Morning:
11°c
London faces a wave of bus and Tube strikes that could cause chaos for millions of passengers as unions walkout over pay and conditions
More...
An awesome and ridiculous film that leaves you thrilled beyond the point of your natural endurance
2012
Theatre
The show has suddenly become quite wonderful, and the galvanising factor is the terrific stage debut of Melanie C
Blood Brothers
Music
The British pop music industry may be eating itself but if Muse are the pick of what it can offer the world in 2010 then British music is in rude health indeed
Muse
I was smitten by both Gilberts enormous luxuriant moustache and the intelligence and nuance of this highly entertaining play
I totally recommend Babbo to anyone who is looking for really good and traditional Italian food
Always been a fan but never seen them live. I was ecstatic to be part of this epic event. WOW!
London,
Indian spice: Chicken chops and lamb nalli barra at Amaya, served by Helena Argyll
Hot off the grill: Tayyabs is always busy
Which is the more damning indictment - that the Home Secretary should be going out for a kebab at 5pm, or that she should choose a doner kebab when she did. Let's not worry about how lawless the streets are becoming but rather ponder this obvious lack of judgment.
Kebabs fall into two categories: there are posh kebabs - delicious grilled meats - and there are desperation kebabs (highly portable, often greasy, certainly cheap, pitta breads stuffed with meat, salad and chilli sauce). Posh kebabs are served at dinner time and desperation kebabs are popular when the pubs chuck out.
Then there is the doner question. In the Pantheon of kebabs the doner props up the bottom rank. Even the late-night hungry have moved on from the suspiciously even-textured, minced-lamb doner kebab to a lamb or chicken shwarma - with whole pieces of meat stacked on a skewer before cooking to retain texture and taste.
But the kebab, kabab, cabob or kabob - the word probably derives from 17th century Hindi with many variations - can be a culinary treat.
Here are 10 places where you can eat kebabs and still eat very well.
1. AMAYA
Amaya is probably London's most sophisticated kebab restaurant. In the Indian tradition each meal should start with various "kebabs" and meander through to a biryani or curry at the end. At Amaya you can sample the implausibly tender "galouti" kebab first perfected in the kitchens of the Moghuls. About £30pp excluding drinks. Amaya, Halkin Arcade, Motcomb Street, SW1 (020 7823 1166).
2. EFES
For over two decades, Efes has been serving honest Turkish food. This may not be the most modern restaurant you are ever likely to visit but when it comes to simple dips and well-cooked kebabs old-fashioned can be good. The takeaway option is popular with locals. About £25pp excluding drinks. Efes, 80 Great Titchfield Street, W1 (020 7636 1953).
3. ALOUNAK
This Persian restaurant started life in a Portakabin opposite Kensington Olympia station. Now there are two branches - one in Russell Gardens and one on Westbourne Grove. The kebabs are very good and come with rice. Try the chicken kebab when you want a change from lamb. About £12pp ex-drinks. Alounak, 44 Westbourne Grove, W2 (020 7229 4158)
4. THE REAL GREEK
This operation has morphed from a top-flight Greek restaurant into a chain of souvlaki bars. The kebabs are fresh and very good, tender meat and impressive breads brought together with "squelchy" yogurt. Souvlaki are very more-ish and served in paper wraps. About £14pp ex-drinks. Real Greek Souvlaki, 140-142 St John Street, EC1 (020 7253 7234).
5. 19 NUMARA BOS CIRRIK No1
Stoke Newington is littered with welcoming Turkish restaurants, but of all the grill houses 19 Numara Bos Cirrik No 1 stands out. Impeccable grilled meats, long skewers featuring many different cuts of lamb, the skill of the grill. About £12pp ex-drinks. 19 Numara Bos Cirrik No 1, 34 Stoke Newington Road, N16 (020 7249 0400).
6. SITARAAY
Sitaraay is a jolly place. It pays homage to two key elements of Indian culture - Bollywood and kebabs. You pay a fixed price and various kebabs are delivered to your table as they are ready. Eat as much as you wish with the added bonus that the kebabs are always fresh from the grill or tandoor. About £18pp ex-drinks. Sitaraay, 167 Drury Lane, WC2 (020 7269 6422).
