Borough Market has housed some excellent residencies over the years. Its latest, Kismet, might be one of the most interesting yet.
Opening above The Globe Tavern on 16 July, Kismet is a collaboration between restaurateur Dom Hamdy (Crispin, Bistro Freddie, Canal) and chef Keiran Mustafa, whose CV includes BiBi, The Harwood Arms, Speedboat Bar and Rambutan. Together they’re bringing a contemporary take on the meyhane, the traditional tavern of Istanbul and Northern Cyprus, where food arrives in waves, raki flows freely and live music is non-negotiable.
The menu centres on meze and mangal-grilled kebabs, available à la carte or as a set menu at £48 per head. Meze dishes start from £7 and include fried lamb’s liver, stuffed bulgur wheat dumplings and buffalo milk yoghurt with chilli butter. The charcoal grill produces kebabs from £18, among them a Cypriot minced lamb and beef kebab wrapped in caul fat and a lamb leg shish with tail fat, served alongside fried Cyprus potatoes and a bulgur wheat and tomato pilaf that sounds like the kind of thing you’d dream about on the bus home.
The drinks list is worth a detour on its own. Raki anchors it, with several styles available by the glass or bottle. In a nod to meyhane tradition, regulars are invited to leave their bottle on the shelf for their next visit. The wine list focuses almost exclusively on Turkish producers, including Sevilen and female-led Kuzubağ, working with native Aegean varietals. Bottles start from £38, wines by the glass from £7.50.
The room, designed by Studio Adra, goes for the worn-in warmth of an Istanbul original: dark wood, white tablecloths, lace window dressings, low lighting and black-and-white photography. A traditional Turkish musician plays live weekly.
For Hamdy, it’s something of a homecoming. He started his career with a scotch egg stall at Borough Market in 2014. Kismet is a long way from a scotch egg, and that’s entirely the point.
Need to Know
- Where: Upstairs at The Globe Tavern, 8 Bedale Street, London
- Postcode: SE1 9AL
- When: Opens 16 July 2026
- Hours: Tue 5-9.30pm; Wed 12-3pm & 5-9.30pm; Thu-Sat 12-3pm & 5-10pm; Sun 12-4pm; Mon closed
- Set menu: £48 per head
- Book: kismet.london
