Excellent food, good service (always a follow after the food and they include free food for returning eaters). I would recommend this to anyone I know. The chicken breast dardanelle is amazing, this dish doesn't have anything too overpowering, and it mixes together great. Along with that the 6 hour braised colorado lamb shanks are great - coming from someone who doesn't usually like lamb! read more

This family-run operation is a wonderful experience in terms of making you feel at home. The walls are decorated with eclectic decor that seems out of place, but in that, feels 'at home', but not so bombarded with 'stuff' that it feels cluttered. The tables are small and the restaurant is narrow, but the sheer length of the restaurant does not give the sensation of it being packed, like eating in the diner car of an old-fashioned train, without the sensation of the bumps of the track. They utilize a kitchen that is a remodeled office in the back of the building, keeping only the cafe counter in the front in tandem with the tables. The service was good, the waitstaff attending at a comfortable pace and using a passive rather than aggressive approach with customers, making their presence without interjecting if you're talking and working in tandem rather than dog-fighting like I see at too many venues. The overall service pace was good, never feeling rushed by the waitstaff with the food coming out just as we're finished with the prior food, not a moment later or sooner. A likable quirk about the place is that like much of Wellesley, it is BYOB. When we were there, 75% of the tables brought wine, and I've found the dishes in general here to be good with a Gewertztraminer from Nashoba Valley Vineyard, being light and fruity enough to complement the more delicate flavors. No corking fee. The Turkish Mezze plate here is amazing, and is well, for lack of a better term, food porn. It is five different dollops of mezze, served with the house warm pita, served in a long plate, forming a wall of pitcher's mounds between you and the guest in front of you to be battered down. The mezze ranges from seasoned yogurt to minty bulgar wheat. Definitely worth having if it is your first time there to sample the full gamut. The red snapper here flakes easily, cooked just right and moist. The fish definitely dominates the tomato and pea sauce, but not in an unfavorable way. It's an alright dish, but the lamb impressed me more. The rack of lamb is a considerably larger dish that is definitely for those with a considerably larger appetite. The mashed potatoes are as good as the ones I grew up having at Al Forno, absolutely crammed with garlic. The figs accompanying it were cooked long enough to bring out the flavor and despite being large, were packed with flavor. It was the full rack of lamb, not just a few chops, simply seasoned and moist and the plate was cluttered with pomegranate seeds. The ingredient selection and sourcing here is extremely good. Mangal definitely lived up to higher expectations than I had of it. It is a comfortable place to enjoy a Turkish dinner with friends. There is ample street parking at $.25 an hour if before 6 pm, free after then. read more

I could eat the bulgur & lentil salad every day of my life - it was that delicious! We went with friends last night. None of us had ever been there and we were all totally delighted. The service was great and the ambience lovely. It was busy but not loud and the food was fresh and flavorful. We shared a mezza platter, an artichoke and a complimentary Portobello mushroom sent by the chef and then each ordered main dishes. My friend shared her tender and juicy chicken thighs with me and I gave everyone a taste of my perfectly balanced salad. The men had lamb dishes. We finished with one piece of the flaky lemon cake and good coffee. I will definitely come back as now I want to try the day version of this charming Turkish restaurant. Thank you Chef Mehmet! Will you open a Jamaica Plain location?! read more

Oh Lord! This place is so special. Turkish food is a premium cuisine in my list and this is one of the premium places to have it. You won't regret dining there. Going for dinner is the best bet because at lunch they only serve sandwiches. Staff are so friendly and welcoming. They recognized us although we didn't go there a lot. You can't go wrong for trying the following dishes Turkish Mezzeh ... Dips with Pita Bread ... You must try it Turkish Lamb Kabab .... WooooooooooooW Lahmacun ... Turkish meat pie Bureik ... Turkish Pastry with Cheese Australian Lamb Ribs with figs Creme Brulee .... although not Turkish but it is so good One thing I realized is that they don't serve Alcohol but you can bring yours with you and they will serve it. Can't fool myself by not going there ever again! read more

