Review Anatoli Turkish Restaurant - Cape Town Central

Lovely restaurant and a pity they're closing down. 2nd oldest restaurant in Cape Town shutting doors due to new landlord... That's sad. But the food was packed with flavour. If you like garlic you'll love most of their dishes. Generous portions at good prices.

Delicious Turkish and Mediterranean entrées (hot ones are yummiest & we divided each dish into 4), service was perfect & friendly, decor is original Eastern. Dinner was still the beautiful experience it was 38+ years ago!

July 2010 It was our wedding anniversary - how to celebrate! Found this restaurant ... booked a table. With a feeling of anticipation, we showered and dressed and drove to Greenpoint. Not knowing exactly which side of Napier Street the restaurant is, we first drove up the mountain. Realised it’s the wrong way, turned around and nearly got caught in a police crossfire. A white Golf was stopped by the police and everyone was standing around, so we swiftly drove around them. You enter the restaurant through big wooden doors. The décor is sumptuous and creative. Persian rugs decorate the walls. There are 2 areas – in the 1 area the ceiling is decorated with fabric and a huge chandelier in the centre. All the tables have tablecloths, covered with big sheets of white paper. After we’ve ordered an Elgin Vinters Merlot 2007 with a waiter (he looked Turkish), we saw this signature in a few frames on the wall next to us. When we asked the waiter, he explained it’s the seal/signature of the Ottoman Empire, Turkey. Our waiter came to our table with this HUGE wooden tray. It’s probably about 1m x ½ m big. Filled with plates of entrées. Most of them are cold, so you remove them from the tray. A few are hot and are ordered from the kitchen. Our choices were: Topig(V): Mashed potatoes and chick peas stuffed with tahini, pine nuts, cinnamon, onion and dressed with chilli oil. It was divine! Arnavut Cigeri(M): Lamb livers tossed in spicy flour, deep fried and served with lemon and sumac dressed onions. I found it a bit tough, but lovely flavours. It’s better to have a group of people to sample all the starters. We couldn’t finish ours. We also had Paul, the octopus (ha,ha – joke), marinated in lemon juice. They have flat wooden boards for the bread. When they arrive at the table with the bread, they slice it with a round knife and slip the bread on top of the paper sheet on the table. Ours had garlic in and was delicious. For our main course, we had red peppers and cabbage leaves stuffed with mince and drizzled with yoghurt. Absolutely scrumptious!!!! I had pasta pockets filled with mince and topped with tomato relish and yoghurt. I will definitely order that again! Hein had lamb stew with rice. The lamb was soooooooooooo flavoursome and soft!!!!! The restaurant has filled up by then and the ambience was amazing! People chatting, sampling food and drinking wine. A belly dancer entertained us for a bit. Although we wondered why it’s called belly dancing … cause she uses every part of her body, not just her stomach. I’ve Googled it, but they can’t give a realistic explanation. Some said it had to do with a dance for fertilisation … or dessert, I opted for Baklava. Boring, but absolutely delightful. Hein chose the chocolate pot but I didn’t like it that much. (Quite a surprise, cause I’m quite the chocoholic!) It was dark chocolate at bottom, with white chocolate on top and rosewater & orange juice in the centre. The table next to us were in ecstasy over the chocolate pot!! They didn’t want to pass it on to the others. With the Baklava I had real Turkish coffee. Brought on this copper dome-tray. Absolutely perfect ending for a sumptuous meal. After we’ve paid our bill, they gave us some small cubes of Turkish Delights to nibble on.

What a wonderful place to enjoy some starters with my friends new and old ... I said starters cos thats all my tummy could manage lol We ordered quite a few ( most) of the displayed starters to try amongst thev4 of us and the food was superb and everything was perfect from service to quality of the food Small warning if u arrive after 7pm good luck finding parking as this is a very popular area and restaurant Our waiter was awesome Pricing from mid to high range but not unaffordable

This restaurant is a gem, and I'm glad we went. Decor is beautiful, with some artifacts that appear to come form Turkey. The restaurant is dimly lit, but the colourful Turkish lanterns created a perfect ambience. The music and the dancer (is it ok to say bellydancer these days?) was great fun, an unexpected surprise! Well done! Service was excellent, and we were super impressed with the waitress' skill to recite menu items and their ingredients from memory. We ordered a variety of meze dishes, and then various main meals. I had then sword kebab with lam. It was delicious, I will recommend it any day! I have only positive feedback, except that it was a bit warm inside. Edit: I forgot to add, they don't have corkage. That does not mean you can drink your own wine, they basically mean you cannot drink your own wine inside.

An absolute gem in De Waterkant serving authentic Kurdish food with an interior that resonates the authenticity of the cuisine. The mezze dishes are a true favourite with so much variety to choose from - both warm and cold mezzes. It makes an excellent choice for sharing to order a variety of mezzes for the table with a few mains. To add to the lively atmosphere, the establishment also feature a short show of belly dancers who visit your table as the night progresses.

Absolutely fantastic super knowledgeable and friendly staff the food was fantastic and the star of the show was the cheesecake dessert! A must have. Makes cape town proud well done !

What an absolute amazing experience. Can I give six stars ;-) Super professional, competent and friendly front house management and staff. To chef Jaques du Toit and your team - WOW!!!!!!! Every dish a art creation and taste sensation. Will send friends. Will be back

This place made me experienced best Turkish food in my life. We traveled from Thailand to cape town and were so lucky we found this restaurant! The staff and owner were very kind and gave great welcome. It is usually required to make a reservation but we were lucky that we got last available table for two. Miss the food already!

So pleasantly surprised by the delicious Turkish creations, carefully plated and large portions. We came as a group of friends and was seated in a lovely open table. The design is kitschy and reminds me of Istanbul’s grand bazaar market. Best dishes: The falafel plate was amazing with tzatziki, hummus and garlic Turkish bread which was perfect for dipping. Baby kingklip with pearl couscous Lamb ribs with garlic mashed Pro tip: bring mints for the garlic bread and go on the weekends for the belly dancer

We had an amazing meal here. We decided to go for a selection of meze starters. The portions were generous and it was good value. Ended off with a turkish coffee. A visit by the inhouse belly dancer was the icing on the cake to a wonderful evening of food and ambiance.

Amazing concept and even better execution! So there’s a menu…but it’s totally redundant because the meze experience is what it’s all about. They bring a GIANT tray of sample mezes to the table and let you pick the ones you want. The actual mezes are larger than the samples but it’s great to see what you’ll get. The server describes each meze in detail and they all sounded great. Our favorites were the chicken, humus, feta, and lamb!

You could fill up just on the starters here. Order them first before ordering a main Lamb seemed more like mutton to be honest Roast chicken moist and ample portion

In arrival our party was bigger than the number booked for and Russel made a plan without hesitation. From there it was just an excellent all round experience. Superb food. We cannot single out any dish. Our waitress was knowledgeable and very helpful with explaining the dishes. Wine is very we priced with a good selection. Not to mention the belly dancer 💃. We ended up staying for more than 3 hours. WE WILL BE BACK!

Went back off to many years to the same great food, taste, quality and service. A really good place which has not lost its edge over the years

Anatoli is a place I want to take every friend that is visiting Cape Town. The vibes are great, and the food is unbelievable. The halloumi is easily the best I have ever had. It has delicious vegetarian options and meat eating options - so everyone will be satisfied.

Really excellent food, hot and fresh, great experience. Being able to see the selection of Mezze dishes before ordering is a game changer!

An old established restuarant that has been around for almost 40 years. Menu has mezze platter selection, as well as an ala carte menu of starters, mains and deserts. The food was enjoyed by all diners. A belly dancer also there to entertain patrons. Nice Turkish atmosphere and vibe.

One of the best place for dinner in Cape Town. I love the food they prepare. All is perfect in this place. I wish they also open to lunch..but they only open at nights. Anyway is perfect turkish food served. Cant wait to back again.

Anatoli is by far my favorite restaurant in Cape Town. I love the atmosphere, Tayfun, the owner is friendly and welcoming and treats us like family. Every meal we've enjoyed there has been a taste sensation.. I highly recommend the aubergine dish and anything with lamb <3 Anatoli is perfect for a romantic special occasion.

We had good dinner there. The selection of mezze is very good and all taste delicious. The service is very nice and you are presented with selection of mezze, main courses and desserts. From cocktails I would recommend the strawberry and rose mojito ;-)

Wonderfiul Turkish food with great ambience and friendly helpful staff,,, Wish we could go every night..it's such a great place..

