Aspava Restaurant in St Albans

Wonderful place. Food was delicious, lovely atmosphere and music, staff was great. I loved the fig dessert 🤩🤩🤩

NEVER AGAIN During a recent visit to aspava with my wife, we were excited to try the Turkish cuisine but were unfortunately met with some challenges. The service we received did not meet our expectations, as we encountered moments where the staff, including the manager, did not display the hospitality we had hoped for. Additionally, we found the dishes we tried to be below the standard we anticipated. We believe that with a focus on customer service training and a review of the menu offerings, aspava has the potential to improve and provide a better dining experience for all patrons if they get a new manager

Good quality food, however thats the only good comment i have to make. Portions were very small for a Turkish restaurant, which is unusual for Turkish restaurants. I dined over 30 times in Turkish restaurants as i love Turkish cuisine and its one of my favourites, however this was the worst. The musaka was tiny. Literally 4 bites of food. Starter was even smaller. Service was bad as only 2 people were not enough to cover the entire filed restaurant. We were waiving for the waiters multiple times as we needed things but they were not paying attention. However the cherry on the cake was when I requested the service charge to be removed from the bill and explained we were not happy with the service. The manager then patronised us by saying: well i am not going to get rich from your money , you are the customer so whatever you say. Then he made a silly joke with the next table in order to humiliate us and try to make us look stupid for not paying service charge. I smiled , ignored, and left as i saw no reason to argue with a person that would not understand basic principles. Many years ago i used to be a waiter , then a supervisor and then manager at fine dining restaurants in Europe, Uk and even is Usa. I know how important service charge is for those people and how much it contributes towards their earnings. I know how narrow the profit margins are for small restaurants and that therefore they cannot hire extra waiters and I respect that. But i also know very well what it means to deliver a good service. I also remember the times when i would fail to deliver a good service , it happens to all of us. Those times i would face the reality , respect customers choice and apologise. However In absolutely no way , i would even dare to disrespect, challenge or insult the client in the way the manager did with us. I am not a person that likes to complain , however this restaurant disappointed beyond measure. Not because of the small portions or the bad service. Because or the unacceptable and unprofessional behaviour of the manager that rather than respecting our choice, he chose to disrespect and insult instead. There is absolutely no way i would ever go to this place again.

Good evening my friends so what to say about this please I went there with my lovely wife and our friends to dine after lovely walk at Saint Albans cathedral and the lovely city. Until we got pulled in this restaurant from the very smart Waiter that come outside and promised a lot but nothing seemed to be alike. starters and plates arrived after long waiting everything was very small for the price and to be honest not that tasty as he claimed. the waiter was very confident about everything even they didn’t bring us everything we ordered and after long waiting for the food when when we asked to not pay service charges he started being rude and even making jokes with next tables about not paying service charge when we didn’t have any kind of good service at all. Sorry but I’m not recommending this place to nobody.

Absolutely Brilliant on EVERY level. Honest wholesome food. Fantastic Quality & freshness. Price reasonable also. Would strongly recommend.

We only chose this as somewhere close to Alban Arena. Now we'll be going back to St Albans just to go here. Great atmosphere, and delicious, authentic Turkish dishes. We had Borek (filo pastry/feta/parsley), humous with mushrooms, mixed pickles (yum); followed by meat moussaka and halloumi salad. All perfect, and not HUGE portions, which is such a relief – just decent amounts of excellent food. The service was caring and friendly, and we couldn't work out how the staff could be so attentive and unstressed when it was pretty busy. New fave Turkish restaurant ... we'll be back.

Perfect food, service, and location for a pre-show meal. Will go here again.

Great food and lovely service I eat max grilled chicken lamb and adan kofta and lovely rice The best Turkish place in Saint Albans

I would not recommend this Turkish restaurant to anyone. *The food was mediocre with bland flavours, Despite the hefty price tag, the portions were shockingly small. * We had to eat pot noddles at home after paying £43 leaving me feeling like I overpaid for a few bites of food. *The ambiance was ruined by excessively loud music, making it impossible to enjoy the meal or have a conversation, very bad service. Save your money and dine elsewhere

Lovely place, the food was delicious. I had lamb. The staff were so friendly , thank you for the thoughtful Mother's day gift. Highly recommend.

