Should you open a Turkish restaurant in Epping Forest?
Quick answer
Epping Forest scores 61 out of 100 on our demand index — possible, but competitive. The council currently has 14 Turkish restaurants against an estimated 1,557 monthly searches for Turkish food, which works out to roughly 7,940 residents for every Turkish restaurant already trading here. The single biggest factor behind that number is review volume per restaurant, which ranks higher here than in most other councils in England and Wales. That combination of supply, search interest and population is what the verdict above is based on: Epping Forest looks possible, but competitive for someone weighing up whether to open a Turkish restaurant in the area, relative to every other council we track.
Read next: How to Open a Turkish Restaurant in the UK in 2026: Step-by-Step Guide
How this score breaks down
How Epping Forest compares in East Counties
Epping Forest ranks 11 of 45 councils in East Counties by demand score, and 6 of 45 by number of Turkish restaurants. The table below shows its four nearest neighbours by score.
| Council | Demand score | Verdict | Turkish restaurants | Monthly searches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Epping Forest | 61 | Balanced | 14 | 1,557 |
| Ipswich | 62 | Balanced | 10 | 1,530 |
| Fenland | 61 | Balanced | 4 | 1,215 |
| East Suffolk | 60 | Balanced | 11 | 1,490 |
| Castle Point | 58 | Balanced | 12 | 1,960 |
Where the gap is
- Epping Forest doesn't show an obvious quality or saturation gap: its restaurants average 4.5 stars (close to the 4.3-star England & Wales average), and its 14 restaurants look broadly in line with local demand — a balanced market rather than an obvious opening.
The hygiene picture
Of the 14 Turkish food businesses we hold hygiene data for in Epping Forest, 100% are rated 5 (the top FSA score) and 0% are rated 2 or below, with 0 still awaiting inspection — the local bar for hygiene is already high, so a new entrant would need to match it from day one.
Where they cluster: Most Turkish restaurants in Epping Forest sit in IG10, EN9 and IG7 — 5 in IG10, 3 in EN9, 2 in IG7.
Restaurants already here
| Name | Postcode | Hygiene rating |
|---|---|---|
| Efezade Mezze Grill | IG10 3ST | 5 |
| Piya Kitchen Ltd | CM16 4AE | 5 |
| Shelly Ongar Kebab | CM5 0BT | 5 |
| The Donr | IG10 1HA | 5 |
| The Maze Restobar | EN9 1DU | 5 |
| The Pizza & Kebab House | EN9 3EL | 5 |
| Express BBQ Fish Bar | IG9 5BU | — |
| Gosht | IG9 5AZ | — |
What it would cost here
Fitting out a 100 m² Turkish restaurant in Epping Forest with a mid-range fit-out, using our small-town cost assumptions, comes to roughly £174,402 – £348,546 up front. The two largest lines are fit-out & build (£90,000 – £150,000) and kitchen equipment (£20,847 – £76,060).
Open the full cost calculator for Epping Forest →
Planning estimate only — see the cost calculator for the full breakdown and assumptions.
Frequently asked questions
- How many Turkish restaurants are in Epping Forest?
- Epping Forest currently has 14 Turkish restaurants.
- Is there demand for a Turkish restaurant in Epping Forest?
- Yes — an estimated 1,557 monthly searches relate to Turkish food in Epping Forest, giving it a demand score of 61/100.
- What would it cost to open a Turkish restaurant in Epping Forest?
- A 100 m² restaurant with a mid-range fit-out costs roughly £174,402 – £348,546 to open in Epping Forest, based on our cost model.
- How does Epping Forest compare to the rest of East Counties?
- Epping Forest scores 61/100 and ranks 11 of 45 in East Counties. The region's top-scoring council is Dacorum, at 80/100.
Thinking about opening here?
Tell us where, and we'll send you the local numbers — population, competition, and rent benchmarks.