First time visit with family. Staff very welcoming and professional. Excellent service and excellent food.

If you are looking for an evening with good food, good service and the best ambiance, then you should make a booking at Anatoli's. You will have a great evening that will make you want to return to experience it again.

It remains one of my best restaurants in Cape Town! The authenticity of the cuisine, service and ambience immediately transports you to Turkey. 👍

Anatoli is a Cape Town restaurant that has been around for many years - I remember going there as a student at the end of the eighties!The last 15 years or so it belonged to the Tayfun Aras (who is Turkish) and has taken it to the next level in all aspects. Tayfun is super passionate about food (he has just published an amazing cooking book on Turkish food). He is a hands on owner who makes sure everything goes right. When you walk into Anatoli you just know you are not going to be disappointed! Everything is just right. Amazing ambiance, Great authentic Turkish food, attention to detail and friendly efficient service! Highly recommended.

A must visit if you are in Cape Town. The food and service was excellent just do not look for a menu. If you go you will know what I mean.

Stunning venue with delicious traditional food. And the coffee is killer good!

Totally loved it. Great variety of beautiful food freshly prepared. Definitely will go back

Transportive as you arrive with the warmth of the Ottomanic culture visible and voyeuristic. The cuisine is beautifully presented and is a most enjoyable feast. I expect belly dancers to appear as the music captivates one's senses...❤️

Scrumptious dessert following some amazing lamb. Definitely recommended for any occasion

Incredible food, incredible service and an amazing atmosphere. A true Turkish delight !

Blast from the past Last there in ‘89 but as good as ever <br/>Wonderful array of Turkish tapas <br/>Excellent presentation, in fact irresistible <br/>Had such a feast we could not get to mains<br/>Opted rather for delicious baklava <br/>Professional service and warm ambiance <br/>A must visit

I spend a wonderful evening at Anatoli. The ambiance is very cozy. The waiters were very kind and ready to explain to us the meal options for the day. I had beef kebabs with bulgur rice which was amazing. To compliment that I asked the waiter for the desserts and he brought us a platter with so many different options and took time to explain each of them. I finally opted for a turkish dessert with strawberries, lime and rose water. Unfortunately, I forgot its exact name! I will definitely go back again.

Absolutely fantastic and well worth a visit. Step inside Turkey, decorated beautifully. Loved the big mezze platter with starter choices and the traditional bread. Seriously so good! Mains were a bit on the pricier side and the lamb/orange flavor is not a personal favourite, but that’s down to personal taste. I’m excited to come back for dessert!

Anatoli’s is amazing! If you are looking for a unique and intimate dining experience this place is perfect. The food is fantastic and the staff were amazing , extremely attentive and helpful. Loved talking to the owner about the story behind Anatoli’s! Can’t recommend this place enough!

We had all 3 courses and they were all very tasty! Portion sizes are rather generous, had to take quite a bit home! Our waiter was so friendly, I was impressed with the service! Wonderful authentic experience.

If you’re feeling for authentic Turkish cuisine then this place hits the spot, I cannot fault this restaurant in anyway.The ambience, food and service is superb!

One of my family's old time favourites. Anatoli's is beautiful in many ways - but the food takes first prize. We always go for the mezzes as they are much better than the mains. The dishes are original and absolutely delicious. The service is very efficient too, and how they carry those huge trays of food, I'm not sure! Quite pricey but definitely recommend to anyone looking for something different.

I absolutely love this place. It has a very authentic vibe, with beautiful but unpretentious decor. The food is exotic and delicious! We loved all the lamb dishes for mains. Having the starters presented to you on a tray was also a treat!

I’d been hearing about this place for a while and was so pleased with my first experience. I liked the process or how the appetizer and main course sequence is organized! Very efficient and the food overall was great! Had to wait a while to be served but the staff was so friendly that I didn’t mind. Can’t wait to go back !

Loved the vibe here and the service. So authentic and the food was delicious with plenty of veggie options. Platter style meze food which is more than enough to have as your main mea. Will definitely go back!

