Meze in Darlington

We did try to book here for a pre theatre meal on Thursday 30th November but was told they were fully booked. After getting off the train we thought we’d chance it and only two tables were occupied. We ordered two sparkling waters which arrived swiftly but were clearly out of a cheap bottle (not provided) as they tasted more like soda water and were flat. After looking at the very limited menu I asked the waitress if there was an ala carte menu and she had no clue what I was talking about. We decided that we would go elsewhere for the above reasons so I went to the desk to pay for the waters. As I approached the desk the same, rude young woman told me to ‘wait there’ as the phone started ringing. I think you’ll find a customer right in front of you is more important than answering the phone, especially as at this point she wasn’t aware we would be leaving. Apologies to the kitchen staff, I can’t rate the food but judging from the reviews it must be decent. My advice (take it or leave it) would be to sort out your front of house staff and not turn away bookings when you’re quiet.

It was a pleasure to return after several years and find the food as good as before and just as reasonably priced. Everything is simple and straightforward - a smallish menu and even smaller drinks list. if you want to see what's available, check their pages on Facebook.

Quite a surprise as we hadn't eaten here before and it was a very tasty meal. The staff were very helpful. There was obviously an issue with beer as there seemed to be very little of each type!! However, we did have an enjoyable evening with a nice tasty meal

Excellent food, really lovely service, clearly a very popular place and there was a lot of love! Can’t recommend it highly enough

Excellent food, service and price - always consistent… We never hesitate to recommend this place to family and friends. We will definitely return !

We booked a table here for a pre-theatre dinner for two. Simple menu with traditional fayre and very reasonable prices with 3 courses for £20 and two courses for £15. We had the two course option which was plenty and we were unable to eat a desert. Great service by two young ladies who were very attentive and polite. Drinks very good price too. Thoroughly recommend.

Second visit here after October last year. We went back before another show at the Hippodrome as the first time was excellent. Limited menu as it was early and quieter but again was lovely food and vert good, helpful and friendly service. Well worth a visit

My first visit here. Why oh why did it take me so long!!! Went on a Tuesday night, two or three course menu. We chose three starters and had a try if each others. The mains were very filling, so tasty, nothing was left because we took the left overs home! Puddings need a mention also. Staff were very friendly, nothing was too much trouble. Has to have been the best birthday meal in a very long time, spent with family.

I expected eat Turkish traditional food like adana kebab, urfa acili, cig kofte,karniyarik,tekirdag kofte,iskender kebab, kuru fasilya soganin gobegi, middlesbrough efe's Turkish restaurant satisfied you top Turkish chef kemal at middlesbrough efe's

Beautiful food, nice friendly staff.. I ordered chicken kebab (£12.50) & it was delicious… big pieces of chicken, salad, rice & potatoes, I will definitely recommend to all my friends & family…. friends who were with me ordered lamb kebab & vegetarian moussaka… they both enjoyed theirs as much as I enjoyed mine…restaurant has disabled access & the most beautiful accessible toilet I’ve ever seen

Meal before theatre ideal place only a walk away from hippodrome food and service was great would go again

Very good food and knowledgeable, helpful and friendly staff. Came here before a show at the Hippodrome as its only a one minute walk away and am glad we did. Will definitely come back next time we are in Darlington

First visit and will definitely be back. We had a mixed Meze sharing platter. It was an interesting and tasty selection of food and a great way to sample a range of what the restaurant has to offer. The staff were friendly, helpful and accommodating. While not on the menu as side dishes, we asked if we could have a portion of crispy potatoes and rice to make our starter into a main and this was no problem. The chocolate fudge cake dessert was fabulous - the sponge was lovely and light.

Excellent food at a more than reasonable price, Meze is within walking distance of the town, but a mere stone’s throw from Darlington Hippodrome. So a really popular place for the theatre-goer.

First time we have visited this restaurant, which is close to the Hippodrome theatre and ideal for a meal before a performance. Came highly recommended by friends and we were not disappointed. The ambiance was good and the food delicious

A warm, friendly atmosphere and very good food. Staff were excellent, food tasty - if a little oily. There's no website we could find - reserve a table over the phone and read the menu when you get there. The stuffed aubergine was very enjoyable....

Had a lovely meal delivered from Meze so lovely and helpful through messenger when enquiring about menu I am from Leeds and one of the best take aways I have had was lovely thank you so much first class customer service and lovely food top...

Booked to eat here prior to an evening performance at the theatre. We received a lovely warm welcome and excellent attentive service. The food was delicious, plentiful, authentic & excellent value for money. Neither of us could fault anything.

