Ararat Turkish Restaurant in Ipswich

Delicious Fresh Food, Amazing Staff… Value for money.. can’t recommend enough… Unfortunately I was not allowed to take the chef home….. Will definitely be returning every chance I get.

Absolutely amazing meal and evening. Delicious food and choice, great atmosphere and first class service. This is the best Turkish restaurant in Ipswich and Felixstowe. We try the others out every so often but this is definitely the Go To one. 7 of us agree on this tonight. Great value for money too. Thanks so much fellas x

Amazing restaurant, the food and service is faultless. Best Turkish in Ipswich and Felixstowe without a doubt. Party of 7 tonight for a birthday, outstanding!

Fantastic meal from ararat restaurant. Thanks for the chef. Frendly waiters, and lovely ambience. They have sisha lounge as well

Takeaway order placed at 7.35pm and food arrived at 9.30pm. Totally unacceptable! We phoned the restaurant and was told that the delay was because of football traffic but the game ended 4.5 hours previously. Also, at 9pm he admitted the food had only left the restaurant 5 mins beforehand. The restaurant is only 1.5 miles from our house. Very poor and not happy with the experience. We paid a premium and were given second class service

This has always been my favourite Turkish restaurant in Ipswich but it appears to have changed hands as on the last visit there were different staff and they would not serve alcohol. They also refused us tap water. The food was fine but I won't be going back.

Could have gone so much better! I ordered one of the BBQ plates but as I don’t eat lamb and can’t even stand the flavour, I’d ask to take it of my plate, the lady said no problem and that they’d instead give chicken xishe on its place… when my plate arrives all looked delicious as the starters were delicious too. But when I tried the meat it all tasted like lamb ( and I’d know this because I can’t take its flavour). I told the lady serving our table and didn’t even request to replace anything but she comes back saying that the chef says it’s impossible that the meat tasted like lamb (rude). Sure not taking the risk at that restaurant again.. not to mention that the table servant kept taking star out of the table when we had not even finished with the starters or anything yet..

Great food, fresh and delicious ingredients, good atmosphere and friendly service at a reasonable price. What more do you want?

Great food , service and atmosphere at the Turkish restaurant. We been here quiet a number of times but it’s certainly has gotten better now then before so a big thumps up 👍 The average cost is per person is also very reasonable from £22.00 to 28.00 and the main course are generally complimented with fresh Turkish bread , rice and tasty salads so whilst a main course may cost £14-18.00 there’s lots included.

Visited most recently for a birthday dinner with family. The service was brilliant and the food was lovely too. The staff are friendly and make you feel really welcome. I have been here on several occasions and consistently the food and service is excellent. Highly recommend and will continue to return.

Amazing pre-Town match vegetarian meze. Haven't been here for ages, and will definitely be back again soon. We just had a selection of starters and nothing disappointed. The bread had a subtle flavour of charcoal from the grill that was gorgeous.

An array of very tasty and delicious food. Crispy and varied salads, fantastic tender lamb /chicken . Amazing Moussaka. Very good re a family member who had dairy allergy. Home made hummus, all packed separately so no soggy dishes. Very friendly and speedy service. Will definitely visit again when next near Ipswich ! Thank you

Food was mediocre at best we were asked if we would like some bread and hummus While we wait for our food and we thought it was complimentary as in other turkish Restaurants so we said yes we were charged for it and they never told us that we would be charged for it 10 percent service charge was added to the bill After paying for the food our change was £4.90 And the waitress didn’t even bring our change even though we already paid 10 percent service charge for food that was cooked from frozen and not in any way fresh Felt ripped off Had better food at street food venues at less than a third of the price Never again

Very nice turkish meal. Our waitress was lovely. Food was delicious and portions are big. Cant fault it. We will be back very soon

We have had takeaway from here a number of times in the last year and it’s always excellent. The lamb shish is particularly good, as is the baklava for dessert!! Our favourite Turkish in town.

I have visited this restaurant with friends. We were 12 of us and everyone on the table love the food. Waitress were very polite and nice lady. I can’t fault it. We will be visiting again soon. %100 recommended

Me and my family got to ararat regularly. We love this restaurant. Specially my kids love chicken and rice in here. This is our favorite restaurant

Best food i have ever had. Restaurant is clean and staff are friendly and helpful. We will definitely be back.