I cannot rate this place highly enough. I fell in love with Turkish Food after a holiday to Istanbul and this place hits the spot when I need a bit of food-nostalgia. There is a big choice of mezze and I can hands down say I've tried, tested and loved them all. Being honest I've never ordered a main, so can't vouch for any of the main courses on offer but the Baclava is amazing and the Sütlaç is good but could be better (not quite Istanbul standards). <br/><br/>The service is great and the atmosphere is comfortable, laid back and generally relaxing. <br/><br/>Definitely a place I will visit time and time again! So much love for Anatolis ❤

Went to this cosy little spot for a friend's birthday recently . We were a large group and we booked ahead, which was a good decision because the place was packed. The restaurant has a warm homely vibe perfect on a rainy evening . We enjoyed the mix of hot and cold mezze starters to share with the amazing baked bread. For mains we had the lamb shank which was infused with lovely orange flavour and one of the fragrant lamb stews. Despite my intentions I was completely stuffed and didn't get to try desert . Portions were quite big and most of the table left with a doggie bag. Service was prompt and with a smile. Will definitely be back.

If you are wanting an authentic Turkush food experience I can recommend Anatoli. The food is delicious and the setting is comfortable. However, if you want to book for parties over 6 pax, it gets complicated and you are expected to put down a non-refundable deposit which can be off-putting should you have last minute cancellations.

This has a old Turkish vibe and the service very good, the food you get offered a tray of dips both hot and cold, the humus. peppers, houlomi and potato and cheese bite_were very good. For mains we have the lamb with apricot and chicken skewers all very tasty and decent portions

To sum it all up in one word. I'd say: unpretentious. And authentic. And yum! <br/>Okay that's more than one word, but oh man! I am impressed with this place! <br/>It's pretty much a guarantee you'd have a food baby leaving here, because like the other reviewers said: you will overeat on the mezze platters. And the food is so good, you'll feel you just have to try the mains as well. And the dessert... <br/>So I'd suggest invite a few friends and order even MORE mezze plates to indulge your senses and maybe compare who has the most impressive food baby by the end of the evening. <br/>Otherwise, this makes a killer date spot as well. <br/>High five!<br/>

One of my favorite places to go.<br/><br/>Absolutely love the atmosphere and presentation of dishes. Good, wholesome food and sizable portions without breaking the bank. Nice selection of wines.<br/><br/>Really nice in the winter.

We went to Anatoli on a Tuesday night for dinner, and it was far better than any other night that we've ever been. I ordered the Turkish Blues cocktail(their cocktail list is unique and incredibly well priced) -- a delicious blue cocktail with apricot syrup. As for non-alcoholic drinks, the homemade Turkish lemonade is a must. <br/>We started off with some mezze and garlic flatbread. The bread was so amazing that I almost didn't want to put any mezze dips on it! Definitely try the lamb kofte and the zucchini pancakes. I'm also a huge fan of the dolmades with tzatziki. <br/>We usually order enough mezze that we can't fit any mains, but we tried the lamb stew with black pepper and dried apricots -- it was a life changing experience. Absolutely delicious and hearty for a Capetonian winter evening. For dessert, we tried the chocolate baklava. The Oranges in syrup are also an amazing choice. <br/>To finish it all off -- Turkish coffee brought with a glass of iced water. <br/>At the very end of the evening, the waiters will present you with delicious Turkish delight. <br/>The attentiveness of the waiters and owner makes the evening something special. Lastly, the ambience created by the colourful lanterns and hanging Turkish plates simply cannot be beat. <br/>The meal was so amazing that I want Turkish food for lunch again (unfortunately, they are no longer open for lunch... maybe they'll take this as a hint).

Absolutely amazing experience!!!! <br/><br/>Staff are so nice and so efficient!! And the food is amazing!!! <br/><br/>Only complaints is that they were out of stock of so many drinks it was ridiculous and my chicken kebabs came to me rather cold. <br/><br/>But I think Its an AMAZING PLACE TO BRING YOUR PARTNER FOR A DATE!! such a romantic setting.

Really nice restaurant to come with friends and family. The restaurant isn't really big so it adds that closeness feeling. We came at night and found it to be a bit dark. The starters were great and well prepared and everyone took a bit of each to share. The mains had a nice variety too. Desserts were very nice. Chocolate mousse being my favorite. Overall a great experience and definitely a place I would come back to.

We have not been here for many years but decided to see if this is still worth visiting. <br/>We were warmly welcomed and promptly seated . The ordering processes werr explained as the food is selected fron a large tray brought to the table.<br/>It is difficult to get beyond the starters but do try to leave space for mains and desert.<br/>In all a wonderful evening.