Back again, for a third time, and another fantastic meal and great service. We walked in without worrying about resevations, because it's been pretty quiet on our last visits. Tonight, it was very full, but they accommodated us. Service was once again beyond expectations; they apologized to my daughter for not bringing her coat, quickly enough, when we got up to leave right after signing the check. We shared the eggplant appetizer, which we both recommend; amazing flavors. My daughter had the rack of lamb, which was delicious; I had swordfish (the evening special); it was the best swordfish I'd ever had. The highlight of the evening, however, was the hazelnut cake for dessert. Somehow, in the next three days, I want to get another piece of that... Oh, and a P.S. Bring your own wine. They'll open it, but can't sell it. Just a reminder that Utah is not unique in its ridiculous liquor laws. You can't buy wine in some restaurants in Barney Frank's [former] district. read more

Finding a good place for lunch near work can be difficult. But, now, when I want to splurge on time and money, (lunches are in the 9-10 dollar range), I'm going to Cafe Mangal. The atmosphere is cute, and they also have take-out. Being a compartmentalizer, I love the fact that they wrap everything (when getting it To Go) carefully first in paper/tinfoil then in plastic, and that the sandwiches are kept separate from the salads they come with. Though it is not cheap, the food portions are plentiful. I loved my turkey sandwich with Turkish cheese, and they have the BEST BAKLAVA I've ever tasted -- and I've been to a lot of Greek fairs! It's light, airy, rich with honey and moist! YUM. However, my favorite part of the meal was their Turkish Coffee: layers of flavor and sweet as sugar. It's made individually on a stove, and served in a small cup. AMAZING. The service is moderately friendly, and quick, and it's truly a mom and pop shop -- not a chain -- with terrific food. What a blessing! read more

Great food thats what i want to mention first..hard work on kitchen shows the face of the quality on upstairs.. Great place to eat breakfast,lunch or dinner.. One of my favorite is arugula salad with goat cheese and grilled chicken and figs.. read more

Went with a coworker for dinner. Arugula beet salad was awesome. Chicken Dardanelle. Phenomenal dish. Wait staff was friendly and attentive. Chef/owner also came out to check and make sure everything was great. Will deff be back. A must try read more

Great Turkish food in Wellesley. The rack of lamb was absolutely delicious. Not dried out and very moist. Pick any meze plate for a starter and you won't go wrong. Great atmosphere, friendly staff and its BYOB. There's no corkage and they provide glasses. Can't beat that! The only problem is because they have no liquor license, they make up for it with high entree prices. Great food but a bit over priced. read more

Incredible food!! We went for our 25 anniversary and it was spectacular! Love the atmosphere and location. Cannot wait to return

I have gone to this place a few times with friends and relatives due to the fact they do have delicious and healthy salads.. Their pricing is ridiculous! I always promise myself i wont go back in there due to the fact i feel financially raped, but somehow manage to meander back in there when i need a quick healthy meal... I will start looking for another place. The worst part about it is the staff isnt polite or nice. The method is order at the counter and sit down yourself, even prepare your own coffee. The waitress will then bring you your food. In the end, you feel obliged to leave a normal tip when you already did half the work! Good food but NOT worth it! read more

So everyone is right with the reviews for this place. Amazing food, kind of off service. Weird order then sit method, and the arrangement of the dining room seems wrong. Also it is a bit pricey, but worth it considering the freshness of the ingredients. Wellesley Bakery across the street can't even hold a candle to this place if you're looking to grab a good sandwich. Wouldn't hesitate to come back again.. read more

We absolutely love this restaurant! The food is exquisite and delicious; the service is exemplary. This is a small and quaint family owned restaurant. We've never been disappointed in the food and presentation. It's definitely the best restaurant in Wellesley! read more

When eating in Wellesley, I guess I sort of subconsciously make mental allowances for high prices; Cafe Mangal's food probably wouldn't seem worth this kind of money to me elsewhere. But whatever the psychology, I love Cafe Mangal. Just tried the lunch menu for the first time; the pear and walnut salad is really good, as is the grilled vegetable sandwich. It's probably best to eat late, though, as it gets crowded around noon. read more

Cafe Mangal - Mediterranean Near Me - Wellesley, Massachusetts

Wandering around the burbs with a friend, we popped in here for lunch. What a great spot! Totally unassuming from the outside and completely charming on the inside. You order up front at the counter and take a seat where you like. The staff were incredibly friendly, and the food tasty. We both got salads and she also got the vegetable soup. It is definitely a bit pricey for a cafe, but not out of control, nor out of the ordinary for Wellesley Center. Also, BYOB for dinner? SCORE extra points. read more

the rack of Lamb was Amazing.., best I've ever had. The Mezze plate outstanding, there were 5 or 6 selections there, a very tasty smoked eggplant puree, Hummus like I've never had. Cant say enough about those two choices. read more

I just love their flavorful food! It's such a nice change to have something truly special and authentic.

