Britain’s best kebab shop revealed in list of finalists

Kebabs are mostly known as the go-to meal for boozy Brits after a long and hard drinking session.

But for this list of finalists, there’s much more to a doner than just soaking up the night’s alcohol. 

Contenders have been named for this year’s British Kebab Awards, with 16 categories up for grabs by Just East.

Kebab houses from every corner of the UK will battle it out for gongs including chef of the year, best delivery and best fine dining.

Kebab houses from every corner of the UK will battle it out for gongs including chef of the year, best delivery and best fine dining (stock)

More than 5,000 different businesses were put forward by the public, before the list was whittled down into just 153.

Winners will be announced in a ceremony at the Westminster Park Plaza Hotel on March 12.

The UK’s first kebab shop, Istanbul Restaurant in Soho, opened during the Second World War – there are pictures of it in the Imperial War Museum.

However it was not until 1966 that the famous doner kebab – cooked on a vertical spit – first appeared with the opening of the Hodja Nasreddin Kebab House by Çetin Bukey and Kojay Hüsey in in north London’s Newington Green.

There are now over 20,000 kebab outlets in the UK selling around 2,500 tonnes of lamb and chicken doner a week.

Chef of the year

Besnik Hajdari /Javit’s, Gilmerton, Edinburgh

Aziz Gezer / Uni Kebab, Southampton

Bektas Avci / Merhaba, Cambridge

Emrullah Sasmaz /Abra Kebabra, Croydon

Bulent Demir / Misya Meze & Grill, Old Town, Stevenage

Erhan Karakoc/Istanblue, Royton, Oldham

Haci Akdogan / Haz Restaurant, City, London

Ali Dirik / Mangal 2 Restaurant, Stoke Newington, London

Ali Cicek / Cyprus Mangal, Pimlico, London

Mazlum Demir / Skewd Kitchen, Barnet, London  

Mazlum Demir and Skewd Kitchen in Barnet, London are up for the prestigious best chef of the year award

Best customer satisfaction

Uni Kebab, Southampton

Arabica Bar & Kitchen, Borough Market, London

Greek On The Street, Croydon, London

Malpas Barbeque, Chester

A’la Turka Turkish Barbecue & Grill Restaurant, Birtley, Gateshead

Olives and Meze, Clapham, London

Kabul City Restaurant, Edgware, London

Misya Meze & Grill, Old Town, Stevenage

Sahadet, Ilford, London

Hiba Express, Holborn, London

Sahadet in Ilford, London is among the nominees for best customer satisfaction

Sahadet in Ilford, London is among the nominees for best customer satisfaction

Best value restaurants

The Meze Bromley, Bromley, London

Akarsu Turkish Restaurant & Grill, Durham

Gokyuzu, Harringay, London

Aslan Bar & Grill, Weymouth

Persian Paradise Restaurant, Southampton

Turkish Kitchen, Peterborough

Petek Restaurant, Stroud Green, London

Sultan Sofrasi, Bow Church, London

Divan, Finchley, London

Urban Spice, Manchester 

Aslan Bar & Grill, Weymouth has a lot to be excited about, and could take home the best value award

Aslan Bar & Grill, Weymouth has a lot to be excited about, and could take home the best value award

Best newcomer kebab house in London/outside London

Meze Lounge Sidcup, Bexley, London

Istanbul Grill, Denton, Manchester

Can’s Meze Upminster, Upminster, London

The Royal Albion Kebab King, Hounslow, London

Pita and Brew, Newcastle upon Tyne

Melin Bar & Restaurant, Harlow, Essex

Rakki Rakkas, Nottingham

Pircio, Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire

The Skew Hutton, Brentwood, Essex

Rakki Rakkas, Nottingham may be named the best newcomer kebab house in London/outside London

Rakki Rakkas, Nottingham may be named the best newcomer kebab house in London/outside London

Best kebab restaurant in South and East London 

The Meze Bexleyheath, Bexleyheath

Lahore Kebab House East, Whitechapel

Cappadocia Restaurant, Kingston

Teras, Walthamstow

Efes Restaurant, Tower Hamlets

Istanbul Grill Restaurant, Havering

Pivaz Restaurant, Hackney

Ambience Restaurant, Wimbledon

Mezzom, South Woodford

Nazar Restaurant, Hackney

Teras in Walthamstow is up for the best kebab restaurant in South and East London award

Teras in Walthamstow is up for the best kebab restaurant in South and East London award

Best kebab restaurant in North and West London

Testi, Stoke Newington

Ali’s Berlin Doner, Southall

Diyarbakir Restaurant, Harringay

Selale Restaurant, Harringay

Kervan Sofrasi Restaurant, Finchley

Durum Restaurant, Finchley

Hala Restaurant, Harringay

UMUT 2000 LIMITED, Harringay

Devran, Harringay

Persian Kebab, Acton

Persian Kebab in Acton is among those up for the best kebab restaurant in North and West London award

Persian Kebab in Acton is among those up for the best kebab restaurant in North and West London award

Best takeaway in London 

Brothers Kebab, Addiscombe, Croydon

Brothers Kebab & Fish Bar, South Ealing

Greek On The Street, Croydon

Abra Kebabra (Image: Google Maps)