Lovely Turkish food. Staff very friendly and helpful. Shisha lounge and smoking areas upstairs. Cosy attractive restaurant

Just ordered our first takeaway from here. Absolutely great food, great portion sizes, cannot fault it. Will definitely order from here again!

By far the best Turkish food in Ipswich! Me and my family have eaten in here a few times and had take out too, and we can honestly say we’ve never been disappointed. Everyone is so friendly and kind, it’s always been a warm welcome wether we eat in or take out. The food is outstanding! Super tasty food and you get a lot for your money! Worth every penny. Thanks so much for the brilliant service you you guys provide, through and through. 5 stars!

We ordered takeaway food and it was delicious. Portions are plenty. We will be ordering from here again. Definitely recommended.

Will never be ordering from these guys again. The food was ridiculously salty and greasy. Vegetables not even cut up properly. And as for the Calamari, the tyres on my car are less rubbery than the overcooked rings I received. What made it even worse is that the calamari costs £5.25 and you get 5 tiny, salty rings of rubber. Not good enough. If you want some real Turkish food I STRONGLY suggest the other Turkish restaurant opposite them on Norwich Road. Had they not been closed I wouldn’t have tried Ararat and definitely won’t again in the future. This place is a joke.

We have been here on the friday before going into lockdown , excellent food and very good service. The Chefs were very nice and the waitresses very welcoming. I never in my life had such a good bbq and very very tasty dishes . Well done Ararat . Looking forward to see you again .

Ordered via Uber eats- delivery driver needed lots of help to find us but when it arrived it was delicious.Calamari, sausage and halloumi and the feta and spinach starters filled by a lamb, chicken and vegetable kebab. Salads and bulgur were nicely seasoned and fresh. Was a very flavourful meal and was a lovely change to India/Chinese.

We have ordered this restaurant’s food to eat at home several times during lockdown(s) . We have been very impressed with the quality , quantity and flavours of the meat platter ! Will definitely order again soon !

How have I never had a Turkish takeaway until now????!!! This was absolutely incredible- full of flavour and none of the grease associated with Chinese/ Indian. I’m completely sold, can’t believe it’s taken me this long to discover this restaurant.

My fiance and I ordered a mixed starter (of 4 starters) for 2 people and the mixed platter for 2. Whilst the food we had was tasty, I wouldn't say the starter was for 2 people. We had 1 piece of halloumi, 1 small piece of sausage, the hummus kavurma and calamari. I would say we needed more than what was served, but, it was all very tasty! The mixed platter for main was delightful.. the meat was cooked to perfection, we got some bread as well which was great. Overall, very satisfied on taste and flavour, just slightly disappointed on the quantity of starter. That may be because I'm greedy!! The price is also great for the taste and quality.

Been here several times. Always good food and a friendly atmosphere. This time we were seated upstairs, which is larger space but doesn't have quite the same feel.For the first time we had a few problems... hair in the starter, asking for drinks multiple times and really slow service. I can recommend the food, but if your upstairs make sure they don't forget about you!

We had amazing meal last night. It was so busy but service was perfect. Staff is very friendly and the food was absolutely gorgeous. We had the platter for four which is so delicious. This was best kebab i had in my life. Specially lamb chops are amazing. This was our first visit and we will be back very soon. Definitely recommended.

Wonderful tasty food, meat was cooked well. Staff friendly and helpful, very good customer service skills. Highly recommended - BBQ GRILL for 2, with bulgar and salad 👌🏼

The food was wonderful and the waitress was such a warm and lovely person, so hard working and so kind (especially to my children). We would definitely return in the future x

I ordered an Uber eats for my family and I have to say that the quality and the service Ararat provide is outstanding! Everyone loved their food and will defiantly be ordering again! Thank you so much

