South Woodford

Sakura Sushi and Bao Buns

I've been coming here for a while and the food is always delicious — super fresh, full of flavour, and consistently great quality. The Chicken Katsu has been a favourite of mine for ages, and one of the reasons I loved it so much was the generous portion sizes.

Lately, I’ve noticed there seems to be a bit less chicken than there used to be, which is a shame since those big portions were part of what made the meal so satisfying and great value. Still, it’s one of the tastiest spots around, and I’ll definitely keep coming back — just hoping the portions go back to how they used to be!

Amazing Japanese Dishes, so many choices for both veg and non veg. I've only had the veg dishes and I can say that each one was so tasty and would highly recommend their Bai buns, gayozas, sushi...list is endless. Definitely worth a try if you haven't and looking for quality food. You get free snacks while you wait for your collection. Great customer service...amazing chefs.

Love the new sushi menu it’s so fresh and authentic, rest of the food is brilliant too chicken boa bun is delicious

Amazing customer service, everyone is so lovely and accommodating and smiley - especially since we came in close to closing time! Lovely broad vegetarian/vegan options and very clean! The whole place looks modern - there’s a reason why this place is so busy! Can’t wait to come back!

Honestly our absolute favourite takeaway! It needs 10 stars. The Chicken Karrage buns are too good. The staff are so lovely and friendly. We are so sad to move away from the area for a while, and will definitely be stopping by whenever we pass south Woodford.
Thanks for all the amazing food! James & Darcey

We don't sell any alcohol or pork. Everything is Halal.

Sakura

UberEats UK

JustEat UK

Wood Oven BBQ

Have not been here in a couple of years as I moved out of London but for my birthday I drove 60 miles as I wanted the lamb chops from here. Did not disappoint. Still amazing and the service is still excellent. I love the new refurbishment they have done. The place is always clean and parking is easy enough to find on the side road if none out the front.

We are coming here quite often, the food never disappoints. Everything we tried was very tasty, love the atmosphere ⭐️

My favourite kebab place in London!

While expensive the quality of the food is excellent with good cuts of meat, which is well seasoned and cooked. The staff are friendly and do a good job with the service.

Great place to eat at as the food is both healthy and delicious!

One of my favourite restaurants in the area. I have been coming here for years. The service is always good and the food is even better. Genuinely think it is one of the best Turkish places in London. Prices have gone up quite a bit but so have a lot of other places.

Been here a few times. Very good quality, consistent food, service and value. Nowadays no where is that cheap to eat out but the quality of food and service you get here is very competitive. Definitely recommend if it’s your birthday as they are very accommodating.

Wood Oven

Sahara Grill

Went here with few friends. Interior of restaurant is top notch. The service started good but towards the end we had to wait for drinks and bill. We Buffalo Wings, Chicken Tenders and King Prawns. Starters all good. Mains was T-Bone steaks and Rib-eye steak. The t-bones were ridiculously big and tasty. My Rib Eye was good, soft but had a funny taste source on top of it. Would of been good to get a choice of flavours to choose from. Overall very good

Great taste, I really liked the quality and taste, chicken and coleslaw was top class! However 20£ for 5pcs lamb chop not justified. I highly recommend chicken with 2 sides but avoid 20£ lamb chops.

Had a great experience at the restaurant! The food was delicious and well-presented, but what really stood out was the service. Mr Anas was fantastic—super friendly, attentive, and made sure we had everything we needed throughout the meal. His warm and professional attitude made the whole experience even better. Highly recommend, and will definitely be back!

Review (04/03/2025):

I celebrated my birthday dinner here last night, and the food was absolutely fantastic! My neighbor and I ordered short ribs with rice & gravy, chicken steak with yellow rice and coleslaw, mixed fried rice with a side of sauce, and a delicious portion of dynamite shrimp. For drinks, we had an orange Tango, mango frappe, tea, and lemon water. Dessert was a treat – the rich chocolate mousse cake and the warm apple crumble with custard were both incredible. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and perfectly cooked – we were pleasantly surprised by how good it all tasted!

The restaurant was quiet due to Ramadan, but the service was outstanding. A big thank you to Azhar, Redwan (the manager), and the staff member with glasses – all were very welcoming, friendly, and even opened the door for us on our way out, which was a lovely gesture. We paid £110.70, which was excellent value for such a wonderful birthday dinner.

We’ve been here before, and each visit has been a great experience. It’s always nice to find a place that consistently delivers excellent food and warm service – looking forward to come back again soon!

