Mangal 2

In 1987, Ali Dirik relocated to London from Istanbul, where he had been working as a young and aspiring chef. The first Mangal Ocakbasi was established by him and a business partner in the back alleys of Dalston in less than four years. The first of its kind in London, the inventive "ocakbasi" restaurant quickly developed a cult following and won multiple accolades from the press. In 1994, Ali launched Mangal Ocakbasi II and later cut ties with the first establishment. With a bigger seating area, a lot of additional items on the menu, plus an already popular cuisine, Mangal 2 quickly gained a following among the locals.

The moment you enter Mangal 2 and are engulfed by the restaurant's sweet, smokey aroma, everything that touches their enormous charcoal grill is elevated to greatness. These masters of the flames prepare hearty meals like adana kofte and the giant plate of their mixed grill while running the funniest Twitter account in the hospitality sector. In case you were wondering, yes, it is the artistic couple Gilbert and George eating supper in the middle of the restaurant every night. However, be calm and refrain from bothering them with selfies.

Address: 4 Stoke Newington Rd, London N16 8BH, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 20 7254 7888
Rating: 4.2/5.0, 658 Google reviews
Website: http://www.mangal2.com/