I have been here for lunch couple months ago. Until that day, I had lost hopes of finding a decent Turkish restaurant in Boston (been here the last 8 yrs). The lunch menu (although it is very deli-inspired, has genuine Turkish influences. Aside from its identity, it was a-ma-zing-ly delicious. the sandwiches, the lahmacun, the lemon cookies..) I made a promise to myself to visit them for dinner. And last Saturday, when we were passing by Wellesley, we called them only 15 mins before their closing time. They told us that they will be waiting for us and reminded for the BYOB/W rule. Such a nice gesture! When we arrived, our table was ready and despite being the last night before their closing week for vacation, they accommodated our late dinner with warm and friendly service. The dinner menu is beautifully designed; turkish, greek, french inspired home-made style dishes. nothing was mainstream (meaning you can not find them as quick bites on the streets in turkey.) We tried the eggplant shakshuka (with garlic yogurt! as it should be) and artichoke with peas (a proper 'zeytinyagli'-olive oil appetizer) . Artichoke was a bit lemony for my taste but my greek boyfriend loved it of course. For the main course we got the duck with dried apricots and lamb kebap. The poultry and the red meat were cooked to perfection. still juicy, perfectly pinkish color. Duck sauce had perfectly balanced juices from the apricots. The rice was one of the best rice I ever had in my life after my aunts! I suspected some oniony, herby notes in it, of course with butter. Lamb kebap was Iskender style. Coming from the hometown of Iskender kebap, the pide had meaty juices blended with peppery tomato paste and thick yogurt on top. And red meat topped everything, dripping its perfectly cooked juices down. It was so hard to leave these beautiful plates and move on but we had to order a desert. we got the hazelnut cake. Best hazelnut desert I had-(including Nutella). It was almost like a tiramisu but with hazelnuts. So moist and light. Cant wait to go back and try more! Please have a nice vacation and come back soon to have us one more time! read more

Very good high quality middle eastern food. The lamb is fantastic. I enjoy this restaurant with friends. I like the fact that is is BYOB that just adds to the choices you can shrink with you and not get gouged on the wine charge. Staff is friendly and accommodating and the food....very good! Steaks are also amazing here. It is Wellesley, so it is expensive. I tend to try other restaurants around the area because of that but this is one of the local favorites I will spend a little extra at. read more

I put up with the grumpy service here because the food is top tier. Flavors are simple and extremely well paired, the dishes make being healthy a joy and obviously the Turkish coffee is strong and smooth. I rarely stray away from the Pear and Goat cheese Salad; I got it once five years ago and haven't had the drive to try many other entrees since. Definitely better for lunch, dinner tends to be overpriced and kind of uncomfortable because the set up is very lunchy and too comfy for fine food. read more

Let me put this out there first: the food was very good. But the service was appalling. We were glared at when we arrived because we did not have a reservation at 6:00 on a Tuesday evening. Then, they stuck us at the back of the restaurant and told us we could have the table until 8:00. We ordered soon after and did not receive our food for 45+ minutes. When we ordered, the waitress looked angry when we each only ordered one course. If we had ordered an appetizer and first course, we would have 1) been there all night and 2) been broke. By the time we were finished eating it was almost 8:00, which was ridiculous as we only ordered entrees. Also, they have a bring-your-own-wine policy, which we didn't see advertised anywhere. One entree and no drinks came out to about $35 each with tip. Seemed totally unreasonable for such terrible service. The food was very good, but I don't know if I'd go back just because of how they treated us. I don't know why Yelp had $$ per person... it's WAY higher than that even for just one plate. read more

The food is very tasty! The service is superb and I would highly recommend it! Chef is great. Great variety of flavors

Super fresh food, nice people, fast service, good for takeout or eating there. Chef Mehmet will take good care of you!