Unpretentious restaurant serving very generous portions of well cooked Turkish standard dishes. Mixed mere starter for two is enormous and both chicken and lamb shush kebabs excellent. Chocolate and orange cake was baked by somebody who knows what they are doing. Turkish red wine was...

Wonderful experience. My mother and myself visited here o n a brief visit to Darlington. I would highly recommend this place. It is family run where the staff are very attentive and friendly. The food is excellent, cant be faulted, which is also very reasonable...

Absolutely fabulous, tasty food. Plentiful portions and lovely choice. Authentic tasting too. Turkish wine goes down a treat too and the Turkish lemonade is beautiful. Excellent service. All well socially distanced.

Have been meaning to try this little gem for ages......and I waited until lockdown but better late than never! Didn't disappoint, beautiful tasty original food. We'll most definitely be back to support this business who must be going through such a hard time. I wish...

We had dinner for three delivered tonight and everything we chose was wonderful, all tasting homemade and authentic. Highly recommend!

Food was amazing but portions a bit big for is great service from all staff would highly recommend.would defiantly come back again.

Came for a meal last night with friends food was amazing.Booked to go back on Friday can't fault anything.Staff very friendly and welcoming.great value for money.

Lovely Turkish food all our meals were really nice very tasty and a nice atmosphere inside the restaurant loved the decor.

Love this place. The owners are very welcoming. The food is fantastic but it’s very small in the restaurant so be ready to be a bit squashed together if it is busy. Always a good atmosphere.

First time we've had food from Meze, and it was a takeaway due to lockdown. The food arrived on time, freshly prepared salads and mixes, delicious veg, mushrooms, olives, yoghurts etc. The main courses were two kebabs, one chicken, one lamb. Both were excellent, and...

On family recommendation, we ordered a delivery. It was a real treat . We .Love Greek food and have only visited Turkey once. The meze starters were delicious and generous with excellent flavours and there are still some left for tomorrow. We also had the...

Surprise take out after a hard week in lock down school! Absolutely fantastic. Food amazing and delivered to our door. Visited restaurant before but to have food of this quality delivered to your door is great especially during times like these. Keep up the good...

Yet again another outstanding meal from meze. The usual order of mixed meze and iskenders were truely amazing as normal. We picked the food up and took it home to sedgefield. The food was still lovely and warm. My only gripe is there's so much food and I'm sorry to say alot of it was wasted. Which isn't even a bad thing really, but a mixed meze for two could feed 3 or 4 people easily. Great meal, at a good price! Definitely recommend.

10th May. Delivery last night. Excellent food Excellent value. First time but it won’t be the last !

This was our first visit to this gem of a restaurant and it won’t be our last. The food was delicious.

Small unassuming restaurant you would not look twice at, but looks can be deceptive. Inside is informal relaxed and clean with knowledgeable staff to help you through the small but tasty range of meze. Turkish food and wine gets a bad rep, but subtly spiced dishes for both carnivore and veggie are lovely and the Turkish Shiraz went well with all the food types really good value. All this backed up with great staff, we will be going again.

My whole family loves Meze, we come as regularly as we are able to and are never disappointed! Great food, brilliant service and I would recommend to anyone (and I always do!)

As we were visiting the Hullabaloo nearby, Meze was the perfect place to eat. The eating area had a light and airy feel and, being a Friday night, all tables were occupied. My iskender and my wife's chicken shish came in good sized portions and was tasty and enjoyable. Service was a little chaotic, but staff remained calm and friendly. For good value Turkish food in Darlington, this is certainly a place to recommend.

We ate at Meze for my partners 40th birthday and we were not disappointed.My partner is a vegetarian and he said both starter and main course were delicious. Fresh bread was brought out with the starters and we were asked if we wanted any more with our main meal. My food was also delicious the lamb was so juicy and tender.All the staff were friendly and polite and the food is very reasonably priced for what you get.My only grumble was I think we sat at a table with the only seats that had no padding so ached a bit after a while. Which I'm sure will not stop up from hopefully returning very soon.