I reserved based on the reviews, for a solo dinner before a show at the adjacent arena. I was just expecting 'OK', but both the food and service were excellent. A great cocktail, superb mixed grill (requested with just salad and no rice) and professional friendly service. I wish Aspava wasn't more than 4,000 miles from my home, as I'd be here every week!

Great night out with the family, the quality of the food was excellent ( being Turkish myself ) price was very reasonable, compare to other restaurants. Service was great, they suprised my son with a birthday treat ( cheesecake slice & candle & mini birthday celebration ) Thank you it was a lovely gesture :)

My wife and I were in St Albans for a couple of days and after trying a couple of the local pubs we came across ASPAVA which looked very welcoming and upon entering this was exactly what we experienced by the owner. Instantly after such a warm and relaxed welcome we were seated at a lovely table at the front of the restaurant which is beautifully designed and decorated. We didn’t intend to have a long 3 course meal so we went for the sharing platter and a couple of drinks which arrived in a timely manner and all the meat was cooked to perfection and nicely marinated and seasoned. We did ask for some more garlic & chilli dips which wasn’t a problem and arrived immediately. Portion size was plentiful and the owner and staff were attentive and always made sure we were looked after throughout our meal. I cannot remember the last time I have had a dessert at a restaurant as it’s not something that is usually for me but we had such a relaxing time and felt so comfortable that I even had a delightful cheesecake and my wife enjoyed the figs and walnuts too. ASPAVA strives to welcome & comfort their guests whilst serving traditional passed down recipes throughout their menu and they deliver this experience tremendously. Many thanks David.

Awful poor service, long wait for food 50 mins tiny portions dry rice with about 4 bits of lettuce. Expensive for what you get. Seated near door so windy every time it opened. Worst of extremely loud unnecessary music. Impossible to have a conversation. Was not turned down after we politely asked. The only thing to come the table on time was the Bill!!!

Lovely meal and fantastic service. I recommend the mezze are highly recommended to get a taste of all they have to offer!

Nothing to write home about. Booked a table in advance and treated as though it was a surprise to be sat next to the kitchen. The music was too loud to be able to have a conversation. Disappointing portion sizes and not the best Turkish food I have had. Even a well travelled 9 year old commented that the calamari was cheewy. I asked for the service charge to be taken off for the first time ever in my life as it felt a bit cheeky to have one but then didn't complain and ask why. Staff were fairly nice. Sadly its unlikely I will return.

Well laid out restaurant with polite and friendly service. Food was nice, however some of the portion sizes were inconsistent (3 person share platter could feed 4, however lamb shish looked like a half portion).

Have you gone to the Theatre in St Albans?? Well next door to the Theatre is Aspava. This is a must for Lunch or Dinner. Ihsan and his team will look after you from the moment you arrive until you decide to leave. The food is wonderful and so is the service. Second time ive been here with my group of friends and we thoroughly enjoyed it. A great choice of starters, my favourites are Cacik, Lambs liver & Tiger prawns , Main Course, Lamb or Chicken Shish, , Mixed Kebab is a must if you're feeling hungry& Fillet of sea bass. Dessert if you have room, Strawberry cheesecake, (Sublime) , Baklava, (wonderful) or the dessert Platter , take your pick, food, experience and service are second to none. Treat yourself, you won't be disappointed, and please say Hi to Ihsan from me, I'll be back very soon with my friends, Enjoy!! Ian

Fantastic Valentines night! Food was delicious, great service. They had a singer was very talented and created a wonderful atmosphere. They had decorated the restaurant with balloons, lanterns and lots of little details. All of the ladies got a rose. Definitely going back again

Not great food for price. Also platter not worth 46£. Absolutely take a way better than this place. Not recommended

Freindly welcome and atmosphere service with a smile and amazing food will definitely visit again

Amazing food and lovely staff. I would definitely recommend this place and I will be returning soon.

We were a table of 13 people and we were looked after very well indeed. Good food, good service decent portions.

This was a wonderful experience. Not only was the food delicious from the first bite to the last but the welcome was warm, with the owner going out of his way to give us a great evening. We had some fussy diners, all of whom he made sure to cook their meals as they liked. Will definitely return, and highly recommend to everyone

Going to a show at the Alban Arena so thought we would try Aspava. Great location as next door to the Arena. First time to this restaurant and found, the service and food excellent. We will definitely be back!

We had a decent dinner at the Aspava on a Wednesday evening; it wasn't too crowded or noisy and the chairs are comfortable. Vegetable moussaka was on the bland side but came with a reasonable salad and rice, and the salmon saute was very tasty with a lot of fish. The waiting staff were eager to please; they brought us complimentary flatbread and dips, and when my wife told them it was my birthday they brought out complimentary desserts with a little candle on top and sang 'Happy Birthday'. You can park for free after 6.30 in Bricket Road on the other side of the Civic Centre car park behind the restaurant.

Pre-Theatre dinner. Excellent and well chilled white wine. Tasteless starters. Two good different main courses both spoiled by being served on cold plates - quickly went cold. These were re-heated on request. Typical desserts. Disappointing overall

Aspava was fantastic. The staff were amazing and the grill chef seriously knows what he is doing. It will be my go to restaurant from now on. Felt so relaxed and looked after.

A Turkish food lover. Incredibly disappointed with this place. Extremely expensive for what it is. Calamari starter £7-8 for literally five rings and ready made sauce. Mixed kebab ok size but pricey, chicken shish not only small but rice tasted like it hasn’t been freshly cooked. Side salad was tasteless. Service was ok. I wouldn’t come back, even if hungry!

Lovely food and the staff are really sweet

We went for dinner before going to the theatre next door. Good service. We had starter and mains all of which were delicious and hot. A nice relaxed atmosphere Will go again

One of the best turkish restaurants i have visited, good quality and tasty food, great atmosphere and lovely staff. They do the best pina cola (non-alcoholic version) and the food was of great quality yet tasted amazing. I would definitely recommend as they have excellent customer service; lovely hospitality and it has a beautiful setting and vibe to spend time with family and friends.

What a delightful find for us. I was with two physically challenged family members at the panto and booked the nearest venue. We were thrilled to find such an atmospheric charming restaurant. The menu was ample and we all chose differently, with perfect lamb chops, delicious chicken wings and my very tasty liver. The desserts were also delicious. But for us it was the utterly charming staff that made our evening. Both the waiting staff that served our table, were efficient, smily, funny, polite and warm without being overbearing. We had a thoroughly enjoyable evening and our compliments to the chef.

Have you gone to the Theatre in St Albans?? Well next door to the Theatre is Aspava. This is a must for Lunch or Dinner. Ihsan and his team will look after you from the moment you arrive until you decide to leave. The food is wonderful and so is the service. Second time ive been here with my group of friends and we thoroughly enjoyed it. A great choice of starters, my favourites are Cacik, Lambs liver & Tiger prawns , Main Course, Lamb or Chicken Shish, , Mixed Kebab is a must if you're feeling hungry& Fillet of sea bass. Dessert if you have room, Strawberry cheesecake, (Sublime) , Baklava, (wonderful) or the dessert Platter , take your pick, food, experience and service are second to none. Treat yourself, you won't be disappointed, and please say Hi to Ihsan from me, I'll be back very soon with my friends, Enjoy!! Ian

Busy, vibrant and good food. The entertainment was fun shame not all tables wanted to join in. Good Christmas atmosphere.

My wife and I ate here twice over the past weekend and we’ve eaten here with friends a couple of times before. The food is incredible. I had the calimari, the sea bass, the courgette starter, and the aubergine over the two days. All were extremely delicious, as were the sautéed potatoes, fries and baklavas. I’d also recommend the mango juice. The service was fantastic, both friendly and attentive. The decor is magical. We forgot we were in the town centre. Walking in and out, we felt like we were walking through a secret garden. We could even hear birds singing. Would highly recommend.

Went for a family lunch on Sunday. Food was delicious and the hospitality was amazing.. definitely recommend to everyone!

I went here for my daughters 30th , then we both popped in after a theatre trip , the food is lush , the wine is lovely , the staff are attentive, what more could you want. Cindy.