Abra Kebabra, Croydon

The Best Kebab, Old Street

Planet Kebab, West Croydon,

The Best Turkish Kebab, Stoke Newington

West Kebab, Perivale

Kebab Centre, South Croydon

Pasha BBQ & Kebab, Wimbledon

Archway Kebab, Archway  

Brothers Kebab, Addiscombe, Croydon, has been nominated for the best takeaway in London

Brothers Kebab, Addiscombe, Croydon, has been nominated for the best takeaway in London

Best takeaway regional

Hidden Gem Kebab House, Weymouth

Torquay Charcoal Grill, Torquay 

I am Döner, Leeds

Barbecue, Middleton, Manchester

Kosta’s Greek Deli, Sheffield

Woodview Fish Bar & Kebab House, Castleford, West Yorkshire

Kebab Kitchen, Bristol

Charleys Kebabs & Grill, Sheffield

Armenian Kebab House, Blackpool

Albany Grill, Bexley, London

Istanbul Grill, Woking, Guildford

Master Kebabs, Gillingham, Kent 

Charcoal Grill, Torquay could be named one of 16 winners when the awards ceremony takes place later this month

Charcoal Grill, Torquay could be named one of 16 winners when the awards ceremony takes place later this month

Best kebab restaurant regional

Turknaz Restaurant, Whitley Bay, Northumberland 

Shish Mediterranean Meze & Grill, Southend-on-Sea

The Mad Turk, Stamford, Lincolnshire

Marmaris Kebab & Pizza Place, Dunstable, Bedfordshire 

Anatolia Turkish Cuisine, Lytham Saint Annes, Lancashire

A’la Turka, Birtley, Gateshead

Elder and Wolf, Whitley Bay, Northumberland

Istanbul BBQ, Chester

Likya, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire

Meze Mangal, Bushey Heath, Harrow

Best kebab house in Scotland

Javit’s Gilmerton, Edinburgh

Alla Turca Turkish Restaurant – Grill & Meze Bar, Glasgow

Turkish Carry Out, Edinburgh 

Morello, Glasgow

Dino Pizza & Kebab, Forfar

Dinos Pizza in Montrose

Ada Restaurant, Edinburgh

Corfu Kebabs, Dundee

Verdo Turkish BBQ, Edinburgh 

Verdo Turkish BBQ in Edinburgh is among those who could be named the best kebab house in Scotland

Verdo Turkish BBQ in Edinburgh is among those who could be named the best kebab house in Scotland

Best kebab house in Northern Ireland

Chaska, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh

The Sphinx, Glengormley, Newtownabbey 

The Sphinx Stranmillis, Belfast

Lahore Kebab House, Newtownards, County Down

Mitos’s Kebab, Belfast

The Sphinx is among those fighting it out to be named the best kebab house in Northern Ireland

The Sphinx is among those fighting it out to be named the best kebab house in Northern Ireland

Best kebab house in Wales

Pasha Takeaway, Tregaron

Golden BBQ, Cardiff

Wales Kebab, Abertridwr, Caerphilly

Mezza Luna, Cardiff 

Aydin’s Eatery, Colwyn Bay

Bridge Kebabs, Menai Bridge

Bella Bella, Anglesey

Mold Kebab Burger & Pizza House, Mold

Troy, Cardiff

Marco The Takeaway, Aberystwyth

Mezza Luna in Cardiff is hoping to be the pride of Wales as it battles it out for a top gong

Mezza Luna in Cardiff is hoping to be the pride of Wales as it battles it out for a top gong

Best fine dining

Lokanta, Broomhill, Sheffield

Skewd Kitchen, Barnet, London

Tarshish Mediterranean Grill, Wood Green, London

Veysos Brasserie, Hertford, Herts

Apadana Restaurant, Kensington, London

Havet Restaurant, Bromley, London

Kibele Restaurant, Fitzrovia, London

Ishtar Restaurant, Marylebone, London

Hazev Restaurant, Canary Wharf, London

Sheesh Restaurant, Chigwell, Essex 

Best kebab van of the year

Atalay’s Kebab Van, Thame, Oxon

Diamond Kebab, Cambridge

Hassan’s, Oxford,

Billericay Kebab Van, Billericay

George’s Bodrum Kebab, Gloucester

Mo’s Best Kebab, Trowbridge, Wilts

Just Eat best delivery

Irmak B B Q, Dunstable, Beds

Kashmir Balti House29 Market St, New Mills, Derbs

Marmaris Kebab & Pizza Place, Dunstable, Beds

Wellingborough Kebab House, Wellingborough, Northants

Kebabalicious, Wythenshawe, Manchester

Kebab Ye, Leighton Buzzard, Beds

King Kebab House, Corby, Northants

Dom’s Place, Clapton, London

199 Lower Clapton Rd, London Hackney, London

Charcoal Grill Turkish Restaurant, Enfield, London

Urban Spice, Manchester

Best supplier award

Velis Doner Kebab Manufacturers Ltd, Burton-on-Trent

Best Catering, Edmonton, London

Ace 4 Kebabs, Yateley, Hants

Efes Navstar Ltd, Glasgow

Ozden Catering/ Capital Catering Equipment, Harringay, London

Kral Catering tvexima ltd, Keighley, West Yorks

Star Catering Supplies Ltd

Prime Quality Foods, Enfield, London

J.J. Food Service, Enfield, London

Holland Bazaar, Enfield, London



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