Cafe Mangal is our favorite restaurant to celebrate everything. The food is wonderful.We love the pistachio crusted halibut and chicken Dardanelles. Everything is prepared to perfection. The staff are lovely. During the pandemic they kept going and we were so grateful to be able to pick up dinner and celebrate at home. We look forward to being able to eat in the restaurant. read more

I'm lucky. I live in a town that boasts Ming Tsai's world famous Blue Ginger restaurant, Alta Strada and several other culinary gems. But my all time favorite may just be Cafe Mangal and here's why: It's a combination of everything that makes a restaurant great. Food, ambiance, service and the Baklava! I'm Greek. I've eaten a lot of home made Baklava all my life and this makes me an expert on the Turkish pastry. I can say with certainty that Cafe Mangal's Baklava is clearly the best I've ever had. Combined with some Turkish coffee and I'm in culinary bliss. The entire menu at Cafe Mangal is tremendous. They have amazing lunches as well as a great dinner menu. The ambience is warm, inviting and not pretentious. Our server Gul is amazingly sweet and has been there for 13 years! I can't say enough about this restaurant. I love this town for many things, one of which is its top school system rivaled only by its restaurants. Do yourself a favor if you are in the Boston area, make a trip to Cafe Mangal, order any of the entrees and then follow that up with the Baklava and you will go home happy. Oh and it's BYOW so make sure to bring a couple bottles of your favorite wine :) read more

Where to begin? This place is incredible. My family has been here probably 3 times in the past but going on this past Saturday night for my father's 67th birthday was the first time since 2008! They gave us a wonderful, adorable table at the very front with 4 seats. You are seated in these COMFORTABLE and CUSHIONED chairs and have an intimate, small table. It is BYOB so we brought a bottle of red wine. Our water-girl from Williams College was so sweet and personable, and of course the staff is incredible all around. We are Turkish so we get a little bit of a special treatment from the waitresses, owner, and chefs--however the food is INCREDIBLE. The mezze plate is delicious to start and everyone but me ordered the lamb which looked wonderful. I had the swordfish which was a special of the night and it was cooked and seasoned to perfection. The place is expensive (dishes are up to 33 dollars) however it is BYOB and the ambiance is to die for. We will be coming back every single Birthday from here on out ... Kolay Gelsin! read more

When my girlfriend comes to Boston (she lives in NYC), we go here. Cafe Mangal's lunch is super expensive, but it's also worth every freakin' cent. Our favorites includes the Smoked Salmon Salad (Mesclun mix, diced cucumbers and tomatoes, capers, onions, lemon, and house vinaigrette) and the Warm Chicken & Tomato Pesto Panini, both of which always tastes like they're made with home loving. I wish I had discovered this place years ago when I was a Babson student, but instead I was busy devouring the thai food in the joint next to Cafe Mangal (Lemon Thai, which has the best tom yum noodle soup in the history of my life). But now, as a semi-grown up, I can enjoy Cafe Mangal! Woo! read more

My mother and I absolutely adore this little place. The chef is friendly, and his food is so delicious it's unbelievable. Every piece that goes onto the plate has been well thought out, so the presentation is beautiful and the flavors are mind-melting. It is expensive, so not a regular place for the college kids--you're more likely to see the community of the town of Wellesley and the Wellesley College professors. On top of the meals being wonderful, if you've saved room, dessert is great as well. I'm a big fan of the different baklava's, but my mother would suggest the chocolate cake and the lemon cake. Enjoy! It's a little slice of perfection. read more

Best lunch and salads ever with creative and unique options such as figs, sprouts, half an avocado and more. My favorite is a grilled vegetable sandwich. read more

Everything on the menu is fantastic, beautiful variety, extremely clean, very well run restaurant with lovely hosts!! Thank you read more

OUCH - $35 for one salad, one sandwich and two sparkling waters! I went in for lunch over the weekend. When you get in here, it's a little confusing.... do we seat ourselves? How do we order? Eventually we were asked if it was our first time here and we were given some instructions. We went to the counter in the back to order. The organization of this place could be a little better. When you're waiting to order, the servers are constantly trying to get by (not the best set up). We ordered, were given a table number, and chose a place to sit. The food was brought out quickly. I had the Mediterranean salad and my sister had the roast beef sandwich. Both were tasty, but the pricing was ridiculous. I probably won't be back because I can't rationalize spending this much money for a quick lunch where you order at a counter. read more

