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When curating a roll of London’s top dining spots, one might foresee familiar high-end venues. But, nestled prominently among these food titans is a unpretentious salonu located in a outlying corner of northern London.

An Shocking Honour

The little Turkish eatery, focusing in the specialties of Mersin, a port city on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast, has been named the 4th finest restaurant in the capital by a respected culinary publication. This honour has made the proprietors totally astonished.

“I am completely shocked,” states the proprietor, referring to his family’s hard graft that culminated in their modest restaurant achieving such a lofty ranking on a notable 99-strong list.

A Appeal of Simplicity

This small shop, which started as a basic cafe before its conversion into a buzzing destination, has kept much of its earlier character. It fits just over 20 people and, aside from the impressive live cooking display, the layout remains mostly unchanged. “It is a tiny and intimate space,” notes the owner.

A Signature Dish: Tantuni

However, it’s all about the cuisine, and this eatery more than delivers. The restaurant’s namesake dish, tantuni, is a uncomplicated pleasure. Choice of meat—lamb or lamb or chicken—is prepared via steaming to keep a tender texture.

The meat is then thrown into a massive pan with spices and oil, which are added in gradually. Once the savoury mixture starts to simmer, freshly made lavaş—a thin, flexible bread—is placed on top to absorb all the aromas. Thinly sliced onions and a sprinkling of parsley are placed before the savoury meat is folded securely inside.

The wrap is usually enjoyed with a squeeze of lemon or some pickles. The end result is a powerful burst of taste, with subtle hints of sumac, sharp onions and rich, paprika-red oil bringing it all together.

Beyond the Classic Tantuni

There is also yoğurtlu tantuni, where the meat-filled lavaş is chopped and finished with yogurt, tomato sauce and aromatic brown butter. The leading food critic labelled this dish “a part of London’s few flawless, impeccable dishes”.

For a sweet finish, the restaurant’s künefe proves a delight. It is soaked in lighter syrup than found elsewhere, giving it a deeper, toastier and less sickly taste.

Outranking the Stars

Interestingly, this modest spot has outplaced several illustrious three-Michelin-starred venues. It finds itself just behind the summit of the list, just after other esteemed dining destinations.

Whereas two people could readily leave the restaurant full for below £25, comparable meals at luxury establishments can start at significantly more than that amount.

A Creed of Hospitality

It is also part of several Turkish restaurants included and is situated well beyond the city’s most expensive zones. “It’s not about luxury. London is an expensive city. There is an assumption that in an expensive place you’re going to have the finest service and top food but I do not believe in that,” states the owner.

“In my view what is most important is hospitality, kindness and somewhere you can be yourself and be calm.”

The sentiment is shared by the list’s editor, who remarked that if he were in a position of authority, he would “require to have every chef in London come to this spot as a finishing school, to teach them the traps of excess, and to reveal what is attainable if you do a few – or three – things to their utmost best”.

The Path of Hard Work

Unlike many chefs managing kitchens in the list’s highest ranks, the head chef behind the food did not apprentice at fancy restaurants. “I feel truly proud of our shop and our mum,” says her son.

Numerous restaurants take years to find their footing, but this eatery first started seven years ago. Its success is owing to long, grinding, seven-day weeks of work.

“My mum used to be very tired. She would buy ingredients in the morning and make the food in the afternoon. Everything is made by hand; she would manage all of this. She is a single mum and she had a social life but her friends would come here to help her. She had children and a house to care for as well. Each of these duties shaped her into what she is now: a brilliant person,” he shares.

A Achievement for the Culture

The restaurant’s accolade is bound to have meaning outside its own doors. “In my opinion numerous people would be pleased, as I am, because the Turkish community is a major part of London,” notes the owner, emphasising the greater meaning of this gastronomic honour.