic Italian restaurant with an excellent environment. on Wednesday afternoon for lunch I was amazed to see a style similar to that of a first class restaurant. the restaurant was relatiw full for a Wednesday afternoon in mile ende. the menu consisted of a few dressed in different categories that you would see in any Italian restaurants, but with a higher complication. the waiter came to explain the daily specialties that burrata with black truffles shave up and spaghetti with truffle both for reasonable prices. my friend ordered a margherita pizza that arrived with basilikum and parmesan cheese on the side. the pizza was thin crispy crust with a delicious tomato sauce, a simple dish, but prepared for a very high standard. I ordered the rabbit ragout, which was also very tasty and the pasta came al dente, I also ordered burrata with black truffles, both were very tasty. there was a formal environment with a dedicated wine menu. the waiter explained to me that the restaurant was only open two months. this restaurant can be seen as a hidden gem in mile ende and is definitely recommended to appreciate the good hearty Italian cuisine. prices can be slightly high compared to the surrounding restaurants, but for the quality of food and the ingredients it is definitiv a trip and worth the money."

La Trattoria By Alfredo Russo

La Trattoria By Alfredo Russo

15 Cromwell Pl, South Kensington, London SW7 2LA, United Kingdom

Vegan • Italian • Vegetarian • Gluten Free


"Hidden below street level, this restaurant is as one keen reviewer eloquently put it 'a tourist trap ' for nearby visitors to the museums of South Kensington. In essence it hosts an expensive menu with average tasting food. I 'm sure they 're only surviving because of a guaranteed minimum level of customers who 'll unwittingly stroll in without heeding the warnings of these reviews. In the restaurant 's defence, the decor is homely and the service from staff is very attentive indeed I was asked by two separate staff during my meal whether everything was okay which felt a bit parental but mostly non threatening all the same. I 'd gone for the margherita pizza which at £7 seemed like a bargain. You could easily get full on this, despite tasting rather bland. However, I was feeling somewhat adventurous and decided to add pickled artichokes (nope, not fresh) and mushrooms as toppings for £1.50 extra each. Thinking this wouldn 't be enough, I included a side of spinach into the mix for £5: what I was served with was a small bowl of half boiled baby spinach leaves really should 've been another pizza topping as that 's what it turned into. Overall, disappointingly average, and they 'll include a service charge because they expect you to be one of many money donning tourists sprinkling cash in the already hideously wealthy area. Try your appetite resolving luck elsewhere."