Olives And Figs

This is a true gem near the Old Spitalfields market. Tucked in Artillery lane this place offers some of the best Turkish/​Mediterranean food you can find around the area. I would highly recommend this place to everyone. The Baklawa is to die for. Good spread in general. Something delicious for everyone here.

It’s rare to try out a new restaurant and liked everything I ordered. Olive and Figs is one of those places on my list. I was in town with some co workers, one of which is on a low carb diet. So after seeing some good reviews of this Turkish restaurant with good selection of grilled meats, we figured to give it a try. It was 8 PM on a Monday evening so the place was quite empty which was nice as we wanted to catch up on some work discussions (I think there was just one other table occupied).
The restaurant is located in a tiny little alleyway which added to the charm but did make it a challenge to find. The place is also very small… I’d call it a hole in the wall type.
We looked through the menu and ordered the hummus, grilled sausage, and grilled sardines for appetizers and the lamb chops, chicken kebab, seared fish, and lamb kebobs for entrees. I can honestly say that we all loved everything. Oh, even the mint tea was delicious. This has just become my go to place every time I come to London (once every 2 months).

Have been here on numerous occasions. From birthdays to we-​need-​to-​get-​out-​of-​the-​office impromptu lunches. The place is a find. The staff are attentive, unobtrusive and polite. You can get in and out in a lunchtime without having to resort to to sort of microwaved goo you tend to find at some places. Everything there is cooked for you when you order and if you don’t believe it, you can go up the huge charcoal grills at the back and watch them do it. There’s a view of it from the restaurant area.
Definitely one for the carnivores. I made the awful mistake of organizing a welcome-​lunch for a new girl only to learn she was vegetarian. There are a few veggie options but I’d wager you might be better off somewhere else if you have a lot of non-​carniverious folk among your party.
Food has been consistently of a high quality. They’re not whipping up foams and emulsions, it’s fairly simple food cooked really well. Meats are always juicy and tender, never dry or stringy. Rice is fluffy and light. Sauces are on the table so you can perk your dish up however you please.
One star off because I swear the last few times I’ve been, the portions have been a little smaller than they used to be though that may just be me. For the price it’s still a bargain. And none of that nonsense where you can only order X dish if a minimum of 2/​¾ order.
Really glad it’s one of my local/​regular places to eat. Highly recommend giving it a go if you’re in the area

Great food and perfect for a quick lunch. Starters are brilliant, can’t go past the Borek and the Kul Basti for your main is something else. Definitely meat heavy but cooked to perfection!
The best part of all is the Turkish delight is authentic!

This a great place for a casual meal out… especially if you are a big meat eater. The prices are really very reasonable, though overall experience is that of a more expensive restaurant.
The food is very good, with some pretty decent cuts of meat. The hot and cold mezzes are also great for sharing, and trying a handful of new dishes/​flavours in one night.
Also, its BYOB, so for the big drinkers on a budget, this a great way to enjoy a night out, without worrying about those extra pennies. The service is very good… sometimes a bit too efforted, but not to a point where its a nuisance. Overall a really comfortable and relaxed atmosphere. I will definitely be back!

After the pub over the passageway kicking out at 9pm (no, I still don’t understand it), we remembered that eating while drinking is a good idea. I’m not usually the biggest fan of Turkish food, given that I don’t much care for bread and dips, but I am a fan of cheap eats and tastiness.
And that’s what you get here. Friendly staff, who even managed to find us a bottle of red that someone had left behind (it’s BYO). Mezes were hit and miss — cold meze was indeed just bread and dips, with no dolma, strangely. But that’s fine because I don’t like it. The hot meze was very tasty and two went down very well. Little boreks, spicy sausages, all nice things. they’re both small, but they’re also £3.95 a pop. seriously good value.
Still hungry, we shared a chicken shish wrap, which was enormous and the highlight of the meal for us (and I think one person would have struggled with all of it). How all this came to just £17, I still don’t know. But despite not much liking Turkish food, I left full up and not much poorer. If you can find this place, do pop in for a bite to eat.

Nestled into one of the Jack the Ripper hideaway street, the atmosphere walking here gives you some of that Old London feeling. The hot and cold mezze provide the perfect starters to share among people, with lighter or heavier main meals ranging from kebabs to steak. The desserts are homemade and the traditional turkish coffee, mint or apple tea provides the perfect finish. I come here once a month with the same group of friends. We normally shut the place down and with the BYOB policy, we can choose whose turn it is to bring the raki.

Small turkish and meze bar near Spitalfield, totally recommended if you want a nice lunch /​dinner for less than a tenner! Portions are reasonable (don’t expect anything massive) and food is tasty. Not too many vegetarian options on the menu, but the vegetable kebab was yummy enough. Starters are tasty too, good for sharing… try the dolma (rice wrapped in wine vine leafs), tabbuoleh and the hummus (homemade)

American on pleasure trip to London. Tried this relatively new place near the Waterloo Station. Cheap eats… Healthy and fresh. Great flavors and portions. The service was friendly and intimate.