7. SHISH
Sooner or later a restaurateur will seize upon a popular eating style and start a chain. With kebabs the moment came when Shish opened, "aiming to restore the shish's place as King of all foods"... Shish is a comfy, modern fast-food restaurant specialising in decent kebabs. About £10pp ex-drinks. Shish, 313-319 Old Street, EC1 (020 7749 0999).
8. TAYYABS
Tayyabs is an impressively busy Pakistani grill house that is so popular it is difficult to suggest a time when there won't be a queue. Sheek kebabs and shami kebabs come to table piping hot and are very competitively priced. About £8pp ex-drinks. Tayyabs, 83-89 Fieldgate Street, E1 (020 7247 6400).
9. RANOUSH JUICE BAR
The Ranoush Juice Bar is a part of the Maroush group, and they are kings of the shwarma kebab. Both chicken and the lamb shwarma are well seasoned and need little more than a dollop of houmous and a flatbread to set them off. About £7pp ex-drinks (no alcohol). Ranoush Juice Bar, 43 Edgware Road, W2 (020 7723 5929).
10. BEST TURKISH KEBAB
If you are absolutely set on a doner kebab, there is one takeaway that stands out. At Best Turkish Kebab they make the huge doners from shoulder meat with careful spicing and no additives. This is a very busy place with a fast turnaround and that means everyone gets a good fresh doner. Large doner kebab to go in pitta bread - £4. The Best Turkish Kebab, 125 Stoke Newington Road, N16 (020 7254 7642).
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
Best one round here is Kebab Kid in New Kings Road (near Parsons Green) Fulham SW6. Been there years, carry out only, still just as good.
- Keith Hawes, West London UK
try the chicken doner in shukran kebab ... seven sisters rd number one in london...
- Irena Bielack, london
The best Doner I've eaten (and believe me, I've had a fair few) is from Lale Restaurant in Eltham. one of the few kebab houses that actually makes ther own Doner meat in-house, wth carefully selected spices and good qualty ingredients. Their takeaway area is very small, but always packed - often with queues out the door. For those more discerning cusotmers, they also have a restaurant where you can geta 'posh keba' wth rice etc.
My second favourite Doner is from Greenwich Kebab House (funnily enough, located in Greenwich).
Long live the Doner.....
- Srenz, Greenwich, London
The best kebab in London and probably the whole of the country is VRISAKI
in north London,cannot be matched by anyone else.
- Carl Paes, london
Best Kebab - Stoke Newington FOREVER... 
- Fatih Muftu, London
l think the Shukran Kebab is best... nice and very clean kebab shop in town...
- Huseyin Kurt, london
I would have to nominate Crystal Kebab on the Hollway road.
- Jim, London
How about Efes in West Norwood - serious kebabs by the stick load.
- John Dwyer, South London
I can't believe they left out Meze Mangal on Lewisham Way. It's fantastic, always packed and always generous portions. Even the takeaway service is brilliant. The menu has a long list of kebabs but there is something for everyone.
- Kate Gould, London UK
Two places stand out for me; if you want a decent quality takeaway with Turkish stew options as well as excellent kebabs all at very good prices, try "Camden Delight" in Camden High St. For a restaurant at amazing prices & excellent choices with the best kebab outside Greece/Turkey, go to Istanbul Restaurant on Green Lanes.
- P Bear, London, UK
In the middle of nowhere (down the road from me) on Lewisham Way in deepest, darkest SE London is Meze Mangal which serves fantastic Turkish food including "posh" kebabs and is usually packed out
- Headhunter, London
I cannot believe they have failed to mention Kebab Kid in Parsons Green, this is an institution with excellent quality kebabs actually made out or real meat!
- Claire, London
Pimlico used to have a "hole in the wall" kebab shop that managed to stay in business for a long time despite serving up what can only be described as "hot meat" ... replacing that a couple of years ago is Cyprus Mangal (45 Warwick Way London SW1V 1QS) - excellent kebab eat-in or take-away ... a huge indoor bar-b-q and good service ...
- Varun Sharma, London
Outrageous that none of the Turkish and Kurdish restaurants further north than Stokey (on Green Lanes, Haringey) didn't get a look in — try Antepliler (which does a delicious one flavoured with pomegranate, among others), or Yayla (delicious lahmacuns and open very late), for example. It may be Zone 3, but it's still where real Londoners eat authentic kebab cuisine...
- Karli, Tottenham London
