I first came across Bosphorus in Cardiff, and then discovered they also have a restaurant in…read moreBristol. While this means they must be a small chain, they each feel fairly unique - since the one I ate at in Cardiff has a waterside location very different to this one on Baldwin Street in Bristol. The smell of charred meat is what probably draws a lot of customers in here initially, particularly in the summer when the doors are open onto the street - but for me it was the promise of one of my all-time favourite Turkish dishes: Imam bayildi, which translates as "the imam fainted" and is made with aubergine stuffed with onion, garlic and tomatoes. The cavern-like interior is thoughtfully decorated if a little over-the-top, with mosaics and freezes on the wall depicting scenes from ancient Turkey. The mezze selection is wonderful and tasty, and the main dishes - although a little meat-heavy - have plenty of seafood options and are equally delicious. The most disappointing aspect of Bosphorus is how quiet it often is, and reading other reviews it seems not everyone has enjoyed such a good dining experience as I did, and this could account for their lack of popularity. What's great about Turkish restaurants in general, however, is how passionate the staff tend to be about their country and cuisine. I always end up in conversation with the waiter about Turkey, finding out where they're from and which dishes they were brought up eating. The staff here are no different - very friendly and engaging, and very happy to stop for a chat.

As you walk into Bristol and pass over the Bristol Bridge, the first samples of it's culinary…read moredelights are less than impressive. Bosphorus restaurant appears large from the outside, and is also large and empty on the inside. The serve traditional turkish food, and the staff are pretty friendly and helpful. The meals are distinctly average, but make for a good fill up if that's what you're after.

Describing itself as a 'perfect blend of east-meets-west dining', Caffe Sazz's charm most…read moredefinitely lies in its diverse menu. Specialising in Turkish cuisine, you can purchase a number of speciality Turkish dishes, or alternatively, you can indulge in a traditional English breakfast. And if you're stopping for a beverage, this place serves the usual range of teas (including a yummy authentic Turkish blend), coffees and soft drinks, in addition to a full bar. Although it is rather small, Caffe Sazz looks the part with its authentic Turkish decor, deep red walls and all round rustic vibe. And pertaining to its exotic theme, the caffe employs professional belly dancers every Saturday night for some fruity entertainment.

Caffe Sazz is a dreadful name for a mediocre mini restaurant. The owner and staff are nice enough,…read morebut there's a lot more places that I'd rather be in Bristol. I can't tell you whether the food is, as claimed, authentic Turkish fare, as I've never been to Turkey. I have only ever had coffee here and so cannot really comment... but it looks and smells pretty good when I've witnessed it being delivered to other tables. I'm really no fan of Turkish coffee, and ordered without realising this is what I'd get. But in its defence, it wasn't bad. It's the fact that Sazz is suffering from a bit of an identity crisis that I presumed I'd be getting a regular coffee. They serve Turkish, Mediterranean and English food, presumably applying a catch-all and cash in philosophy. I prefer places to stick to what they do best, but I suppose it's safer to hedge your bets in this area of South Bristol, which is still pretty trad despite an influx of 'the beautiful people' over the last couple of years. With belly dancers on a Saturday night, it may appeal to the culturally curious...?

Now, this has to be a great place, I mean you can get a Belly Dancer with party bookings of 15 or…read moremore people! You can't say fairer than that! Nazar is described on a website as: "A Nazar or evil eye stone (Turkish: Nazar Boncugu) is an amulet that is meant to protect against the evil eye." It certainly does that, and that seems to have a side affect, which is amazing food! The food is all very traditional, and you can tell it all comes from very frsh sources (and tasty ones at that). You can also indulge yourself in a good selection of Turkish Wines. 'What on in Bristol' says that: "The restaurant attracts a wide range of customers from families eager to discover Turkish cuisine and to cherish memories of being on holiday in Turkey and enjoy the fine delights." Now, i've never been to Turkey, and from sampling some of the food I certainly want to visit! But, I am a bit worried that my expectation might be to high... There is a great feel from the service you recieve, I wouldn't be surprised if it was a family run business (which I am pretty sure it is)