In many years of visiting Cape Town I've never been in this restaurant before, even if it's more then 20 years that it exists. What a mistake! Anatoli was a very happy surprise. The decor has a style that complements the Turkish theme, warm and dimmed lights with carpets and decorated dishes on the walls. The food is what pleasantly surprised me the most. Every single dish was full of flavour, from the hot and cold starters ( I suggest to choose max 3 small plates and half garlic bread per person) to the mains (the stew of lamb with aubergines mash and apricot was a winner). To complete the Anatoli experience we couldn't skip dessert, my favorites was the quince with a bit of cream and nuts on top. Staff and owners are very kind too. Well done! Certainly quality comes with a price, which is higher then the average of Cape Town, but you leave the restaurant satisfied.

Wow! This place was impressive. The decor and vibe was super cool, and the addition of a belly dancer really made me feel as if i were not in SA! The meze trolley had a wide selection of tapas and were incredible. The main portion was much too large so i shared and still couldn't finish. truly authentic restaurant. Bookings are essential!

Anatoli is a fun and vibrant place to eat in company. Enjoy selecting and tasting mezes from the trolley; I think that's the best part. I never tried any of the mains. I didn't manage to contain myself in round 1!

The food was delicious and the tapa's starter plates had a good variety to choose from! We could not get enough of The garlic flat breads! The service was very good but we could have done with a bit more attentiveness. After we had eaten our starters the restaurant was very busy and thus our waiter wasn't really around to check on drinks and fill glasses etc. other than that it was really great and we will be back soon!

Extremely charming restaurant. A very long standing establishment, that never disappoints. Walking in, you are transported to a distant land. <br/><br/>The meze selection is diverse and delicious. We tried a wide variety and every dish was fantastic, accompanied by fresh pita bread. You are then escorted to an a area where the main courses are explained. A small selection but everything looked freshly prepared. <br/><br/>A good wine selection and friendly service round off a great dining experience. <br/><br/>Only one criticism, it's terribly hot!

Our evenung was perfect. The waiter was very attentive with good sense of humour. Good selection of wine, beer tec. Food was amazing especially tbe starters. Next time I will opt to only share a bigger selection of starters and leave the mains. The starters with the warm flat bread was amazing. Best dolmades we ever had and the humus was perfect

Amazing food and cultural experience, it was great to learn about Turkish food and I loved the belly dancing that happens throughout your meal. The orange dessert is amazing, definitely have to try it!

Dining at Anatoli is an experience. The decoration, tables, and carpets are traditional Turkish and so is the food. A little word of advice: go on two separate occasions; one time for starters and another time for mains. Both courses are so delicious but a bit too much to handle one after the other. <br/>For starters you should begin with some garlic bread (warm and fresh) and after that your waiter will bring a serving tray as big as a small door (!) with loads of plates with different Turkish bites. This ranges from stuffed grape leaves to filled phyllo pastry treats. This spectacle is a feast for your eyes and tummy, it’s a great place to go when you want to impress your friends. <br/>For mains you can go to the kitchen area and check out which main meal looks good to you. My parents say they used to do this while on holiday in Greece and I think it’s an excellent idea. The amount of times that I’ve seen a plate of something great going to another table and I think I wish I chose that! Well this concept can help with that and you can check it out before you choose. <br/>The dessert is probably good but I’m always too full to try but a nice glass of Turkish mint tea is always a good idea.

If you're in the mood for something completely different, then Anatoli is a place you HAVE to try. Turkish tapas is something we had never done before but the traditional Turkish spices that hit us as we entered was enticing enough to know we had made a good choice. They do things very differently to normal restaurants as they don't have a menu. Instead, our waiter personally came to our table with a tray full of example bowls of the array of different pâtés, appetizers and dips that we could choose from. We went with the Turkish bread and olive and hummus dips which were fresh and just delicious. For mains, we went right to the counter where the main meal options were displayed. Given that every different option looked exquisite, it was very difficult to make a choice but we managed to pick a nice variety of authentic Turkish main dishes. Stuffed cabbage roll ups, chicken cubes with rice and boneless lamb cuts with ripe cherry tomatoes.um, YUM right?<br/> While the lamb cuts were slightly fatty, the dining experience was one to remember. The unique flavours all came together in each dish and complemented each other in a very special way. <br/><br/>It's not quite your go-to usual spot for dinner but rather the kind of dining treat you should splurge on every once in a while. Such a wonderful evening, incredible service and a very unique atmosphere. Looking forward to my next visit where I can try some of the dishes I was simply too full to try this time!