Its been far too long since we visited our favourite Turkish restaurant. We finally got an opportunity to go and we couldn't be more excited. With a bottle of the efes draught, it was time to wait for the culinary experience we've being craving.The mixed meze as always did not disappoint. Made up of 8 small portions of turkish style tapas, its a great way to start a meal. Then when you think your finished out comes cheese and spicy sausage. Enough food for four but undefeated we readied for the next course. Oh Don't forget the freshly baked bread that accompanies the starter. The İskender has to be the restaurants signature dish. Lamb, beef, chicken, pitta topped with some Turkish butter. This dish puts any mixed grill to shame. In the handful of years I've been coming here, the iskender just gets better! As always we enjoyed conversation with the owners, who are always a pleasure to talk too. This is by far one of Darlington's hidden gems. It deserves more recognition, for how lovely the resturant is. You'll struggle to get a better experience anywhere else. We look forward to our next visit. Thank you for another lovely meal.

Was 1st recommended to us by a vegetarian friend......we aren’t vegetarian, but we were amazed by the quality of the food (and range of drinks).

A great little restaurant close to the Hippodrome theatre in Darlington. The food was delicious and prompt service meant that we could enjoy our meal without having to rush to get seated. Definitely will be going back.

It was our first visit and we had a great time. Food very good and service was absolutely excellent. Never tried turkish wine before so we're given a sample. Everything we asked for and more we will be back

Great Turkish food very tasty. Basic tables and chairs but don’t be put off as it’s very clean. Staff are friendly and helpful. Definitely value for money.

Beautiful food, excellent service from people who go out of their way to go the extra mile. We've been many times and will keep going.

Went for a meal on a Friday. Nice relaxing atmosphere. Given plenty of time to look at the menu and the lady who served us was on hand to help us choose. Ordered the meze followed by a main course each. Portion sizes were very generous so on our next visit I think we would share the meze followed by sharing the main course too, we took home what we didn't eat so luckily nothing was wasted. I would bare this in mind for anyone who isn't a big eater. Food was delicious especially the Iksender, it was to die for! The meze was fantastic so much to choose from I enjoyed every part of it.

Very friendly atmosphere and delicious food, shame we hadn't left ourselves enough time for one of the delicious looking sweets as pre Hippodrome visit, but we will most certainly be back, we loved the place.

First time at this restaurant, first time trying Turkish food. We found the place clean, inviting and the staff very friendly indeed. The food was exceedingly tasty and well cooked, the sweet course was also delicious. Really enjoyed it, thank you.

w came here for date night and our anniversary what can i say the food was lovley .. the mixed kebab was done to perfection tasty and moist and i couldnt eat it all so they let us take it home my husband had İskender and said it was lovley the staff were great and were kept on there toes as they were busy but had no complaints as service was great and the owners are lovley thank you for a great evening on the 24th may 2019 we will return again thanks from may and dave

It’s been 4 years since my first visit and after fond memories we decided to go back. The quality and taste of food is still outstanding. So delicious! Everyone is always so friendly and attentive too which makes the experience that much more special. Thanks again for a lovely evening. We won’t leave it so long again next time!

Food very good, the Iskander is a personal favourite and the portions are generous, the Sucuk Izgara - Grilled Turkish sausage is a tasty starter.

As always when we visit, the owner remembers us asks about our family and is generally a very nice. The atmosphere is also very good.

Food lovely. Front of house lady - manners diabolical, snappy and rude. Not sure I'll be going there again

First time at meze and was truly amazing,exactly what I thought it would be.

Every time I travel past this restaurant it seems to be closed so after checking online I found you can make a reservation on the phone, took a couple of days of calling as nobody seems to answer. We were excited to go as we do like Turkish food after visiting turkey many times over the past 20 years. It was a let down to be honest, I found it over priced but I don’t mind paying if the food is decent. We were shocked by the time we left so I made an account with trip advisor just so I could give my feedback. The lady owner seemed friendly, good start, but she seemed to spend a lot of time playing on her phone which stared putting me off ordering more drinks as we felt like an inconvenience when really we are paying guests. There was at least 5 other tables there that night and the other staff who were all quite young obviously have no experience of waiting tables so they weren’t much help either. The starter wasn’t too bad but The chicken dish I ate had a funny smell in my opinion so I mostly left it and ate the other things on the plate. Just before we left I went to the loo and could see in the kitchen, I was put off by how dirty the walls were, it looks like it could do with a deep clean. On passing the bar area there seemed to be a strange smell coming from there too and it was quite messy so there standards appear to be quite low once you scratch the surface. It’s a shame as this could be a great place but I get the feeling the owners can’t be bothered with it so unfortunately i’d Rather spend my money elsewhere and couldn’t recommend it to anyone.

Booked a table here when going to the theatre. Great food , friendly staff a must. Food was excellent cannot wait to go back..

Came here after a matinee at the hippodrome. 1st visit and it isn't luxury but it's homely and a the welcome was very friendly. This continued throughout. Food was lovely and would definitely go back. Home made humous was lovely and caters well for the vegetarian.

