Yildiz Restaurant

Pretty much every area in London has a Turkish restaurant that locals, newbies, and hangry wanderers rely upon, and Yildiz is Highbury’s. Calming Arsenal fans and satisfying Islington families since the mid-2000s, this comfortable ocakbaşı grill does the simple things well. Its bungalow-ish room is all about shades of brown and big tables of six and, on an average Saturday when Arsenal is playing, the room is a sea of red and white shirts with golden accents—be it a glistening grilled chicken wing or a shimmering bottle of Efes. All the classics are done well and an order of crispy-edged lamb ribs or piles of buttery rice never disappoint.

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch