Ayasofya in Lewisham

I AM REALLY SORRY TO DO THIS. I HAVE BEEN COMING TO THIS ICONIC RESTAURANT FOR THIRTY YEARS. I REMEMBER IN THE SOUTH EAST OF LONDON YOU CAN GET THE BEST LAHMACUNS EVER. I ALWAYS PREFERRED THEM TO ANY NORTH LONDON RESTAURANTS. BUT NOT NOW!!’ THE BUSINESS PREMISES WAS REFURBISHED AND IT WAS LOOKING GREAT AND HAD MORE ROOM FOR MORE CUSTOMERS UPSTAIRS AND THEY HAD A BIG DOWNSTAIRS FOR LARGER PARTIES. THEN COVID HIT. AND AFTER COVID WHEN WE STARTED GOING, THE PRICES WENT UP TOO MUCH. THE FOOD WASN’T TASTING OR LOOKING LIKE IT USE TO. THE PORTIONS BECAME SMALLER. THE ACTUAL RESTAURANT LOOKED LIKE IT NEEDED REDOING AS IT BECAME DATED AND NOW IT LOOKS VERY UNKEPT. BROKEN SKIRTINGS, MIRRORS AND CHAIRS. INSIDE LOOKS TERRIBLE. IT’S NOT CLEAN AND WE HAD TURKISH TEA AND THE TINY SPOONS HAD TEA STAINS ON THEM. THE LITTLE SAUCERS HAD TEA STAINS ON THEM AND CHIPS ON SOME OF THEM. WE HAD ONE CUBE OF SUGAR WITH OUR TEA INSTEAD OF TWO. I MEAN REALLY RATIONING! THE MENU’S WERE DIRTY. MY DESSERT RICE PUDDING WAS QUITE A FEW DAYS OLD. THE MILK SKIM ON TOP WAS VERY THICK AND QUITE HARD TO CUT MY SPOON INTO. RICE PUDDING WAS NOT COOKED RIGHT. SOME MOUTHFULS WERE VERY AL DENTAE AND CRUNCHY. SALT AND PEPPER POTS NOT CLEAN AND GREASY TO TOUCH. EVEN THE DISH ON TILL DESK HAD NO TINY LOKUMS. I DIDN’T ORDER KEBAB AS PREVIOUS TIME FELT RIPPED OFF. IT WAS TERRIBLE. WE WENT FOR ALL STONE OVEN COOKED PASTRIES. IT WAS PLEASANT. NOT GREAT THOUGH. SERVER MADE A FUSS ABOUT SWAPPING GREEN PEPPERS FOR ONIONS. I STATED I WAS ALLERGIC BUT IT WENT OVER HIS HEAD. BABY SEAT PROVIDED FOR TODDLER OF 18 MONTHS OLD WAS OLD AND AND DIRTY. OUR NEPHEW FELL OUT OF IT, WHILST SITTING IN IT. HE HAD HIS BACK TO THE COAL BBQ., AND HEARD THE RUSTLING OF COAL AND TURNED TO SEE WHAT IS WAS AND THE TODDLER SEAT SLIPPED OFF (WHICH I REALLY DON’T THINK SHOULD OF GONE ON THE SEAT WE WERE SITTING ON, AS IT FELT SLIPPERY). BUT WE MANAGED TO CATCH HIM, THANK GOD BEFORE HE SMASHED HIS HEAD ON THE GRANITE FLOORING. THIS MADE ME SO MAD! THE RESTAURANT WAS LITERALLY EMPTY. WHAT REALLY ANNOYED ME WAS THAT WE ARE REGULAR CUSTOMERS. IT WAS MY SISTERS 60TH BIRTHDAY AND SHE ASKED ME TO TAKE HER HERE ESPECIALLY FOR THE STONE OVEN COOKED SAVOURY PIDES. AND THE GUYS KNOW ME AND THEY COULDN’T EVEN GIFT HER A SMALL TURKISH TEA ON THE HOUSE. IT’S JUST MAKES ME LAUGH! EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED. EVEN ALL THE QUALITY OF THE FOODS BEING COOKED. IT’S LIKE THE OWNERS HAVE NO PASSION FOR IT ANYMORE. IT’S A REAL SHAME BECAUSE WHEN YOU SAID MEZE MANGAL, EVERYBODY IN THE SOUTH EAST OF LONDON KNEW WHICH RESTAURANT YOU WAS TALKING ABOUT AND ALWAYS REALLY AMAZING POSITIVE FEEDBACKS. NOW WHEN YOU SAY THE RESTAURANTS NAME YOU LISTEN TO NEGATIVITY, WHICH IS SAD😞 THE RESTAURANT WAS COLD. HONESTLY IT WAS WARMER OUTSIDE. I REALLY WOULD LIKE THE OWNERS TO LOOK AT MY COMMENTS AND TAKE IT ON BOARD OR IT WOULD BE A REAL SHAME.

Lovely food and service, good choice for vegetarians and vegans. Particularly reccomend all of it. Good choice of wine - all Hungarian.

Sadly, this restaurant has had to close permanently. A victim of the pandemic and cost of living hike.

Delicious delicious food! The starters are amazing and so are the mains. Huge portions that you don't get in many places these days.

Average kebab nothing special, cash only for some reason no signage they dont tell you this when you order definitely need to step into 21st century