Wonderful food as usual, the lambs liver was soft and tender and well seasoned, the data cheese parcels with mushrooms were very nice. The main courses were well cooked and well seasoned.

We are regular visitors to the Meze and can highly recommend the food and service. It is a locally run business staffed by the proprietor. Excellent venue for visiting theatre. H & M.

Lovely little restaurant need to book as popular and very handy for pre theatre meal. The kebabs were delicious and very generous portions. Friendly staff but a bit disorganised. Worth a visit for authentic Turkish food at reasonable prices

The food was wonderfully cooked and had amazing flavour. Very tender meat and carefully presented. Staff were very nice as well. Some of the best food we've ever had before.

Food was amazing. Personally i am not the biggest fan of this type of cuisine, having said that the flavours in every aspect of each dish were perfectly balanced and offered ones palate a real treat. Would highly recommend.

Really beautiful food, amongst the best we've ever eaten, and cooked to order from fresh - so don't expect to be in and out in 30 minutes. Wife particularly looks forward to the very fresh salad garnishes. Staff a delight.

Our 1st visit. Staff helpful and friendly. Food was freshly made with all the wonderful flavours expected. Succulent chicken and lamb kebab with tasty rice and salad. This won't be our last visit.

We were a big family group here not long ago,our party being a complete mix of ages and tastes, and everyone was happy. The food is always interesting, is served promptly (which makes this a really good choice if attending the theatre) and sufficiently varied to please all.

Excellent food, great friendly service. Well worth a visit. Plenty of choices available for everyone on the menu. One of the best in the area.

We visited this little gem before heading to the theatre. When I called to book, they asked if we we’re attending the theatre to ensure we would have plenty of time to eat before the performance. The food was delicious and the staff were very attentive. Really nice family place to eat.

I recently went to eat with friends and we were not disappointed. The food was superb and the service was excellent. There are so many more dishes I'd like to try so I will definitely be returning with my family. Highly recommended!

there was 6 of us in our group for a maily meal we arrived and were shown to our table .. the staff are very attentive an all the way through our meal to get drinks or what ever we requested.. the food was amazing we had mixed starter humus bean salad etc lovley.. our mains came chicken kebab and mixed kebab.. and a tinnie share mixed meats and rice it was amazing and cooked to perfection.. alot of food for the price amzing value.. clean .. staff lovley cant fault the place glad we booked table as they get busy we will all be comming back to this lovley little place thanks for a great evening our family had together

It's been a while since I last visited this lovely restaurant and I was surprised the lovely front of house lady remembered me. Food was as amazing as when I was last there,chicken supreme was so moist and tender. The humous starter was also beautiful,I order it every time and the lovely warm Turkish bread just complimented it. This place has a lovely atmosphere with lovely bowl light on all the tables which are nice on these dark nights,I will definitely be going back again soon

never recoment to no body staff aint friendly food was awful i order chicken kebap wasint cook still raw starter's not very nice

We called in for a late dinner after watching a play at the Darlington Hippodrame theatre. We were the only ones in for the entire evening which is shame because it did detract from the atmosphere some what but we were advised by the owner that they had been busier before the show; we just couldn't get there in time to eat before he performance. However, the owner was lovely and friendly and the food was gorgeous. We will definitely visit again when we get the opportunity.

First time here even though it is close never thought of trying it before. Restaurant seemed nice and clean warm and cosy lighting. The lady who served us was very charming. The drinks order seemed to take forever to arrive after we sat down, ordered the starter that also took what seemed like an eternity to come out, took them a while to take away used plates. Main came out fairly fast, meat I had was very tasty and so were the potatoes. Restaurant wasn't overly busy only 4 other tables taken.

This is a lovely friendly little restaurant with awesome food that you can go to at anytime, for a special occasion or just because you can't be bothered to cook tea! I've been many times both with friends and in couples and it never fails to impress, it's also very convenient if you're attending the Hippodrome or the Forum.

I have walked past this restaurant every morning and evening for over three years and cannot believe it took me so long to finally visit.

Called in early doors. Ordered a main course. Good was excellent. We will definitely eat there again.

We had dinner at Meze whilst in the area on business. It is a strange place, without much warmth or atmosphere but we were given a pleasant welcome by the staff and were looked after well so it didn't matter.

We have eaten here several times, always after a visit to the theatre. The welcome is invariably warm and the food is excellent.

