Hala Restaurant
Turkish restaurant · Harringay Green Lanes ·
Home-style Turkish food, grills, manti, and fresh gözleme
Home-style Turkish food, grills, manti, and fresh gözleme
"Walking into Hala Restaurant, a Green Lanes stalwart, we immediately knew we were going to be taken care of. Fresh gözleme is prepared by the big front windows, the soundtrack is the hiss of meats being grilled, and velvet seats call for long lunches and even longer dinners ended with complimentary Turkish tea. Even though it’s a big space—with spacious banquettes filled with families lining the walls, tables for four scattered about, and even a conservatory-like back section—this Turkish restaurant is a warm, comfortable place to spend some time. The food is either solid or great, but the sharing platters won’t let you down, neither will the generously stuffed manti or the mixed shish. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: The mixed shish at Hala Restaurant photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Pause Unmute" - Sinéad Cranna
"Hala is arguably the best all-round restaurant on this stretch of Green Lanes. It means “aunt” in Turkish, a name that’s reflected in the generosity of the home-style food, and by the sight of Turkish aunties making gözleme in the window every morning. Diners in the mood for meat should try the adana, kaburga (ribs) and pirzola (chops), mopped up with bread blessed with the juices and fat from the grill, but groups should make room for their excellent versions of içli köfte and manti instead of ordering starters. Solo eaters should also consider the humble paça çorbası: The Platonic ideal of a meat soup taken to its rich, buttery extreme, only achievable by careful stewing of gelatinous sheep’s foot. With ayran and some pickles, this is the ultimate late-night hangover cure." - Jonathan Nunn
"Arguably the most accomplished all-round restaurant on Green Lanes. Hala means ‘aunt’ in Turkish — a name that used to be reflected in the homeliness of the decor, although the Green Lanes arms race has meant a shiny refurbishment. It’s still reflected in generosity of the food served, and by the sight of aunties making gözleme in the window every morning. Solo diners should try the paça çorbası, a platonic meat broth taken to its rich, buttery extreme, only achievable by careful stewing of gelatinous sheep’s foot, served with pickles to cut through. The best of the grills are adana, kaburga or ribs and pirzola or chops, mopped up with bread, but groups should make room for excellent versions of içli köfte and manti." - Jonathan Nunn
"A Green Lanes institution that reopened for lunchtime service, returning to providing the neighbourhood's familiar flavours after operating through the pandemic in limited formats." - Adam Coghlan
"Fully reopened with staff using visors and masks, continuing to serve the generous plates that have made it a Green Lanes institution." - James Hansen
