Antep Kitchen Review: Oxford's Best-Kept Turkish Secret (That Everyone Already Knows About)

If you've spent any time on Cowley Road, you'll know the queue outside Antep Kitchen isn't there by accident. We finally got a table to see what all the fuss was about, and — spoiler — the fuss is entirely justified.

Where is Antep Kitchen?

Tucked into Cowley Road, Antep Kitchen brings the flavours of Gaziantep — one of Turkey's most celebrated food regions — right into the heart of Oxford. It's a family-run spot, and that shows in every plate that comes out of the kitchen. No wonder it's picked up a shelf full of awards along the way.

What we ate

Mixed hot mezze (starter)

Falafel, halloumi, houmous, calamari, sigara böreği and sucuk, all on one board — the perfect sharer to kick things off. Every single element landed. The calamari was cooked to perfection, no rubbery bite in sight. The falafel was miles from dry. The sucuk was packed with flavour. And the sigara böreği was crisp on the outside, generously filled on the inside. A genuinely hard starter to fault.

Family platter (main)

Adana köfte, chicken shish, lamb ribs, chicken wings and lamb shish, served with rice, couscous and salad. This was the highlight of the meal, and it wasn't close. Succulent meat, full of flavour, chargrilled to absolute perfection, and portions generous enough to make you wonder if you ordered too much (you didn't). The chicken wings deserve a special mention — some of the best we've had, so succulent and nowhere near overdone. Honestly, picking a highlight off this platter is nearly impossible because everything hit a 10/10. The rice and couscous weren't afterthoughts either — the couscous in particular was so flavourful, which is rarer than it should be. The salad was light and refreshing, and every element on the plate was seasoned with real care.

Baklava and künefe (dessert)

Super flavourful and not overly sweet or syrupy, which can be the downfall of a lot of Turkish desserts. This was perfectly balanced, luxuriously soft, and nowhere near dry. A properly satisfying way to finish.

The drinks

We tried the Dubai Chocolate Baileys and a Pornstar Martini, and both were excellent — the kind of drinks you'd happily order again without a second thought. It's clear the bar side of things gets just as much attention as the kitchen, with a wide variety of alcoholic and soft drinks to suit every palate.

The service

Second to none. The whole team was warm and welcoming from the moment we walked in, and it's obvious they're genuinely proud of the restaurant and their work. That pride translates directly into the atmosphere — it's the kind of place that feels like it's run by people who actually love what they do.

Is Antep Kitchen worth it?

Completely. The food is authentic, fresh and flavourful throughout, and the menu is varied enough to bring you back again and again — there's a fish platter, plenty of individual dishes, and clearly a lot more still to explore beyond what we tried. It's easy to see why this place is a firm favourite in Oxford, and why the awards keep coming.

The verdict

Antep Kitchen nails the brief for pretty much any occasion — birthdays, casual meals, date nights, catching up with friends, all of it works here. Between the chargrilled family platter, the perfectly balanced desserts and the standout hospitality, this is a proper Oxford favourite for a reason.

Would we go back? Already thinking about what we'll order next time.