EXMOUTH MARKET SPECIAL - Sade

21 Exmouth Market
020 7833 1111

IT is often said that imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, and if so, the restaurants who established themselves in the early days of Exmouth Market’s renaissance can feel complimented by the business strategy of king of cuisine Huseyin Ozer.

Mr Ozer, who runs a chain of upmarket 

Turkish restaur­ants in some of west London’s best addresses, liked the eateries in Exmouth Market so much he decided he’d join them. Seven years ago he opened up Sofra at the top end of Exmouth market.

“If you get a good restaurant opening up in a street, others will follow – and that’s what happened here,” he explains.

Although he sold the business a year ago to his staff, who renamed the establishment Sade, he is still loyal to the vicinity and was delighted for his old workforce when they helped win the “Best Street in Britain” title.

He added: “They deserve it. And I agree that Exmouth Market is the best street in Britain. That’s why I opened a restaurant there.”

Mr Ozer continues to support Sade,  and only left the market because most of his empire is based too far away.

His outlets are Sofra at St Giles, Covent Garden, Mayfair, St Christopher’s Place near New Bond Street and St John’s Wood.

He added: “Bus­inesses can really change an area. 

“If they open up a nice place – nice people will come there, and then more good businesses will come and everything improves.”