Should you open a Turkish restaurant in City of London?
Quick answer
City of London scores 38 out of 100 on our demand index — a tough market right now. The council currently has 8 Turkish restaurants against limited local search data, which works out to roughly 780 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: City of London looks a tough market right now 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 City of London compares in London
City of London ranks 29 of 33 councils in London by demand score, and 32 of 33 by number of Turkish restaurants. The table below shows its four nearest neighbours by score.
| Council | Demand score | Verdict | Turkish restaurants | Monthly searches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of London | 38 | Saturated | 8 | — |
| Greenwich | 47 | Balanced | 18 | 680 |
| Sutton | 46 | Balanced | 19 | 980 |
| Barnet | 33 | Saturated | 53 | 430 |
| Barking and Dagenham | 29 | Saturated | 13 | 80 |
Where the gap is
- City of London 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 8 restaurants look broadly in line with local demand — a balanced market rather than an obvious opening.
The hygiene picture
Of the 8 Turkish food businesses we hold hygiene data for in City of London, 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 City of London sit in EC4M, EC2V and SE1 — 1 in EC4M, 1 in EC2V, 1 in SE1.
Restaurants already here
| Name | Postcode | Hygiene rating |
|---|---|---|
| Baraka Restaurant | EC2M 2PA | 5 |
| Fora Restaurant | EC3A 7DB | 5 |
| Haz Bar & Restaurant | EC2N 4AW | 5 |
| HAZ Plantation Place | EC3M 3BD | — |
| HAZ Premier Place | E1 7DJ | — |
| HAZ St Paul's | EC2V 6HD | — |
| Le Bab St. Paul's | EC4M 9AF | — |
| Tas Pide | SE1 9DR | — |
What it would cost here
Fitting out a 100 m² Turkish restaurant in City of London with a mid-range fit-out, using our London cost assumptions, comes to roughly £215,652 – £419,166 up front. The two largest lines are fit-out & build (£121,500 – £202,500) and kitchen equipment (£20,847 – £76,060).
Open the full cost calculator for City of London →
Planning estimate only — see the cost calculator for the full breakdown and assumptions.
Frequently asked questions
- How many Turkish restaurants are in City of London?
- City of London currently has 8 Turkish restaurants.
- Is there demand for a Turkish restaurant in City of London?
- Local search volume data is limited for City of London, but its demand score is 38/100 based on the other components.
- What would it cost to open a Turkish restaurant in City of London?
- A 100 m² restaurant with a mid-range fit-out costs roughly £215,652 – £419,166 to open in City of London, based on our cost model.
- How does City of London compare to the rest of London?
- City of London scores 38/100 and ranks 29 of 33 in London. The region's top-scoring council is Kensington and Chelsea, at 90/100.
Thinking about opening here?
Tell us where, and we'll send you the local numbers — population, competition, and rent benchmarks.