Yusuf he is best he is so friendly amazing food amazing service and nice atmosphere thank you so much guys 🙏🙏

Visited for special occasion as a family of 3 with our 11yo son, the waiter was incredibly rude and abrupt. We asked what fruit juices they had and said ‘look at the menu’. The menu just said ‘juices’. Service was slow and inattentive despite being very quiet. Ordered the platter for 3, more like 1, not even enough meat for 1 piece of each type for each person. Tiny portion of rice to share between 3. We were charged extra for bread and charged for alcohol when we didn’t order any. When we questioned this the waiter argued with us and said we were lying. Never experienced anything like it, shocking. Left hungry and upset. My advice is avoid!!

This is a very good Turkish Resturant!! Myself and 2 friends visited this resturant last night and we were treated to an array of wonderful and very tasty food. Service was spot on, and I can appreciate it was a Monday night, but the food was spot on. Helpings we’re of a very good size, and I would definitely go back. I can recommend tge Cacik, mixed Kebab, Lambs Liver , whole sea bass, , followed by Strawberry Cheesecake ,chocolate cake and Baklava, finished off with a mint tea. Please try this resturant, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed !! Thank you guys for a great night!! Many thanks Ian, Jay & Michael 😊😊

I normally go to Aspava as there is a great atmosphere personally greetings from what I see to all customers. Even though it was very busy the owner took time and care dealing with all clientele. Food was really tasty and hot presentation great good value for money. This restaurant is amazing not like the normal takeaways or sit in kebab shops. This is high class with normal prices brilliant. Thank you Aspava well done

I normally do not leave feedback, unfortunately the whole experience was poor - service and the food was average. Should have gone to a kebab take away, which would have offered better value for money and tastier.

Ate here before going to a show next door. Food was fabulous, as was service and atmosphere. We will definitely be back

We were looking forward to trying this restaurant before a show at the arena. I had booked and received confirmation yet when we arrived the restaurant was really busy and there wasn’t one empty table. When I said we were going to the show it became obvious that we wouldn’t be able to eat as there wouldn’t be enough time to wait for a table I thought that was the idea of booking so a table was saved for you. So can’t comment on food or service

Good experience. I recommend. Friendly staff and delicious Turkish food.

Rebecca was an amazing waitress, so sweet and attentive. Food was fantastic quality- will be back again!

Just had lunch at Aspava, great service, lovely food, drink, great lunch menu & friendly staff, will be back

Beautiful food at a beautiful location . The service is excellent as is the food. Most recommended. Lovely garden area gives sense of peace and calm in the town Our waitress Dina was extremely helpful and friendly like a ray of sunshine. The owner Assan is welcoming and friendly and came to check everything was OK for us.

Our second visit to this lovely restaurant, the service and food are amazing. Would definitely recommend, it has a very nice garden outside which is like a little piece of heaven

Lovely food, attentive staff. Excellent dining experience.

This has to be the place to go if you want authentic Turkish food, and who wouldn't? We had simple starters of halloumi and smoked augergine followed by truly superb lamb chops. The manager (owner?) personally recommended the lamb chops as his signature dish and he was dead right. Two glasses of an excellent Pinot and two lovely coffees made for a superb lunch which consigned our long, rainy, drive from Yorkshire to a distant memory.

Wonderful service Wonderful foods fantastic place Definitely will back

Great birthday meal!!! Food was delicious, fresh and plenty to eat. Wonderful staff and relaxing atmosphere with great music and decor. Compliments!! Will definitely be returning 😌 ☺️ 🙂 …

Great birthday meal!!! Food was delicious, fresh and plenty to eat. Wonderful staff and relaxing atmosphere with great music and decor. Compliments!! Will definitely be returning 😌 ☺️ 🙂

Our second visit to this lovely restaurant, the service and food are amazing. Would definitely recommend, it has a very nice garden outside which is like a little piece of heaven .

Beautiful food at a beautiful location . The service is excellent as is the food. Most recommended. Lovely garden area gives sense of peace and calm in the town.