Nice tasty Turkish food, in nice cosy surrounding. Myself and my partner had the shared meze to start which was lovely but after it I struggled to eat my main course! Apparently you can order half portions for your main so will do that in future! For the main I had chicken surpreme which was lovely chicken was cooked and seasoned perfectly just a shame I couldn’t eat it all!

We visited on Saturday for a birthday celebration after looking at reviews online, and I am so pleased we went! Just a few steps from the theatre, it’s a cosy restaurant with a homely feel offering Turkish/ Greek food. We found the menu to be varied, not too extensive, and the food is very tasty. If you choose a meze starter make sure you don’t over order like we did! The only thing preventing me giving the restaurant full marks is the lack of a wine list of some sort. Although staff will tell you what’s available, having some idea of the price range before you choose would be very helpful. Great food, nice surroundings, pleasant staff and a friendly chef. It’s on my regular list of eateries now.

Ate here last night which probably makes 6 or 7 times since our first time. Over the years its just better.

Been here twice now both times food excellent and plenty of it, go and try for yourself you won't be disappointed. Little jem.

Enjoyed a fantastic meal with a large group of friends. The food was tasty and prepared to order. The staff were friendly and couldn’t do enough for the group.

Another great meal this week , cant resist the meze every time friendly service and atmosphere and great food , impressed colleagues from out of town .

This was the third time I’ve visited the restaurant, the food is authentically Turkish, offers excellent food at a fair price. The mixed Meze is tremendous. Will go again and again

Have eaten in Meze on numerous occasions and always enjoy the food. Tonight we tried the takeaway food and it’s just as delicious. Can highly recommend and we will definitely be back.

Went with 7 friends for a birthday meal. It was midweek so quiet, actually I think we were the only people in there by 8-30pm. Meal was lovely and staff very pleasant

Really enjoyed the food it’s very tasty and well worth a visit - the beer choice has improved since the last time I was in. Book a table when there’s something on at the Hippodrome as the restaurant is fairly small and you may not always be guaranteed of a table

Summed up into one word, Fabulous! The food is authentic Turkish, and utterly delicious. Extremely friendly service. What a great find. I just wished we lived closer so we could go here more often.

Food was nice. Beer was warm though, as the fridge was broken and bottled option only. Service was slow though Nd has to ask twice for more drinks which were quite expensive.

We loved the rustic atmosphere. Food was great and very good value for money. I would recommend the lamb it was delicious.

Have ate here three times now, the food is excellent, the service is fantastic and it is good value. Denis and Jackie.

What a fab meal....we had the mixed meze for 2, chicken supreme and shashlik kebab. Lovely food ....no rush...we really enjoyed it. Thank you cx

food was amazing me and my partner enjoyed the food my partner had never had this style of food and was really pleased lamb shank was amazing would suggest to anyone to try :)

By far the best meze we’ve ever tried! We can highly recommend trying an Iskender and sucuk for starter.

Second visit to this restaurant and will definitely be going back. Food is taste and full off flavour. Staff are friendly.

Last night we ate at Meze for the fourth time - after seeing the ballet at the Hippodrome and the food is still as delicious as the previous three visits. It is a convenient place to eat before or after a show at the Hippodrome - best to book though. The service, premises, food and value are all excellent. Our favourites are the Meze starter and for a main, the chicken shish kebab is amazing - husband likes the mixed kebab but I can't manage to eat all of it so just enjoy my favourite which is the chicken. Can thoroughly recommend and we'll be back too.

Great welcome from Pauline and her team and compliments to Cem for cooking the fabulous food. Mixed starter was to die for - absolutely gorgeous. Chicken supreme was beautiful - the chicken shish kebab equally so. Good sized portions and all cooked superbly. Will be coming here again and again.

What a lovely place to re visit after not going for a while,the food is as lovely as I remember it being from my first visit. Lovely friendly warm welcome from the staff on arrival,a must visit for anyone wanting lovely,fresh home cooked food

Had lovely 2 course meal .Mixed Meze for 2 was gorgeous and lamb casserole and char grill super. nice ambiance will definitely go back.Thanks Dave and Becki.

Went here new years eve (yes just getting around to a review) and was disappointed compared to our previous visit a couple of months earlier. There was a lot of items missing from the menu and it appeared that many things were now being bought in instead of made on the premises - for instance the bread that previously was great was unavailable . We had a good night but the food was not as good as previous, although the service and atmosphere were still very good.

Clean, fresh flavours is what typifies Turkish cuisine and that's precisely what you will find here. Simplicity and a level handed approach to seasoning and food combinations make for a heavenly marriage on the plate.