This is such a cool place. Recommended by Pieter Strydom 😊. We should have stuck with starters though. So much to choose from! And all delicious! The mains were delightful as well, but by then I'd eaten too much! Fantastic service, great vibe. I'll be back for sure 😊😊

Great tasting food. Felt it was overpriced. All mezes were great (Average R50.00) Flat bread was very nice ... Just out the oven but small for the R26. Lamb Shank for mains was out of this world. The kebabs were paltry for the R150. Tasted great but needed more. Drinks..... Take your own! Cocktails were very sweet and disgusting. Other drinks were overly sweet and flat. Decent service. Mezzepotamia a better option.

Definately a place to visit over and over so you can try out every dish. We didn't get past starters because we had to try one of each! Great place to go with friends so you can get more and all share (and share the cost!) One downside for me was that everything kind of has to be eaten on bread which fills you up quicker and as someone who doesn't eat bread left me with little choice. <br/>The decor is beautiful and authentic, the people are friendly and the desserts are delicious!

Amazing meze and desserts, especially for vegetarian/vegan options. Their dolmades are the best. Our waitron wasn't great with explaining how ordering works, nor were his explanations of each dish very clear, so a bit frustrating for first-timers. Besides that, we loved it.

We experienced good veg food in abundance with friendly staff and management. We were well taken care of and enjoyed the traditional turkish experience . A place we look forward to going back.

You can't miss this middle eastern treasure in the heart of Green Point - the booming doors beckon back to an age when sultans ruled the world. <br/>Authentic Turkish food is far and few between in Cape Town, but this establishment is an old institute famed for consistently delicious cuisine to guarantee an amazing time. <br/><br/>Management/ownership was extremely hospitable, although our waitress did not seem to be very interested in us... We had to get up and look for her many times, but she was really pleasant, so I guess she just got side-tracked A LOT. The place itself is stunning - I loved the decor and the traditional touches. It makes for such a unique atmosphere. I really suggest trying out all the tapas/mezze and giving the mains a skip. I didn't like that they had mains on display in warmers instead of preparing them fresh for guests. Among my favourites were the marinated olives, halloumi and lamb kebab. For dessert I ordered baklava (naturally) and Turkish coffee. Make sure that you leave room for these two dessert options because it shouldn't be missed, in my opinion. I think this is the quintessential Turkish restaurant to celebrate an occasion with loved ones!

Celebrated a birthday here Turkish style with a few friends recently. The softly lit restaurant, comfy cushions and cosy interior has the same welcoming feel that it did when I first came here over 18 years ago. <br/><br/>Naturally we shared plate after plate of the many meze on offer. Being a lover of Mediterranean cuisine, I especially enjoyed the calamari, humus and keftedes. <br/>Fabulous food, as always.

I really enjoyed both the food and the atmosphere of this interesting restaurant. Wish there was something similar in Johannesburg. Love the tray of starters that you can choose from - it's great to see what you are getting. Only problem is at all looks so delicious that you battle to control yourself!!

What a lovely little place. Definitely a recommendation. 5 stars from me with quality service from Fabian. Will surely be back soon with the family.

Anatoli's, what a great cultural experience. From the authentic Turkish food to the genuine decor and ambience. <br/><br/>It's a great place to share food and enjoy good company in the cozy +/-15 table resturant. <br/><br/>The food is pretty good with a wide variety of Turkish options from meat and chicken to veg. <br/><br/>My favourite part of the menu has to be the starters - you can order a variety of dishes and enjoy them with Turkish style bread. Yum! <br/><br/>What makes the dining experience great is the fact that the waiters know each and every dish on the menu and can explain all the ingredients. I also love the way the food is served - massive wooden trays with every dish for you to see. This makes trying new things so much easier than reading it off a menu. <br/><br/>Good luck with the mains, because after all the starters I had, I found it difficult to start, let alone finish a main course. <br/><br/>The prices are a little steep, but I'm willing to overlook it for a great holistic experience. However, I must say, the biggest downside to the resturant is the lack of parking. Situated in a dead-end road makes it near impossible to find parking close to the entrance. But I guess after all the feasting, a little walk to your car wouldn't hurt.

what an amazing experience with Anatoli green point !<br/><br/>yummy starters , dangerously nice garlic bread , well organized optioning . But expensive for the venue and the location i must say , beside that friendly staff and manager . i will definitely go back .