1 star but would give it 0 stars.We decided we fancied a Turkish meal and had heard some good reviews. So my husband and I and a good friend booked a table.On entering it was busy good sign you say. Said we had a reservation to be told there’s only upstairs. Okay a table is a table.Off the 3 of us went and sat down. We noted that all the tables were laid and no staff wearing masks. MMMM. We entered the restaurant wearing ours.Anyway after about 20 minutes we went and got a menu and popped down to ask if anyone would be coming up to take an order.10 minutes later a waiter came up ignored us and went to another table, as he was about to leave we asked if we could order some drinks and starters. He wasn’t pleased and said we are very busy you know. He also stated they weren’t participating in the government incentive of eat out for 50%. Which had not even occur to us as we just wanted a friendly meal.My friend had also said hello hope your ok sir. He is American and greets people this way. This was also ignored.Well he took our drinks order and we ordered some starters. I enquired if they had any taramasalata to which this waiter replied No and can’t you see it’s not on the menu. Not all Turkish restaurants have taramasalata. I was actually quite taken back but my good friend said give him benefit of the doubt he is obviously stressed.Okay but deep down at that point I should of just walked out.So after another 20 minutes and another waiter coming up and down giving wrong drinks to tables we could see our drinks but we were being ignored.The harassed waiter (female) did come over said sorry and had we ordered any food.We said starters but could you take ours mains too. I noted a couple looking quite perplexed as they still had not had any food.Okay so finally 1.5 hrs later starters arrived at what I can only say was absolutely disgusting. We ordered a mixed hot starter of 4 items and 1 cold starter and bread.The sausages were dry, the prawn dish if you call them prawns were hard to find, mushrooms had seen better days, bread was cold and soggy. Basically all the hot starters were cold and all piled on one plate. The cold dish was Luke warm.I was gobsmacked. Again my friend said the mains have to good aye. At this stage the couple I mentioned had moved to another table and said they heard how we had been spoken to and they too had been waiting a long time.To this the waiter came up with 2 of our dishes and the couple asked politely when their food was coming as they too had been waiting over 1.5 hrs to which the waiter was rude to them and exploded. That they were busy with a full restaurant downstairs and serving them. The couple got up and said you are very rude this is a disgrace.I then decided that’s it I’ve had enough, as he was plonking our food down which again looked awful.We got up while he was still having a go.We all went downstairs the couple left and the waiter threatened to call the police. My husband put £20 down for our drinks and disgusting starters as I said your customer service and food is the worst I’ve ever had. If people want to frequent this establishment to be abused and eat rot they must be bonkers.Off we went to RIO’s where the atmosphere and service and food was fantastic and a bonus as they were offering the 50% which we would of paid full price for. We tipped well.My advice avoid this place like the plague, Mahzen is great but always fully booked so book early.

Food was really authentic and I used to live in Turkey. The liver is to die for. Mezes are so good didn’t really need the main course! But everything was great, all freshly cooked and served with a smile.

I had a takeaway from here and had the chicken Shish kebab. Amazing! Can not fault the meal it was so tasty and enough for 2 portions! Thank you. Keep up the good work.

Ordered from Deliveroo, delicious food, good sized portions and came within the time estimated. Will definitely be ordering again!

We ordered this as a take away, one of the things we chose was the mixed cold starter for two, this turned out to be a selection of dips so its a good job we ordered bread too!! We also ordered a veggie moussaka which was a very small portion. It isn't cheap at this restaurant o you would expect more food. We won't order from here again which is sad as what we did have was tasty.

Disappointing portion size - ordered a hot mixed mezze for £9.95 and genuinely wondered where the other half of the portion was. First time we’ve eaten from here and sadly will be the last.

Booked a valentines table for 2, friendly staff, however as soon as we sat down we were asked what we would like to drink (not complaining), but we waited 35 minutes for our drink to come! The waitress was flustered, running around like a mad woman and made it very clear she was hating it, not very professional at all. I am not sure if it was because it was very busy, but a 35 minute wait for our drinks is ridiculous, we were close to walking out.FOOD quality was AMAZING though.

This restaurant was booked by my daughter, we had a nice meal, it was not a cheap meal but very good value for what we ate. Service was good and looked after us, it was a special day for our grandson as it was a birthday treat for him.

Highly recommended, lovely food and the waiting staff were great! Lots of fabulous food including calamari, haloumi, and grilled meats with salad! We will be back again!

We visited this restaurant on a Friday evening. Although the appearance doesn't seem promising, the food is excellent. I had the lamb shish and my partner had Ali Nazik, a chicken shish dish with aubergine and pepper puree and yoghurt and butter sauce. The quality of the lamb was brilliant and the sauce in the chicken dish had superb flavours. Nice atmosphere too. Definitely recommend this place.

two hours of excellent food, service + hospitality. very welcoming + helpful staff. clean warm restaurant . All food cooked perfectly + in view of cooking areas. thoroughly recommend. a special birthday treat made very special THANK YOU to all staff especially our waitress.

