Umut 2000 Dalston

"Watching the chefs behind Umut 2000’s grill carefully turn smoking skewers is like watching a gifted musician play an instrument. Albeit a meaty one. The casual Turkish spot has a couple of locations, but it’s the Dalston one that we and other big groups of friends favour most. It’s a reliable destination for perfectly grilled kebabs—from adana kofte to shish—but it’s the perfectly charred lamb ribs that you’ll see tables fight over. They’re a must-order." - rianne shlebak, sinead cranna, jake missing

"There’s something of a perma-argument over what is the ocakbaşı to eat at in Dalston. One person’s Mangal 1, is another person’s Numara Bos Cirrik 2, which is another person’s Umut 2000. We often opt for the latter, if only because elderly Turkish gentlemen have invited us for soup at their table here, and we like that. Umut 2000 is a no-nonsense ocakbaşı restaurant. The smells coming off the grill consistently make our stomach do somersaults and the lamb ribs are Dalston’s finest." - heidi lauth beasley, jake missing, daisy meager, sinead cranna

"Whether you’re at the Dalston or Harringay location of Umut 2000, you should be doing exactly the same thing: ordering an enormous platter of lamb ribs. Fresh from the ocakbasi, fat sizzling and meat perfectly pink and tender, these ribs are one of London’s great go-tos. Served with buttery rice and the always-welcome hospitality of warm bread and salad at London’s classic Turkish restaurants, a meal here never leaves anyone wanting." - jake missing, sinead cranna, rianne shlebak

"Umut is one of Dalston’s best ocakbasi restaurants. The smells coming off the grill consistently make our stomach do somersaults and the lamb ribs are Dalston’s finest. Once upon a time we’d wander in here and eat soup with elderly Turkish men which, admittedly, may not be the vibe you’re looking for on a Wednesday night. Either way it’s a casual, cosy place for a meal. Don’t be put off by the laid-back service: it’s on you to get someone’s attention." - jake missing, rianne shlebak, sinead cranna

"The ocakbasi is the perfect venue for a group dinner — platters of adana, kofte, ribs, and grill-kissed vegetables spread over large tables. There are plenty of options across London, mostly concentrated in Dalston, Green Lanes, and Enfield, but such is the singularity of Umut’s ribs that it gets the spot." - James Hansen