Restaurants

In recent years, the side street on which Mangal is located has significantly improved, mainly due to the opening of the Arcola Theatre. What keeps Mangal abuzz, however, is its legendary and quite specific reputation. There are no frills in decor or service, staff are curt, and starters and desserts in short supply. There are no menus. The thrills are in the grills. Diners arrive and queue with the takeaway crowd in the small entrance. Having chosen a kebab from the raw meat on display, they sit in the cramped, tiled interior while it’s cooked. All the standard Turkish grills are usually available. A çop şiş came in an enormous portion: small cubes of beautifully grilled meat served on fine saç bread, with a side order of pide. The salad contained a lot of freshly shredded carrot and red cabbage, with a good deal of pickled gherkin. Though prices here are no longer ridiculously cheap, and the competition is now much fiercer, it’s still worth visiting Mangal at least once to see why this remains a cult restaurant.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2008