Lovely food, not much else to say really. We shall be regulars from now on. Do give it a try, you will not be disappointed.

Visited on a Saturday early evening - my first visit. Had a delicious chicken meal with special sauce. Accompanied by a very tasty bulgur wheat and salad sides. Very reasonably priced. Service was great. Will return!

We visited on a Sunday lunchtime and had a delicious meal. I’m vegetarian and the vegetarian options were excellent and my family said the barbecued meats were so good too. Would highly recommend the platter of hot starters. The waitress was so friendly and there was a lovely relaxed atmosphere. We will definitely go back again as this is my new favourite restaurant!

Mixed platter for three. Gave us a sample of the rice spices. Our cheffy friend is still puzzling over the delicious mix, best rice ever and he usually cooks his own! I loved the skewers.

Nothing was actually nasty, portions were generous, but tasteless. I love Turkish food but I could never have guessed it was Turkish, it was a huge disappointment. It was a Friday night and we were the only customers- I can see why! Only the pitta bread, the coffee, and the waitress were good.

Food was very good, drinks reasonably priced too. We were upstairs and got forgotten about it seemed. Good first experience and will be back I'm sure.

Tried this restaurant for the first time this weekend; very impressed. Fresh, made from scratch, delicious flavours & delightful service. The baklava was freshly made, exquisitely scented and unlike any I've tried in this country. Will definitely go back again; thoroughly recommended.

We had a lovely meal here this evening. We've been to other Turkish restaurants but the flavours were a bit different at Ararat and very enjoyable. The restaurant is nicely decorated too and pleasant to sit in. The prices are very reasonable too - I'd definitely recommend it.

We had a lovely meal here . I'm big fan of Turkish food and i went so many Turkish restaurant ,this one was far better than all. I had vegetarian kebab which is delicious. We will be back soon.

Feeling particularly lazy this Sunday afternoon and we thought we would treat ourselves to a lovely Turkish meal.

I have been to several Turkish restaurants before but to be honest this is the best Turkish restaurant in Ipswich, there was 12 of us and everyone loved their starters and main dishes was absolutely delicisous.

I really love turkish cuisine and this is the best turkish restaurant i ever been to. We were 8 of us and everyone on table enjoy their dishes. Highly recommended .

This is my go to favorite Turkish restaurant and I'm really sad to only be able to give it an average rating.

Visited with friends. Food wasn't bad. Selection of hot starters and mains. Good portion sizes. The Americano was made with instant coffee so got left. Had sharp piece of plastic in my food. Complained but no notice was taken, they cleared plates. I don't like to make a scene so emailed my concerns to the restaurant after the meal. But no reply. Will not return !!

On my birthday my brother treated me to a meal out . He told me where I was going , Ararat and I was excited to try somewhere different . We walked in and there was a lovely ambience about it . We had starters and mains . Food was hot and tasty cooked in front if you in the see through kitchen. Myself and my sister in law also had wine not bad . There were also some children’s options. If you fancy a Turkish I would recommend this venue .

Just had a fantasticly tasty takeaway for the first time from here. Had a mixture of hot and cold starters , flat bread and the ararat platter to share. Food was hot and plentiful. More than enough for two people to eat and then later leftovers. The food was cooked infront of me - very fresh. The staff were very friendly. I placed my order via the telephone first and collected it at lunchtime today (2 pm). Will definately be back as I was very impressed! Note - takeaways are 20% cheaper than a sit in.

Visited today for the first time. Totally impressed, food was fantastic, great service, definitely somewhere to recommend, definitely one to go back to!

This restaurant consists of amazing selections of food with a variety of cold and hot starters to a variety of main dishes . The food is always on point and believe it or not they have a smoking lounge with shishas . They have classic desserts which taste delicious. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone .

I took my aunt and mother to Ararat near Coes on the Norwich road for lunch today and it was so delicious and made a change from the usual pub meal. I really felt welcomed by the charming 'Maz' who gave us a wonderful Turkish meal of many delicious starters followed by a stunning array of different infused juicy meats cooked freshly in from of us on the charcoal. We ended with Turkish coffee and Baclava, really delicious.There was an impressive choice of drinks on the menu too although we drank Turkish tea.My aunty enjoyed a huge dish of ice cream and chocolate sauce instead of the baclava. .Maz encouraged my elderly Mum, who lives locally, to pop in anytime for a coffee and cake which I thought was really sweet. The wonderful choice of different cuisine is really an asset to Ipswich and I urge others to try any of the lovely restaurants on Norwich Road.The people running this restaurant are a credit to our community.

Friendly servise , delicious food. Best Turkish restaurant i have ever been definitly recommended ..

We were about 32 people and the service was excellent very friendly staff, and the food is delicious best TURKISH RESTAURANT IN IPSWICH.

Amazing food, totally recommended, really amazing people, they have the best chef ever, and really nice people serving, the open space, it's like being in holidays

Been here many times and love it. The lamb chops surpass any lamb chops I have ever eaten. I love this place, the food is great & the people who run it are lovely too!

Brilliant meal with excellent service and on a Monday night too will definitely go again. I cannot recommend it enough, food tasted fresh and tasty.

My first impressions were quite good - the decor was nice, and the food, when it came, was attractively presented. I had a chicken casserole with bulgur and salad and dips, and the accompaniments were tasty. Not so impressed with the main dish though - the meat was a bit tough, the sauce had large lumps of potato in it (bigger than the chicken) and was a bit bland and watery. There were very few customers the evening I was there, and that seemed the case on several nights when I passed, though it did get busier at the weekend. Sadly, there are better options nearby for a tasty meal.

I enjoyed their succulent mixed grill for lunch and it was amazing. The meat had a nice smoked flavour, and barbecue is my favourite.

We went as a family with a one year old and they were lovely and accommodating. And when we arrived we saw another young family also dining in. We had tried to go to mahzen but they do not have any high chairs, so not as child friendly.

Loved the food - well presented, fast service and great taste - probably the best Turkish food I have had - all family loved it and there was nothing left on plates!

So, me and my husband came here with some friends as we all wanted to try Ararat.

Drove past this restaurant and decided to stop in for our dinner and I'm glad we did! Service was great, staff member was friendly. Food came and it was absolutely superb! The hot meze was great and lovely to try a bit of everything as we couldn't decide on what to chose.. We then had the Ararat platter as again couldn't choose and again it was fantastic! The complimentary turkish tea at the end was a nice touch also.. If your looking for reasonable prices and fab food defo visit here! Thank you..

We booked and went to this restaurant today for my Mother's Day treat. We had read the good reviews and noticed the restaurant in passing.

Had a lovely meal at lunchtime, good value for money. Staff were very attentive, we will definitely go there again.

We visited Ararat restaurant with a groupon voucher expecting the portions to be small and selection to be limited due to the voucher. However we were very pleasantly by the menu for starters and mains and the food was delicious. Our waiter was extremely attentive...

Great food, very tasty and filling. Vegetarian mousaka, with salad, rice and bread. Staff friendly and attentive.

My wife and I were given a groupon voucher for this establishment as a Christmas present. On the voucher it clearly states,"Any starter up to £4.95, and any main up to £13.50." We booked for my wife's birthday, which was a Thursday. We were greeted warmly, but were. given a special deal menu, " only available Monday to Wednesday," with a limited selection, and worth less than the cost of the groupon. When we pointed out the wording on the groupon, the waiter flatly denied that's what it said, even though it was there in black and white. After several attempts to get somebody to listen to us, we were ignored, and got up and left. The worst service I've ever received in an eating place, being treated like second or third class citizens, because we used a Groupon voucher.

This was our second visit but our first at lunchtime. Although there were only three other groups eating there upon...

We just moved to ipswich recently , we just recommended by our neighbour and wow....that is all we need. Everything...

Absolutely loved this restaurant. Very relaxed. The staff were very attentive. We had the meat platter for two. Was amazing...

Came here for a meal with friends, food was lovely! Service was a little off, would come back for the food but service could do with improving.

Had it not have been a busy football day we would have walked out as they refused to accept our...

Trascorrere il giorno di Natale da turisti a Ipswich non è cosa facile, perché è praticamente tutto chiuso!! Un deserto......

