In 1993, Ahmet Ustunsermeli from Guziantep set up a bakery in 1993 where he started a business introducing delicious, authentic baklava to the streets of London. Soon after, he opened the doors to his restaurant, Antepliler, in Green Lanes. Overtime the restaurant has become more and more established, serving delicious Turkish platters to its guests. The area it is situated in is even referred to as ‘Little Turkey’, as other establishments have been set up there, all serving traditional Turkish dishes, and some with a modern twist.
Antepliler means ‘from Antep’, the area known as Gaziantep, which is located in the south eastern region of Turkey and is one of the world’s continuously inhabited cities. This city has an established long gastronomic history influenced by the Arabs, Persians, Alexander the Great, the Romans, Byzantines, Seljuk Turks and the Ottomans. Gaziantep is also known as the baklava capital of Turkey. What a title!
Ahmet has made sure to include this historical aspect into the recipes used at Antepliler. One of the ways is by carefully selecting the ingredients used, which includes importing ghee, olives and pistachios from Turkey. Certainly, the menu displays this beautiful range of rich, aromatic and fresh flavours. The meze platters can either be prepared, or you have the option to bring together which exact dishes you would like – hot or cold. Antepliler also has its own range of signature kebabs, each one promising to melt in the mouth, as they are all cooked in range of spices designed to provide a full, warming flavour. We think that the sauteed and spiced slices of lamb served on a bed of baked aubergine yoghurt and garlic sounds incredibly tempting!
This would be a great restaurant to visit with friends and family, to really make the best of all the sharing plates on offer. Antepliler has been a popular choice in the area for many years and shows no sign of slowing down!