Pera Turkish Restaurant Edinburgh - A Colourful Taste of Turkey on Leith Walk
Pera Turkish Mangal & Meze Bar brings a welcome hit of Istanbul warmth to the top of Leith Walk, a place where the grill smoke curls through the air, and plates arrive looking like they’ve been carried straight from someone’s family kitchen.
The menu leans into generosity. You don’t order meze here; you commit to it. Silky hummus with that tell‑tale tahini richness, smoky baba ghanoush that tastes like it’s been kissed by the mangal itself, and a cacik so cooling it practically resets your palate. Everything lands with colour, texture, and a sense of abundance. It offers a confident, traditional take on Turkish grill dining, executed with consistency and a clear respect for technique. The mangal (traditional Turkish charcoal grill) delivers well‑seasoned meats with notable tenderness, particularly the beef shish and lamb koftas, both carrying a balanced smokiness without tipping into bitterness.
Pera has been holding its spot on Leith Walk for ten years now, quietly doing what it does best. It’s an independent, family run restaurant and it’s the definition of a hole‑in‑the‑wall - small, eclectic, and so homely you feel like you’ve wandered straight into Chef Olsun’s own dining room. It’s cosy, unfussy, and built on pure hospitality; the kind of place where the only agenda is to feed you well, feed you generously, and send you home happy.
Stepping inside feels like crossing into a pocket of Istanbul tucked away in Edinburgh. The cosy dining room glows under strings of multicolored lights and hanging lanterns that cast warm, jewel-toned reflections across the walls. Flags from Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and other nations flutter overhead, adding a sense of celebration and cultural pride.
Mismatched wooden chairs, painted in cheerful reds, yellows, blues, and lilacs, surround rustic tables set with gleaming glassware, hammered metal cups, and flickering candles in stone holders. The décor blends homely charm with a touch of the exotic, and it’s charming to say the least.
After ordering some diet cokes, we forgot it was BYOB, we tucked into the Sultans Banquet (£29.95pp minimum 2 people) which started with warm Turkish bread that was soft, toasty, and perfect for scooping up the Cold Meze Platter. It’s a generous spread of nine vegetarian meze, each one with its own little personality. Garlic‑rich hummus, bright pickled beans, tangy cabbage, silky aubergine… all of it fresh, colourful, and exactly the kind of food that makes you keep tearing off “just one more” piece of bread. Every dish was delicious, and together they made the kind of starter you linger over.
Next came a trio of hot meze that showed off the kitchen’s playful side: Halloumi Sucuk, that brilliant combo of squeaky cheese and spicy Turkish beef sausage followed by Sigara Böreği, crisp filo cigars filled with salty feta. Then the freshly made Mucver (courgette, feta cheese, dill and spring onion fritters) served with cool creamy cacik arrived, fragrant, and full of flavour. Each bite brought a different texture and rhythm, turning the table into a little parade of comfort food.
Then came the main event, the charcoal grill platter, the moment we both seemed to pause for. It arrived like a feast meant for sharing: lamb köfte, lamb şiş, chicken şiş, lamb ribs, bulgur rice, and a bright Turkish spoon salad.
The mangal work was spot‑on. The lamb köfte were tender and fragrant, with that deep charcoal edge you only get from proper live‑fire cooking. The lamb şiş carried a beautiful balance of smoke and seasoning, each piece still juicy. The chicken şiş was blistered on the outside, soft on the inside, the kind of skewered meat you keep going back to even when you’re full. And the lamb ribs… rich and succulent.
The bulgur rice was fluffy and savoury, soaking up all the juices from the grill, while the Turkish spoon salad brought brightness - tomatoes, herbs, lemon, crunch - the perfect reset between bites of smoky meat.
It’s the sort of platter that feels celebratory even on a Tuesday night: generous, colourful, and absolutely the star of the meal.
We weren’t finished yet. Dessert was still to come. First a slice of baklava, crisp layers of pastry and pistachio soaked in syrup, sweet but never cloying. A perfect warm‑up.
And then the star. The dish you have to order if you only visit once: the künefe. It arrived hot and golden, the shredded pastry crackling under the spoon, revealing that molten, stretchy cheese centre. The whole thing was drenched in fragrant syrup at the table. It’s theatrical, indulgent, and completely irresistible, the kind of dessert that makes the entire table fall silent for a moment before someone inevitably says, “Oh my god.”
It’s the finale that turns a great meal into a memorable one.
Service is brisk but warm, the kind of hospitality that feels unfussy and confident. It’s not trying to be a destination restaurant; it’s trying to feed you well. And it succeeds.
If you’re after comfort, flavour, and a table that fills quickly with dishes you want to linger over, Pera is exactly the kind of neighbourhood spot that earns repeat visits.
THINGS TO NOTE ABOUT PERA
It’s BYOB (Bring your own bottle)
They are dog friendly
They cater for gluten free, vegetarian and vegan
There is disabled access but there is very little space and the WC is downstairs
Near tram and bus stops
They are open from 5pm, 7 days a week
Pera, 57 Elm Row, Edinburgh, EH7 4AQ https://www.turkishrestaurantedinburgh.co.uk/
My Spoon Award : Gold Spoon 9/10
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