Really enjoyed the mezze selections - but I'd advise one to excercise caution when it comes to filling up on hummus and kofta, and being too full for the main. I just didn't have the stamina to enjoy my main (lamb shank) as it deserved. Additionally, the chicken moussaka was quite oily, and although the aubergine was tasty, the chicken was dry. Not as impressive as everything else. But service and atmosphere was wonderful - I see how this restaurant has remained so popular over the years.

My favorite restaurant in Cape Town, their food never disappoints. Try to eat off their daily specials menu as it's usually something delicious you've never tasted before.

Absolutely delicious! Don't skimp on the meze, it's amazingly delicious! Mains were great, highly recommend the lamb kebab over the lamb shank-better spices and flavor overall. The decor is beautiful and the waiters are great An absolute must!

I absolutely LOVE this restaurant. Having never eaten Turkish food before, it was a real culinary and cultural experience. <br/>Our waiter was superb and exceptionally well-spoken. He talked us through how everything worked very clearly. <br/>I love how the food is served. The starters are all brought out on a massive wooden board and you choose which ones you want out of lots of kinds of dips, vegetables in sauces and pastry dishes as well as lamb meatballs. <br/>The starters are served with delicious Turkish bread. I recommend either taking it easy on the meze or JUST having lots of them because I really struggled with a main course after all that food for starters! <br/>However, my lamb shank was delicious but a little bland compared to my friends' deboned lamb ribs which were excellent. <br/>My friends shared one of the desserts- the Turkish chocolate mousse- and said it was lovely but very heavy on the cinnamon.<br/>I definitely did not have room for dessert but I'll absolutely be back!<br/>Also, the speciality cocktails like the strawberry rose mojito and turkish delight martini are absolutely amazing!

The mezze is to die for! Every time I go to this restaurant I promise I'll get a main course, but the starters are just too good. The potato and chickpea dip is surprisingly one of the best. I love the vibe and the staff are professional and well informed about the food they serve.

Anatoli... This place is right up my alley. I absolutely love it when a place has the ability to transport you to a complete other world with the right ambience, decor and atmosphere. The second we entered I wasn't able to tell we were in Cape Town anymore. <br/>Food packs loads of flavour! Perfect place to go with friends and share a variety of tapas plates.

30 years (I think) and still going with more or less the same menu, now that is an achievement and speaks volumes.<br/><br/>We had a great waiter who was not only informative but could hold a decent conversation. I have always loved the building which has so much history and atmosphere. <br/><br/>As one of the other reviewers said Go in a group, to really get a taste of Anatolis you need to order a huge array of dishes which is what we did and then Phew what a fright with the bill.<br/><br/>You must try the lemonade

Anatoli is warm and cosy and beautifully decorated with Turkish carpets, plates, pictures, and candelabras all over. It’s a little piece of Turkey magic that has been around for over 25 years – I can’t believe I have never been before. <br/><br/>For starters, they have a huge selection of goodies on offer. Our waiter carried a tray full of delicious looking bowls of Turkish mezes to our table and explained each one to us. We then got to pick and choose the ones we wanted and with a quick order of fresh garlic bread, we were ready to tuck in…. and boy did we tuck in. <br/><br/>It was a great night, the service was perfect, the food was great…the mezes were by far the highlight for me – I just loved it… breaking bread, spreading dips, sharing around the table, halving little cheesy potatoe guys, sipping on wine, laughing, enjoying & celebrating.<br/><br/>If you haven’t been to Anatolis yet then I suggest you give it a go… I would strongly suggest going all out on the mezes (they were the winners and overall fab experience for me) and skipping the main… it’s a little heavy on your wallet and your waistline trying to have it all.

Always accommodating, always a winner, food is excellent, the mezze and starters are so tasty. The atmosphere is homely and it's the only place that serve sour cherry sodas!

Always an absolute winner! Food outstanding! Ambiance warm and welcoming! Overall just one of my all time favorite restaurants. Every time I am in Cape Town I try come. Consistently amazing over the last 11 years I've been coming!