Very disappointed after reading good reviews - perhaps we were just unlucky. Admittedly we were 5 minutes late - not usually a problem in most restaurants. The waiter took the trouble to tell us it would be very quick service and we would have lots of time to get to the show in the arena next door. Had our order taken ok and got the wine we ordered than we sat and sat …..when we asked we were told we were late and it was busy! When the food eventually arrived it was the main and not the starter, added to that we had both ordered a chicken dish but I got lamb. When I asked our waiter he insisted I had ordered lamb - I most definitely hadn’t I had pointed to the menu and actually said chicken but instead of acknowledging he had made a mistake (it happens) he continued to insist it was what I had ordered. The starter was then brought to the table. They did take the service charge off the bill! and not charge for the starter that I didn’t get to eat. Overall a really disappointing experience.

Dinner before seeing a show at the Alban Arena. Nice looking restaurant and very welcoming. The place was very busy but the service was very quick and attentive. Great food choices and it arrived without any delays and was delicious. We are lucky to have some great dining options in St Albans and this is certainly one to add to the list. Our first time here and will definitely be back.

Great atmosphere, amazing service and food. On arrival we had a warm welcome from a young lady! Good selections of food and good portions!

Good food, friendly staff, a pleasant evening in good surroundings. Useful for dining before attending St Albans arena.

We went on a Saturday night and it was fabulous from start to finish. Despite being full, the service was efficient, drinks and food arrived timely and to a brilliant standard. We all enjoyed our cocktails and 3 courses, portions were perfect and I think both food and drinks were great value for money. Highly recommend!

The restaurant was full , I had booked. Although busy the service was spot on. The food was delicious and the meze platters and desert platters so good for a family gathering takes away all the weed hat you having. The main meals were a delight so well cooked scores if 10 out of 10 were given. A really great evening. First visit but will not be the last .

We had a lovely lunch at Aspava. Very friendly staff and our food was beautiful and served in good time. And a special thank you for making my daughter’s birthday particularly special! We will be back again soon!

Incredible staff incredible food the best ever in England fit genuine meze!! Thank you so much can’t wait to come again

Delicious fresh food. We had the mixed cold stqrrer and then the chicken shish. The chicken was so tender and everyrhing was fresh and delicious. The service was amazing and they couldn't have been more welcoming and accommodating to us and our saughter. We will...

A little gem. Haven’t been in St Albans for a while and came for an appointment with my brother and was looking for somewhere to have a late lunch. Found this place, tucked away and was attracted to its decor, outside the building. We love...

A totally lovely evening, sitting outside amidst all the flowers yet in the heart of the centre of town. The service was outstanding (& the booking process). The food was perfect - and huge portions!! Totally recommend the mezzes (we sampled 7, mixing cold &...

Six of us ate here and all had a fantastic meal. Great food and really lovely service with the owners checking in on us. Highly recommend

Met a friend in St Albans , we visited the restaurant three times in 5 days … dogs are so welcome and the staff owners amazing , couldn’t do more for you . Food outstanding ..

Came here for the first time for my boyfriends birthday dinner. Loved the decor. They had put a balloon and happy birthday confetti which was a nice touch. My boyfriend ordered a wine, the quantity was huge! As he was driving, he couldn't finish it...

Well cooked and seasoned lamb Shish, tasty fried liver and onions as a starter. Good, prompt, friendly but unintrusive service. I would recommend this place. (. I had a la carte - cannot speak for Prix fixe )

We were sooo welcomed at Aspava Restaurante that we came back again and again and again. Thanks the owners and all the staff that served us and spoils us all the week! We were 11 people who left very satisfied! Wonderful meals and vast menu!...

We opted for the fixed price lunch menu. The decor and atmosphere was lovely but the food portions were tiny! I would rather have payed more and been well fed. We had to order extra portions. I asked for a small condiment of sauce and...

Myself and my husband had our anniversary dinner here weds night and was blown away from the moment we sat x our table was decorated for us The service and food was top class x The beautiful garden out front was an added bonus. Thank...

Lovely food and a great vibe. Decoration, music and food that all felt authentically Turkish. They have even planted a garden our front to give great views from inside. Very friendly staff- especially Andrea who was very attentive. If we were local we would be...

Friendly and helpful staff. Comfortable and pleasant surroundings. We went early on a Thursday evening as going to the Arena afterwards. Food was piping hot and obviously cooked to order.