This is a gem of a restaurant! I would have given it 5 stars if the prices for lunch were a tiny bit more reasonable...but I admit that I will be back to overspend on a delicious lunch again, and again. Pros: * huge selection of amazing and interesting salads and sandwiches * fresh ingredients (the goat cheese on my goat cheese and pear salad was amazing and generous) * comfortable atmosphere and friendly staff * the crowd is filled with Wellesley cliches, complete with polo shirt and sweater tied over shoulders-- which is pretty entertaining Cons: it isn't cheap! $11 for a salad is a bit much, but it was filling and delicious... Someday I will try this place out for dinner as I have heard it is amazing. Check them out! read more

I'm surprised the snooty town welleslians didn't have the food giddy puertorricans removed from the restaurant. The food is amazingly delicious for such a small establishment. Portions are generous, and the food cooked with love!!! We had a slow braised lamb nestled on eggplant - sultans choice... Divine!!!!! The table shared 3 appetizers... Superb! BYOB, the family personally tends to the table. The aromas and flavors are deep and exotic but not overwhelming. It's small and packs a hungry crowd. Make reservations, bring a crisp dry white, rich ashen soiled red, and enjoy a lovingly prepared, exotic and simple meal. read more

Hidden treasure in Wellesley. Every dish is delicious! Enjoy a slower pace conducive to conversation and the added perk of BYOB

I love that I can still order from them even though Covid has taken away the indoor dining. Do yourself a favor and treat yourself to their delicious take out! Their baklava is to die for. Their stuffed peppers are to die for. Their braised lamb shank? You guessed it... It's to die for. Their dip options are delicious. Their carrot dip and hummus are always so fresh and go good with so many things but especially paired with pita bread. I truly love all their options so I could go on and on but you really should just try it yourself! Looking forward to warm weather so we can eat outside again! Afiyet olsun! read more

I only had a latte here, but it was fabulous. I'd love to go back and try the food, albeit pricey. The staff is super nice and very accommodating. Fun atmosphere; there are trinkets everywhere. I guess if you have a boring companion you'll have something to look at! read more

With its neighbor Wellesley Bakery, Cafe Mangal is one the best lunch spots in town. I'm still looking forward to trying their dinner, but it's wonderful for lunch. The decor is both cozy and elegant--pitch perfect for a catching up with girlfriends when I'm home visiting my parents. There are too many good choices among their salads. My top pick is a toss up between the pear with goat cheese and tuna salad with avocado. read more

This is definitely a gem in wellesley! Every time I come home this is always on my list to come stop. Their food, atmosphere, and hospitality is unmatched. Anything and everything on the menu is delicious, but their homemade salad dressing is not to be skipped! This is a must try spot! read more

This place is number two on my list of BYO places...I'm working on assembling a Yelp list of BYO's. My huz and father in law are in the wine biz so anytime we can bring our own wine it is more than worth it. Mangal is totally worth the drive to downtown Wellesley. Make a reservation though. It is cozy and beautiful inside, with all sorts of antique-y Middle Eastern trinkets everywhere. The lamb is too die for, but is also has a plethora of vegetarian and vegan entrees. There is a vegetarian dinner that is huge and loaded with all there best veg dishes. The eggplant is the star of it. The service is friendly and prompt. I went there during the day to get my in laws a gift certificate and by day it is apparently a casual lunch place that does a lot of take out. I would have never known this!. Go here. Get a friend to drive and bring lots of vino. read more

The set-up for this cafe is interesting-- cafe/lunch by day and fairly swanky restaurant by night. The lunch food is great, but the salads and sandwiches pale compared to the dinner menu. So, I usually stick to dinner at Cafe Mangal. The food here is very good. *Almost* worth the prices they charge...but not enough to come more than a few times a year, unless someone else is paying. My personal suggestion is to order several appetizers for more variety. I have a particular weakness for the vermont goat cheese with pesto, but there never seem to be enough croutons with it! The dishes are all presented beautifully. Set in a cozy cafe, it's a wonderful place to go on a cold winter day. I love the decorations and ambience, but the chattering wellesley wives definitely take it down a notch--they dominate the place. I feel so so about the wait staff...wellesley wives in training, mostly. Despite the prices and fellow diners, I gave CM four stars; the food really is fantastic. read more