The Nazar is a Turkish and Mediterranean restaurant on Fishponds Road - near Lodge Causeway…read moreWe went there for a meal as it was our wedding anniversary and we hadnt tried Turkish food before. We were not disappointed. Being a novice at Turkish cuisine we opted for the set meal for 2 at £18.50 a head. We had some bread and olives to start - bread was fluffy but really nice. Then came a nice selection of cold dishes including dips, Dolmas, Humos and others we could not pronounce. Next came a selection of hot meze, holumi cheese, meatballs and others. Large portions for starters very nice and good value. This was followed by 2 large mixed grills with chicken and lamb kebabs, lamb chop, savoury meat balls stir fry veg, salad and rice ( loads and enough for another person) The waiter was genuinly friendly and explained what everythiing was. Then we had a selection of Turkish deserts strawberries and cream followed by filter or Turkish coffee. We drank the house wine which was very nice too. Everything was freshly cooked and tasted delicious. What a wonderful place to eat - great menu great service very reasonable prices - we are definately coming again. Recommended please try it - its one of the best restaurants we have been to

Having spent many family holidays in Turkey it just so happens that this little gem is a few…read moreminutes walk from my flat, so it's a fairly easy choice to make make when deciding where to eat on an early summer evening! There's a sunny little terrace out front, with about 8 tables, and it gets a fair bit of sun. Inside it's pretty authentic Turkish decor, open kitchen so you can see the chefs in action. Ezo is located on the busy Gloucester rd so if you want somewhere tranquil this probably isn't the place for you. The food is great I would highly recommend the rolled chicken with feta and spinach, great flavours and cooked to perfection. My partner had the mixed grill which was also delicious this came with lamb, beef patties and grilled chicken with various vegetables, both mains came with rice. Meals are reasonably priced between £10-15 and there's a big selection to chose from. They also do a lunch special, a choice of different wraps served with salad and fries this costs around £7 and in my opinion is an absolute bargain! Drinks are 'ok' good selection of spirits, and bottles of wine as well as a choice of a couple of draught beers and some bottled as well. One down side for me was that if you want to drink wine by the glass you have to drink the house wine, which wasn't great to be honest. As I said before the food does take a while but it's freshly prepared and cooked so the delay is forgiven. It's a place to go to enjoy the atmosphere, company and watch the world go by, I'd highly recommend it and will be visiting again soon myself. Oh and one last don't forget to ask for chilli sauce, it's pretty yummy!!

From the outside, I mistakenly thought this would be some Amazon style restaurant. It is in fact…read moreTurkish...not quite sure who was behind the exterior design! I had never really tried authentic Turkish food before and I was pleasantly surprised. Prices aren't half bad either, with a main dish (and rice or an alternative side) costing roughly £9. I thought the food was really good. Everything is made fresh to order and the ingredients appear to be of high quality. If you are able to splash the cash try the Seabass...its amazing but much more expensive.

This Mediterranean Café - Bar - Restaurant is located in a very lovely little unit in the Airpoint…read morecomplex on Bedminster's West Street. Nestled in next to an express version of one of Britain's largest supermarkets (I think you know what I mean) it is a fantastic relief to find a place like Mezzaluna. With it's menu filled with gorgeous and tasty food which would compliment any evening meal, the restaurant also serves up daily pannini and other items for those of you looking to have breakfast out of the house or for a little treat at brunch. The décor of the restaurant is beautiful and a perfect compliment to the delightful served. The bar is also well stocked and is a very welcome addition to the restaurant, and brings some style and individuality to this little corner of West Street.

This a good place to take your family, or if you're like me, a good place to have some coffee and…read moreMediterranean food whilst getting some work done! The menu ranges from your usual English favourites like burgers, steak and Sunday roasts, but their more European options are worth checking out! Plus, their pizza is fantastic! And I don't say this lightly, but I have given up with pizzahut because of this place. Nice Italian flat base and you can get a 14 inch takeout for £6.00 at the moment! Anyway, I've always loved the atmosphere in mezzaluna, it's a family run local cafe and the owners are always great to sit and have a chat with. Sold?