I had lunch at Sahara with my mum and the food was delicious. Excellent service from Janjua. Bella the robot delivering our food was a nice touch. Try the Cajun chicken steak, it’s marinated to perfection. We will definitely be back for dinner.

Everything on our menu is Halal. We don't serve alcohol or pork. A Halal certificate is available upon request - please ask a member of staff.

Ookii Sushi

Ever since the ownership has changed I have been massively disappointed. The prices have gone up but the quality of the sushi and presentation have massively decreased.

They have stopped putting soy sauce and wasabi in each roll- we ordered 3 sushi’s and were only given two pots of soy sauce, one pair of chopsticks, and one wasabi which is definitely not enough for three people.

The mushroom roll we ordered has barely any mushroom- instead has more asparagus and rice proportionally (where is the mushroom??). The rice paper rolls also have barely any tofu in them, and are all different sizes and lengths- this has happened on two separate occasions. The sushi is also falling apart as you pick it up.

I have attached photos of these situations, compared to what they used to look like when we would order from here.

I called up to raise my complaints and I have just received an email now saying my order has been cancelled even though we picked it up and paid an hour ago?

This is not the ookii sushi we have been ordering from for the last few years. Such a shame but I think now we will have to order from elsewhere.

Ookii sushi changed owner few months ago but they are not informing their customers about this.
They kept the same menu/concept but unfortunately the quality and customer service is not the same. I kept ordering as I wanted to support this family business while they were overseas.
Orders aren’t  stored at the right temperature, the quality is not the same and the portions are not good.

Unfortunately, I have to give this place a negative review. I booked food for a certain time and had to wait at least 15 minutes longer. The fish wasn't fresh at all, it had no flavor, and the fish inside of the sushi rolls was barely visible. The tuna sashimi had a questionable color, and the seaweed, ginger, and wasabi seemed days old. They also forgot to include a dish I had ordered, and I called to get a refund. This place used to make some of the best sushi I've ever had in London. It's a shame it's become so bad.

I recently visited this sushi shop, and I was truly impressed. The staff were incredibly friendly, attentive, and welcoming, which made the dining experience even more enjoyable.

Freshest sushi in the area! I love the diversity of the menu - scallop & fish roe - you won’t get that anywhere else. We have been loyal to ookii for years (since 2021), we moved from Woodford to Epping and still drive back 30 mins to pick up sushi from here 🤣❤️

Zest - South Woodford

Every time I visit Zest, I get blown away by how fresh, vibrant, and delicious everything is. You can tell real care goes into the ingredients and combinations, their salads are packed with flavor, and the portion sizes are generous without being overwhelming.

The staff are always friendly, welcoming, and genuinely passionate about what they do. Whether you’re grabbing a quick, healthy lunch or looking for a fresh juice, Zest never disappoints. The space is clean, inviting, and has a great community feel to it.

It’s so refreshing to find a place that makes healthy food exciting and satisfying. Highly recommend to anyone in the area — once you try it, you’ll keep coming back!

I had such a great experience at Zest Salad Bar! The food was fresh, delicious, and full of flavor—definitely one of the best salad spots I’ve been to. The atmosphere is welcoming, and the staff are extremely friendly and attentive. A special thank you to Melike, who was very helpful and made my visit even better with her kindness and excellent service. Highly recommend this place if you’re looking for healthy, tasty options served with a smile!

I visited Zest yesterday and had a great experience! I was served by Melike, and her service was absolutely amazing—friendly, helpful, and attentive throughout. I went with the pasta base and chose my own toppings, which were fresh and delicious. I also grabbed a fresh orange juice, and it was the perfect refreshing touch. I’ll definitely be visiting again!

I recently had the pleasure of dining at this lovely salad bar, and I have to say—it completely exceeded my expectations. Everything was so fresh and vibrant, from the ingredients to the atmosphere.

A special mention goes to Melike, who was incredibly kind and helpful throughout our visit. She made sure everything was just right and even offered great recommendations for mix-ins and dressings. Her warm energy and attention to detail really added a personal touch to the experience.

The variety of options was impressive—perfect for anyone who enjoys creating their own bowl exactly how they like it. Whether you’re after something light and healthy or hearty and filling, there’s something for everyone.

Highly recommend if you’re looking for a fresh, healthy, and welcoming spot to grab a meal. Will definitely be returning soon!

I like coming to Zest. I live locally and treat myself to a salad here almost weekly. The staff are great and I like how I can have a fresh salad made on the spot. It isn’t cheap, but I think a large salad and bottle of soft drink for circa £15 is reasonable. I have taken friends from overseas here and they think the coffee is great - I don’t do coffee myself.