A good restaurant needs three things to be called good, Food that is well cooked with quality ingredients . service that is not not too slow to be ignored or to quick has to be hurried. And a nice relaxed atmosphere. Aspava has all three,...

We visited this restaurant this week. Customers on they're way out stopped us and said how delicious the food was! It didn't disappoint. Fresh and beautifully cooked ingredients, great menu and exceptional service. Would definitely recommend a visit.

We had a very enjoyable evening. It was the busiest I’ve experienced there but although the spice was a little slow all the waiting staff were as attentive as they could be when dealing with so many covers. The manager was very apologetic when I...

We visited on Sat 25th Feb. Whilst our table was ready and waiting, I've never seen this restaurant so busy - it was absolutely packed. The people are delightful, and the food, as always was really. Service a bit chaotic, waiter forgot one of our...

I've never really noticed this place, despite going past it often. Recently it seems to have stood out a bit more so I decided to just have an early dinner alone. Some of the best food Ive had in ages no over the top service...

This is the first time I’ve visited this restaurant and I loved it. The staff were super friendly and attentive, the food was very tasty and well priced. I was happy with my experience and will definitely be visiting again sometime

Absolutely outstanding, I booked this for a friends 50th. We arrived and they had provided balloons on the table such a nice touch . Food outstanding. At the end they brought out a beautiful chocolate cake was so kind and generous of them this was...

Fabulous visit. Was my sister’s birthday and they went above and beyond. Food was amazing and service and atmosphere was lovely even on a Monday evening

We visited Aspava on a warn summers day (arriving just too late to get an outside table). Whilst the starter was OK and the amount of bread provided minuscule, my main dish of Chicken Caesar Salad was excellent: the chicken was nicely cooked and full...

Family meal for 4 First visit and was amazed at the food taste and quality . Restaurant has a warm welcoming chilled vibe Will definitely be returning

We had a table booked at 08:30pm set menu for Xmas ! The starter came out and I can honestly say I would not feed my dog it ! My main course was chicken peppers and onion floating around in water ! they forgot the...

Visited here in July 2022. The restaurant has a really nice atmosphere and we took advantage of the nice weather and sat outside. We parked locally at the Civic Centre Multi Story which is a bit of a dump. It was a short walk past...

The food was excellent and friendly good service from the staff! If we had been here on our first night of two we would have returned!

This is my favourite Turkish restaurant. The service is amazing and the food is always delicious. I particularly like their platter and their salads are so full of flavour and feel a bit fancy. They haven’t put their prices up since the pandemic and are...

Came for a birthday party with a group of 13 adults and 2 children. The service at this restaurant was absolutely amazing. The staff was so friendly and went above and beyond for us. The food was delicious and the cocktails were also lovely. Would...

Fantastic food, very good choice on the menu fast service and great staff will certainly be visiting again

Tempted in by two courses for £11.90. Ideal location by Alban Arena. Falafels and humus, then Chicken shish. One 330ml Efes Beer. Portions very small. Rice mound unbelievably so, tiniest ever seen, with 6 little cubes of chicken, and thankfully a little bit of salad....

Really great food - whether quick lunch menu or dinner menu. Pricier than some cheaper local alternatives but the quality of the food wins out and it is worth it. the only Turkish/middle eastern restaurant I have returned to in St. Albans. Service is attentive...

We wanted to try somewhere new for our wedding anniversary. With the weather looking good we booked a table outside and we were pleasantly surprised by the gorgeous setting. The staff were helpful and friendly and the food was tastey. We had a selection of...

Aspava never fail to deliver ..sit outside if weather permits amongst the beautiful flowers and foliage ..food is great ..staff are very friendly and attentive.. one of our favourite places in saint Albans.. Sweet lady and Mr Bellini

We really enjoyed our visit to aSt Albans & the Asparvsa restaurant. The staff were very friendly & couldn't do enough to help us. The food was excellent & we will certainly go again.

We visited Aspava on Saturday evening and were not disappointed. Having visited several times before they never fail to deliver. The food was amazing as was the atmosphere. Will definitely be returning.

Absolutely amazing service amazing food unbelievable presentation very aromatic really tickled my taste buds defiantly has a master chef in that kitchen will return for dinner menu very soon overall the best food I have tried in the area and I am born and bred...