The concept is unique. Rather than a menu, they bring out a tray of choices for the meze. This was really delicious and fun. Only problem is that we ordered too many and didn't make it past this course. No regrets on this. I probably would do the same again. If I had more time in Cape Town, this trip, we would return.

Authentic. Quaint. Popular. Delicious. Friendly. And an excellent wine list. Not too bad for its location. Book!

Lovely ambiance, knowledgeable and attentive waiters and great authentic Turkish food. Service can be a little slow but you realise why when you get your freshly baked delicious Turkish bread. Thoroughly enjoyed my meal!

Decor: You enter the restaurant through big wooden doors. The décor is sumptuous and creative. Persian rugs decorate the walls. There are 2 areas – in the 1 area the ceiling is decorated with fabric and a huge chandelier in the centre. All the tables have tablecloths, covered with big sheets of white paper.<br/><br/>Service: Outstanding! <br/><br/>Ambiance: Go in a group!! Turkish food is all about tasting different plates - it's just way way too much for 2 people! Although we had a fabulous time on our own, I felt sorry for the food wastage. People chatting, sampling food and drinking wine. A belly dancer entertained us for a bit.<br/><br/>Food: Unbelievable!!! Our waiter came to our table with this HUGE wooden tray. It’s probably about 1m x ½ m big. Filled with plates of entrées. Most of them are cold, so you remove them from the tray. We chose: Topig(V): Mashed potatoes and chick peas stuffed with tahini, pine nuts, cinnamon, onion and dressed with chilli oil. It was divine! (centre photo); Arnavut Cigeri(M): Lamb livers tossed in spicy flour, deep fried and served with lemon and sumac dressed onions. I found it a bit tough, but lovely flavours. (photo right). It’s better to have a group of people to sample all the starters. We couldn’t finish ours. <br/><br/>We also had Paul, the octopus (ha,ha – joke), marinated in lemon juice. They have flat wooden boards for the bread. When they arrive at the table with the bread, they slice it with a round knife (almost like pic left) and slip the bread on top of the paper sheet on the table. Ours had garlic in and was delicious. <br/><br/>For our main course, we had red peppers and cabbage leaves stuffed with mince and drizzled with yoghurt. Absolutely scrumptious!!!! I had pasta pockets filled with mince and topped with tomato relish and yoghurt. I will definitely order that again! Hein had lamb stew with rice. The lamb was soooooooooooo flavoursome and soft!!!!!<br/><br/>For dessert, I opted for Baklava. Boring, but absolutely delightful. Hein chose the chocolate pot, but I didn’t like it that much. (Quite a surprise, cause I’m quite the chocoholic!) It was dark chocolate at bottom, with white chocolate on top and rosewater & orange juice in the centre. The table next to us were in ecstasy over the chocolate pot!! They didn’t want to pass it on to the others. With the Baklava I had real Turkish coffee. Brought on this copper dome-tray. Absolutely perfect ending for a sumptuous meal.<br/><br/>After we’ve paid our bill, they gave us some small cubes of Turkish Delights to nibble on.

I had some of my first dates at Anatoli's in the 80's, and have been a regular in the 90's, and the naughties and now in the teenies and with my teens. And I will continue going back at any age and for all ages. Viva Anatoli's Viva!<br/>Go hungry! A large tray of Turkish mezze options will be brought to the table for you to pick and choose from. I recommend the chicken and walnut dip and the potato wheels and spinach cigars. Piping hot pita fresh from the oven will accompany above. I also recommend a pitcher of their home made lemonade. After the mezze, you can wander over to the kitchen display and select a main course from the various, mostly lamb based, options. The lamb in yoghurt is usually my choice. I'm afraid, by that stage I have eaten so much, that I don't think I have ever had desert at Anatoli's, so I cannot make recommendations! But you can end the evening with strong Turkish coffee... When you have drained your cup, turn it upside down on the saucer, leave it for a bit, and then read your fortune in the grinds.

Great food, amazing setting but by far the worst service and attitude I have ever come across in my life. The restaurant wasn't busy and we had to ask for the menu for desserts 3 times before getting served by another waiter. Our waiter then argued that we hadn't tipped him enough and upon advising that his service was not acceptable, he continued to insist that he deserved a bigger tip. We had tipped 8% instead of more for a bill of R1300 between 4 people. Had the service been better, the tip would've been better. Amazing food, I only wish the service was better!!!