Ottolenghi chef Esra Muslu to open Zahter restaurant this autumn

Called Zahter after is the herb that grows wild in southern Turkey, the Turkish restaurant will be located just off Carnaby Street, and is due to open in October.

Split across four floors of a former clothing warehouse, Zahter is described as serving ‘Istanbulite’ cuisine through the lens of home cooking. The restaurant will feature an open kitchen, counter dining and al-fresco seating on the ground floor, a dining room on the first floor, and a private events space and cookery studio on the third floor.

The menu will feature many recipes handed down to Muslu from her mother as well as traditional home cooked dishes and will ‘shine a light on the real Istanbul culinary scene’ according to the marketing details.

As well as heading up Ottolenghi Spitalfields Muslu has previously been head chef at Istanbul’s Soho House and has also run a successful Carousel residency. She also opened four restaurants in Istanbul: Backyard, Auf, Kauf, and Unter.

Located at 30 Foubert’s Place in Carnaby, the restaurant will initially open for lunch and dinner with an Istanbul-style breakfast menu to be introduced at a later date.