Maira is a traditional Turkish restaurant that sells a variety of kebabs, pizza, fish, salads and…read moreMezze. The interior is okay, they've got lovely wooden tables and cushioned benches, a lovely chandelier,drapes and pictures but you can't help but see beyond the decoration to the to the lifeless ceiling, walls and glass counter like in a kebab shop. The menu is very meat orientated, they did have two fish dishes and some salads but it's not great for vegetarians and if you're vegan I seriously wouldn't bother. It was a hard choice but my companion and I settled on a lamb Shish and yogurt dish and a salad to share. We also both ordered a traditional Turkish drink called Ayran which is basically yogurt, water and salt served over ice. It was a little strange at first as I'm used to sweet yogurt but it was really refreshing and complimented the food. We were also given complimentary breads, hummus and yogurt dip while we waited for our food. The salad was fresh and lightly dressed. The lamb dish was amazing, it had a layer of cubed bread, lamb Shish, a tomatoey sauce and yogurt on top. They also brought out rice. We only shared a main and salad which was more than enough for two people and the best bit was the bill was only £15!! We were so shocked at how cheap it was we ended up leaving a £5 tip! We'll definitely be going back soon!

Amazing food!!!! Super nice people!! Definitely worth the visit! Been here twice in a week!read more

Many a time has the aroma of cooking meat drawn me to this corner restaurant. This is genuine…read moremiddle eastern (Lebanese, to be precise) fare, but done at take-away prices. If you're trying to find the place look out for the guys smoking hookers and drinking Turkish coffee (which I highly recommend.) The food is just wonderful. This is a kebab shop, but about as far away as the row of greasy kebab selling places at the bottom of Park Street (Bristol's number one location for a fight on a Saturday night, incidentaly). Good quality meat, not horribly greasy, and excellently seasoned. This is somewhere to go for a meal, not just for a end of the night. Although, whilst the food's restaurant quality, there isn't really anywhere to sit, so it's probably best to order out. Go to the Cedar Express to get a proper kebab rather than something that'll clog your arteries.

You wouldn't know it from outside, but when you step into Falafel King on Cotham Hill, you're only…read more5 or 6 steps away from one of the most amazing dining experiences in Bristol. And it's not (just) the food that sets Falafel King apart. Walk down stairs and you'll find a hidden, middle eastern cavern of cushions, sequins and beautiful lighting that is like nothing else I've seen. The space is so nice and so well done you instantly forget that you're in Bristol. Just to the back of this room is a little Shisha Garden with pond and more cushions and bean bags. We came a couple of weeks ago and had some tea, then some food and then just chilled in the Shisha garden for an hour or so. It was so good! The food is incredibly fresh and the mint tea is so refreshing I could drink it all day. In fact, I found out that it wasn't actually tea, but a specific type of mint leaves, which makes me like it even more. I've eaten here a number of times and everything has been great. I particularly liked the mezze platter as it gives you the opportunity to sample lots of stuff. This would be such a great place for a different birthday or work party. It's definitely one of my favourite places in Bristol.

I was taken here on the recommendation of my girlfriend who suggested it for a quick bite to eat on…read moreSaturday lunchtime. To be honest I'm glad we did, I absolutely love middle eastern food and this place was perfect. Everything was freshly prepared, their falafels are absolutely amazing and the portion size was great, whilst being healthier than other restaurants. I went for a falafel laffa which costs roughly £4.50 but was absolutely huge, it comes with 6 falafel, hummus, all sorts of salad and then a choice of condiment on top (I went for garlic mayo) I would say I have a large appetite and this left me feeling full, not bad for £4.50! I took a photo of the same laffa with my girlfriend to give you an idea of size. Being slightly greedy I also bought some of the flapjack which is partially dipped in chocolate for £1. To my eyes it seems to be the chewy granola slices from Sainsbury's finest range dipped in some milk chocolate, a bit of a mark up but still a nice idea. Would definitely recommend the place, I'll be returning soon. If only I worked near it, I'd go there every lunch!