New Grimsby eatery is ‘more than just a Turkish restaurant’ bringing ‘something different’ to the town

Grimsby’s Freeman Street is welcoming an authentic taste of Turkey, Iran and Romania with a new restaurant that is “bringing something different to the town”.

Istanbul restaurant, in Freeman Street, offers a wide range of grilled food as well as traditional dishes and drinks. Alongside Shwarma, Baba Ganoush and their special soup, Mariwan Qubadi and the team serve up a range of delightful meals perfect for any appetite.

With the choice to eat in or take away, Istanbul restaurant offers options for both those who fancy taking a seat and anyone who is in a rush. Mariwan felt Freeman Street was the perfect place to open his restaurant, having already opened a store further down the historic shopping street.

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He said: “I felt as though we didn’t have anything like this in Grimsby and I wanted to bring something different to the town. Being Kurdish, I’ve grown up with these foods and I want to introduce other people to it. At the same time as creating something people can enjoy, I love making the food.”

He added: “20 years ago this street had nothing like it does today, it wasn’t as busy as it is now, but now people will come down here just for this type of food and drink. Having a shop down here already, I knew it was the right place for it. All the different cultures means it is the perfect place for this cuisine.”

Having spent five months transforming the building from derelict to up and running, Mariwan eventually opened the doors in September. Since then, he’s been loving life in his new business. “It’s been amazing since we opened.

“We’ve got all sorts of people coming in. It’s much more than just a Turkish restaurant, we’ve got all sorts on offer compared to other places. We have people who have never left Grimsby and people who have come here from Turkey who love it just as much as one another.

“It’s nice to know that a range of people appreciate the food we’re making.” However, despite the success, Mariwan hopes to build on the restaurant and open more in the future.

“I would like more of these restaurants if possible. In time, I’d love to open one in Hull if things are going well as I think I could offer something new to the community. However, I’m focused on making sure the shop here is working well before anything else.”