Lezzet Mediterranean Grill — Restaurant in Town of Smithtown

f you're craving an authentic Turkish/Mediterranean experience that’ll transport you straight to the streets of Istanbul — run, don’t walk, to Lezzet Mediterranean.

As someone who takes Turkish cuisine very seriously (self-proclaimed connoisseur here), I can confidently say that this spot is the best Turkish restaurant not just on Long Island, but in ALL of New York. Yes, I said it — all of NY.

From the moment you walk in, you're greeted with warm hospitality and the intoxicating aroma of spices that instantly tells you: this place is the real deal. The décor is charming and intimate — nothing flashy, but the kind of cozy that makes you feel like you’ve stumbled into a family-owned gem in a tucked-away corner of Izmir.

Now, let’s talk food. The Adana kebab? Perfectly spiced with a smoky char. Lahmacun? Paper-thin and packed with flavor. The mezzes are a dream — creamy hummus, smoky eggplant salad, and the best ezme I've had outside of Turkey. And don’t even get me started on the baklava — crisp, buttery layers with just the right amount of sweetness.

Every bite feels like a little passport stamp. You can tell the chefs cook with passion and authenticity — no shortcuts, just generations of flavor and love.

Whether you’re Turkish and homesick, or just someone looking to discover a new culinary obsession, Lezzet Mediterranean is it. Mark my words: this place is going to blow up. But for now, enjoy being in on Long Island’s best-kept secret.

5/5 stars. I'd give...

We were seated right away since there was no wait time on a Saturday evening. Drinks and food came on time. My wife ordered lamb shank which was under cooked and hard to cut thru with a regular knife. We waited for a server to come and check how we were doing for longer than usual even though there were only 3 more other tables being served. I had to get up and go by the register to ask for a steak knife, which was not brought by our server. During or even after we were eating our food again nobody else came to see how everything was. I had to get up and take the dirty dishes to the register area myself, thinking that I could get someone’s attention to come to our table to see if we wanted any tea or dessert. No one did. My wife got very upset and decided to leave. Again after waiting a little while longer for the waiter to come so that I can ask for the check nobody was around. Finally we got up and walked to the register to pay. Kitchen area was full of waiters hanging out and eating. I was still thinking about leaving a small tip however there was a $6.50 service charge fee added on the bottom of the check. This was our second time dining at Lezzett and the last. Won’t be going there again as food was good but service...

Stopped in with the wife to a local spot we’d heard good things about and had been meaning to check out, my only regret is that it took us that long.

We started our meal with some breads and a sampler of their dips. I could make a meal of the dips alone. They were all great, but the roasted eggplant and tomato dip gave me eggplant parm vibes, I couldn’t get enough. We next got a mixed pide. It was described as the Turkish version of pizza and lived up to its reputation. Delicious.

We could have stopped there, but made the happy “mistake” of ordering entreees. The gyro platter was large and delicious with flavorful meat and delicious pickled vegetables. We also had an order of the lamb in yogurt sauce which came on a bed of what I’d describe as almost a gnocchi. Such a unique and flavorful dish.

My wife loves dessert and they had a dessert counter out front with all fresh made desserts. We had to try a pumpkin dessert as well as chocolate baklava. Both were fresh and delicious. This was one of my first times having Turkish food and I can’t wait to go back and explore the rest of the menu. Long Island lacks in true ethnic food but with places like this out there is evidence it’s there if you look...