Only our roast chicken is Halal at the moment.

Zest

Meat-inspired Turkish menu with a smart-casual dress code

Mixed Grills all round! 🍗

This was our third time at Lokkum and since we enjoyed the  mixed grill before, we knew it would be wrong to go for something else! As always, the lamb shish was tender and the chops and Adana were full of flavour! However, the chicken shish was a tad bit dry. For sides, we ordered chips and bulgur rice, which was a little bland. The calamari was crunchy and we mopped the delicious cheesy mushrooms up with bread! The drinks at Lokkum are also lovely; we ordered a pina colada, mojito and strawberry daquiri. All in all, a great experience!

Settings: 7/10
Food: 7/10
Service: 7/10
Overall: 7/10

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@twopeasfoodies's review of Lokkum South Woodford on Instagram

Mix grill from the up market @lokkumlondon. I really liked this mix grill, nice thick juicy cuts of chicken and lamb. .

For more pics and in depth review search for Lokkum on halalfoodguy.co.uk

@halalfoodguy's review of Lokkum South Woodford on Instagram

Lokkum Bar & Grill

I came here for my 21st birthday and it was hands down the best birthday I’ve ever had. The service was so fast and perfect, all items came out on time, we never had a problem and if we asked for something they would bring it to us straight away.

The fact that the whole restaurant was so busy, yet they still have perfect service and gave the best experience. It didn’t even feel busy to me until I walked around and saw. I was never sat there waiting. They really can handle so many customers at once. I’ve eaten out many times and seen busy restaurants struggle, but not this one!

The atmosphere was so welcoming and wholesome, they put a big sparkling candle on my cake when they didn’t have to, they reserved a huge spot for my party and put so much effort into this. The area they gave my party was so peaceful and serene. I loved it.

The effort was really noticeable, the waiters were so respectful. They followed all our instructions perfectly, the presentation of food was amazing! The way the restaurant looked was amazing. The food was cooked and seasoned so well! I don’t usually have lamb chops in Turkish restaurants but this lamb chop was so succulent, all the meat on the platter was soft and appetising. And the live show was spectacular. The lady who performed was very kind! I would definitely recommend this place to everyone. It’s perfect for parties and big gatherings. I’m sure you will leave with a smile on your face, just like I did. They are all so hospitable and didn’t rush us at all. It felt very relaxing and peaceful here. Thank you to everyone who gave my family such a wonderful experience.

I took mostly videos because I wanted to catch the full beautiful place, so I will screenshot some of those to share here.

We came here for my husband’s birthday and overall the food was really good. Fresh, tasty and nicely presented. However, we specifically chose Lokkum because their Instagram mentioned live performances on Friday and Saturday nights, which felt perfect for a special occasion. Unfortunately, when we arrived we were told that the performance had been cancelled last minute. It was quite disappointing as I had looked through many options and decided on Lokum because of the vibe and the promise of live entertainment.

So while the food and atmosphere were nice, I left feeling a bit let down that what was advertised wasn’t delivered, especially on a night that was meant to feel extra special.

The food here is exquisite. The atmosphere is amazing. They have a belly dancer part way through the evening performing. Overall, it's a great restaurant, and if recommended giving it a try.

Felt mixed emotions coming here. Returned after a few years and it just didn’t feel the same. We went at 9:45 (the restaurant closes at 11, the kitchen, at 10:15) and felt extremely rushed. Waiters seemed annoyed when we wanted to order additional drinks, were reluctant to give us the dessert menu because ‘the kitchen was about to close.’ With such a high service fee, you’d want to experience better service! We paid the service fee, of course, but felt the luxury of dining was spoiled by the constant reminders of closing time - even though we’d had ordered as soon as sitting down and left by 10:30. I wouldn’t recommend, only because I have paid the same bill at much nicer restaurants, with much better service and this wouldn’t be one I’d return to again.

On a positive note, the lamb Adana was wonderful, everything else, sub-par. Also, mocktails were not good!

Such a fun evening 🥰❤️🎉💃🏻🤩🥳…A very stylish restaurant with great food. Atmosphere very upbeat and fun 🥳🎉. We enjoyed our time at Lokkum ❤️

Lokkum

Noir

Deliveroo UK

Our chicken is Halal, we also serve fish and vegetarian dishes. Our lamb and beef is not Halal.

Halal restaurants in South Woodford