Visit this on chance on a business trip. Really good quality food with a warm and welcoming service. Had mix grill food nicely seasoned with flavoursome spices well cooked and good proportions. Value for money too.

Based on a large number of positive reviews a group of nine of us pre-booked for an earliy dinner before going on to a show. The food was good but would have been so much better if it had been not been served on really cold plates. The temperature in the restaurant itself was also cold and the ladies loo was freezing.

This Is my second visit in this amazing and friendly place, I feel very comfortable, staff are super friendly and the food coming fast, and delicious. Strongly recommend.

Amazing food, best Turkish food we’ve had so far. Nice and friendly staff, we will be back for sure.

If you have not tried Turkish food visit here.Staff very friendly explained dishes and service and food exerlent,however wine price on high side

Having just moved on this actual day into the area we were starving hungry and looking for something decent to eat on a Friday night. This place was a good choice. We demolished a meat platter with some tasty bread. Being used to London prices it was pretty good value for us. Friendly family style service too.

Looking for a night out while staying in Ipswich and found the Ararata Turkish resaraunt, had a realy good evening food was fantastic I had Kasarli tavuk and my wife had Kleftiko. The waiter was very freindly as was the chef. Had such a good evening that we booked again for the next week everything was equaly as good on the second visit. Shame we live so far away would deinately eat there more often.

Went as part of a large group and enjoyed 3 courses all of which were delicious. The only disappointment was being charged for 35 people when in fact there were 34 of us which ,by the time I paid on behalf of the group ,I couldn’t prove.Would certainly go again for the service and the food though.

First of all, the food is interesting, well presented and delicious. It is also a very fair price. We can't fault it.However, the ambiance could be improved. We were sat next to a large window on view to an area of Ipswich which is not the most salubrious. (Install blinds?)It was quite cold outside and the temperature in the restaurant, particularly round our calves and feet was cool, to say the least. (Heat the room better.)The waitress was pleasant but absolutely clueless about everything. (Training needed.)The takeaway impinged on the restaurant. (Suggest adding a solid screen with seats for take away customers along the wall, so that diners are not affected by the coming and going of takeaway customers.)Finally, perhaps create a more intimate atmosphere. (Careful lighting improvements/candles?)These are all meant as constructive criticism. This restaurant is trying to establish itself. It has got the food spot on. With a bit of work ion the atmosphere, it could be a real winner.Nevertheless, we recommend because of the good value, delicious food.

We were taken to Ararat by Rotary club and we had a wonderful evening. The food was lovely. Fantastic dips with the pitta bread. The meat for many course was amazing. Thank you !!

Small quaint Turkish restaurant, service was excellent.Food was delicious and fresh. Clean and modern decorWill most definitely be coming back, couldn’t fault!

Best Turkish food in ipswich, 10/10 big plateOrdered the mix grill, cheaper than mahzen & ottoman in ipswich, shame about the location but nice food

Visited here on a Groupon deal. Given £12.99 menu to choose from but had plenty of choice. My husband had Halloumi and sausage, I had Koftas to start. Both lovely but Koftas more filling. Then had chicken guvec and lamb kebab. Both served with a lovely salad and couscous or bulgar wheat not sure which but everything was hot and fresh. Welcoming staff without being in your face. Steady stream of customers and welcome children. Only complaint was they started spraying some of the tables to clean them and I left the restaurant with a strong taste of kitchen spray in mouth. Would definitely go back to try more of the tasty food.

Having walked past the place on a number of occasions and witnessed the awesome smell of the grill pumping out its delicious chargrilled fumes, we decided to give this one a whirl on Saturday night.To our surprise when we called up they were able to squeeze us in - no booking required. We opted for the sharing platter as main, calamari each for starter. Pretty much everything on the menu served on a large bed of rice on a tray - along with a few slices of traditional pitta.Stunning food. Chops, chicken wings, kofte... awesome stuff for any meat fan - and I couldn't help noticing a fair vegetarian selection too.Without drinks the bill was around £30 - not bad for a starter and main. And in case you're concerned about portion sizes, the staff put around a third of what was left (which we couldn't finish) into a doggy bag for us.Good stuff all in all. Highly recommended.

Friends and my wife and I,enjoyed the food very much,but there was no atmosphere,perhaps because there were only half a dozen people in,could have been because it was early around 6.00pm.But the staff were not welcoming,just going through the motions.