This cafe is one of three Gallipolli Turkish eateries on Upper Street, which are all equally good when it comes to food.

The Venue
Cafe Gallipoli is the original of the three venues. It set a standard for Turkish food at the time and continues to dish up quality every day. Although you get basic seating inside and out, the street-side seats are always full when the weather is good. With its distinctive purple door, this is an always packed fixture on the Islington food circuit.

The Atmosphere
They know they serve great food so the Cafe Gallipoli staff are jolly and obliging. The venue can get raucous and it is great for a large party - they are very well equipped for those. It can also get very crowded and you’ll have little elbow room but generally everyone will get a good dose of Turkish hospitality here.

The Food
If you want to recreate your holiday in Turkey, come here. Mezzes, kebabs and the guvec stews are all lovely and fresh. They clearly have a great butcher as the lamb is meltingly good. There is lots of choice for carnivores or vegetarians, and with the portions being what they are everyone will leave satisfied.

Particularly well done are the koftes (minced lamb cutlets) and borek (flaky pastry wrapped around various fillings). Vegetarians will enjoy the nicely seasoned stuffed peppers. Whatever you order, make sure to try the home-made chilli sauce.

The Drink
Go for Raki, a nice Turkish version of Pernod, when the weather is warm. Other choices include Turkish beers and lots of different average wines.

The Last Word
Cafe Gallipoli is still the freshest Turkish food west of Istanbul.

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