You’ll find this all-day Anatolian restaurant and bar in Finsbury Avenue Square, just a hop, skip and jump from Liverpool Street station.
Baraka roughly translates from Turkish as the word for an old wooden home where people eat and socialise, but the setting for this restaurant is far from humble. Baraka is found inside a listed building and features a swirl of sea blues and terracotta colour tones, alongside an elevated bar which is flanked by high stools and an open kitchen at the heart of the dining room, where guests can watch the team of chefs cooking over flames and coals.
Baraka’s menu takes guests from breakfast all the way through to dinner, with the food offering being inspired by traditional Turkish recipes that have been handed down throughout the generations, as well as featuring a few contemporary takes on traditional Turkish cuisine. Baraka takes provenance seriously too, sourcing much of the produce it uses locally, while spices come from along the Silk Route.
On your visit, you can begin your meal with a selection of mezze plates that might include hummus with lamb, pine kernels and mixed herbs, or hand-rolled pastry filled with warm feta cheese and herbs. Mains, meanwhile, come from the charcoal grill and include a selection of meats and vegetables, with highlights such as 24-hour marinated chicken and lamb shish, as well as lamb kofte lashed with yoghurt and tomato sauce and served alongside homemade bread.
Puddings are taken care of via baklava that has been made in house, and a selection of Turkish delight ice cream. On warmer evenings, Baraka’s intimate outdoor terrace does a good job of transporting diners to Turkey thanks to its abundance of olive trees, while you will also spot some of the herbs that are used in the kitchen on display.