Should you open a Turkish restaurant in Westminster?
Quick answer
Westminster scores 82 out of 100 on our demand index — likely worth exploring. The council currently has 52 Turkish restaurants against an estimated 14,770 monthly searches for Turkish food, which works out to roughly 3,713 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: Westminster looks likely worth exploring 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 Westminster compares in London
Westminster ranks 4 of 33 councils in London by demand score, and 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westminster | 82 | Underserved | 52 | 14,770 |
| Lambeth | 87 | Underserved | 16 | 3,900 |
| Ealing | 85 | Underserved | 16 | 3,030 |
| Tower Hamlets | 77 | Underserved | 44 | 7,340 |
| Camden | 75 | Underserved | 31 | 4,930 |
Where the gap is
- Westminster 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 52 restaurants look broadly in line with local demand — a balanced market rather than an obvious opening.
The hygiene picture
Of the 52 Turkish food businesses we hold hygiene data for in Westminster, 47% are rated 5 (the top FSA score) and 9% are rated 2 or below, with 0 still awaiting inspection — hygiene standards locally are mixed, leaving room to differentiate on cleanliness.
Where they cluster: Most Turkish restaurants in Westminster sit in W2, SW1V and W1T — 8 in W2, 5 in SW1V, 5 in W1T.
Restaurants already here
| Name | Postcode | Hygiene rating |
|---|---|---|
| Apoy Oxford Street | W1G 0BD | 5 |
| CHARGAL | W1J 8DS | 5 |
| Grand Bazaar | W1U 1EJ | 5 |
| Kibele | W1W 5PJ | 5 |
| Le Bab | W1B 5PW | 5 |
| LOKAL RESTAURANT | W1W 8AG | 5 |
| Lokkanta Meze And Barbeque | W2 4UA | 5 |
| Lovemacun | SW1V 1DE | 5 |
and 44 more See every Turkish restaurant in Westminster
What it would cost here
Fitting out a 100 m² Turkish restaurant in Westminster 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 Westminster →
Planning estimate only — see the cost calculator for the full breakdown and assumptions.
Local context
Westminster is the busiest Turkish dining market in the country by review volume, and almost none of it is neighbourhood trade. The restaurants cluster around Edgware Road and Paddington in W2, Fitzrovia and Soho in W1T and W1D, and Pimlico in SW1V, serving tourists, office workers and the Gulf and Lebanese food economy of the Edgware Road corridor. Rents are the highest in the data and hygiene scores are middling for that level of trade, with fewer than half the rated restaurants holding a 5. This is a market for an established operator with capital and a chef who can hold a 4.5-star average against very demanding reviewers; it is not a first opening.
By Turkish Restaurants UK Editorial Team · Updated 2026-09-04
Frequently asked questions
- How many Turkish restaurants are in Westminster?
- Westminster currently has 52 Turkish restaurants.
- Is there demand for a Turkish restaurant in Westminster?
- Yes — an estimated 14,770 monthly searches relate to Turkish food in Westminster, giving it a demand score of 82/100.
- What would it cost to open a Turkish restaurant in Westminster?
- A 100 m² restaurant with a mid-range fit-out costs roughly £215,652 – £419,166 to open in Westminster, based on our cost model.
- How does Westminster compare to the rest of London?
- Westminster scores 82/100 and ranks 4 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.