Melissa Restaurant (Harrow)

Walk into Melissa on a Friday night and you'll immediately clock why this place has such loyal regulars. It's the sort of restaurant where you feel welcomed straightaway, with staff who actually know their menu and care about getting your order right. The kitchen takes its Turkish cuisine seriously—expect properly charred kebabs, silky hummus, and mezze that tastes like someone's nan made it yesterday. It's not fancy or pretentious; it's straightforward, good food at prices that won't have you wincing at the bill. Whether you're catching it before heading into town or settling in for a proper evening, Melissa delivers exactly what you want from Turkish cooking.