Turpan Uyghur restaurant — Restaurant in London

After a wonderful day exploring the British Museum, my friend and I decided to break our fast at Turban Uyghur Restaurant in London. This was our first meal of the day, and we were warmly welcomed by the staff, who were not only professional and efficient but also thoughtful enough to provide us with dates for iftar. Their kindness and hospitality set the perfect tone for the meal ahead.

This was my first time trying Uyghur cuisine, and I was absolutely blown away by the flavors and quality of the food. The dishes were rich in spices, yet perfectly balanced, showcasing the unique fusion of Central Asian, Middle Eastern, and Chinese influences that define Uyghur food.

We started with lamb skewers (kawaplar), which were grilled to perfection—juicy, tender, and infused with a smoky aroma. The seasoning, featuring cumin, chili, and garlic, gave the skewers an incredible depth of flavor. Next, we had laghman, a traditional hand-pulled noodle dish served with stir-fried vegetables and tender beef in a flavorful, slightly spicy sauce. The noodles were chewy and fresh, absorbing the rich sauce beautifully.

For the main course, we enjoyed polo (Uyghur-style pilaf), a fragrant rice dish cooked with slow-braised lamb, carrots, and raisins, which added a subtle sweetness that complemented the savory meat. The dish was both hearty and comforting. We also tried gooshnaan, a delicious Uyghur meat-filled pastry with a crispy golden crust and juicy, well-seasoned minced beef inside.

Everything was cooked to perfection, and the flavors were authentic and deeply satisfying. The portion sizes were generous, making it a great spot for sharing dishes with family and friends.

Overall, this was an incredible experience—a perfect way to break our fast with delicious, soulful food. The restaurant is excellent for families, friends, and couples looking for a warm, inviting atmosphere and a taste of authentic Uyghur cuisine. For food lovers and anyone eager to explore Central Asian flavors, this restaurant is a must-visit!

May Allah bless and protect the Uyghur Muslims in their homeland. I will definitely be coming back to try...

One of my classmates suggested this place for our class dinner and it was right choice! As it is quite difficult to find any Central Asian restaurants in London, my heart and stomach were happy to try native cuisine so far away from home. :) The menu was full of different types of my favourite food but if you go to Uyghur restaurant the first option should be lagman (leghmen) which I have also ordered in here. It was my other right choice because handmade noodles in combination with a mix of vegetables and fried dice beef were perfectly cooked! The Uyghur salad was good too. Samsa was fresh and its meat filling was delicious but the dough was a bit too dry. Uyghur herbal tea was refreshing and was served in traditional teapot with traditional cups which made the process of drinking a tea more ceremonial. My third right choice was ordering a honey cake. It was absolutely fantastic - fresh, soft and delicious. Honestly, the best honey cake I have ever eaten in London. I even took one more piece to go. The staff were very nice and polite, and the service was good. For recommendation!

I saw one of the previous reviewers said that this place has not met reviewer's expectations as this person had a privilege to visit Uzbekistan. But first, Uyghurs and Uzbeks are different nations and it's better to keep that in mind. For example, no one will say that after visiting China, he/she found out that Japanese restaurant in London doesn't fit his/her expectations because he/she had eaten something different in China. Secondly, even if most of the Central Asian cuisines have something similar, it doesn't mean that they are identical. And it's great that I can find my favourite native dishes not being an Uyghur in a place like Turpan where they offer a wide range of different Central...

I like scouring the streets of London for independent food spots. I did a little search on google maps and I stumbled upon Turpan. I’ve had the privilege of going to Uzbekistan, so the central(ish) Asian dishes immediately appealed to my palate.

I went for the pilaf, somsa and herbal tea pot. The pulof was rice cooked with carrots and lamb. This was nice, as the rice was fluffy with a slight al dente touch and the carrots were so soft, so each bite was packed with flavour. Unfortunately, it seems like the lamb was cooked separately, as it was quite dry and lacked the infusion of being cooked with the rice and carrots. The somsa were a real throwback, because it’s essentially a samosa but made with puff pastry. They were freshly baked and absolutely delicious, with pieces of lamb meat and subtle spices inside. It was small, however, with sparse filling. The herbal tea was okay, but I saw the twinnings boxes on the shelves, so it wasn’t made with fresh ingredients (which is disappointing).

I came with high expectations, as I’d tasted traditional cuisine from the country of origin, but this is perhaps my issue as it’s difficult to find an establishment which replicates such quality or standards. The portions could have been a little larger.

The staff were super nice and friendly, adhering to covid measures. The establishment itself was very clean and tidy, with indoor and outdoor space. They also had usb ports!

I’m glad I checked the place out, because it is nice and has plenty of items which I would like to return for and explore. If you’ve been to Central Asia yourself, you may want to tone down your hopes,...