A warm welcome, family connections and a passion for bringing authentic Turkish cuisine to Teesside are at the heart of new Linthorpe Road restaurant, Lezzet’s.

Recently opening in the former Efe venue, we sat down with owner, Cesur to chat about what diners can expect when they visit.

Originally from Turkey, Cesur first arrived in Middlesbrough over 15 years ago, but after 12 years working in the local hospitality trade, he decided to set up his own establishment to savour the flavours of his home country.

“The restaurant is very much a family affair, although my wife is a teacher, she helps out a lot and even my 8-year-old daughter has being showing me the ropes with adding content to TikTok to promote the restaurant.

“I’ve known all my chefs since childhood, they are from my hometown, Besni and I consider them to be my brothers.” said, Cesur.

Forming connections is important to Cesur as he doesn’t want visitors to feel like ‘customers’ but ‘friends.’

“I want people to come to my restaurant and leave as friends, I don’t want them to feel rushed eating their meals, we want to create a relaxing atmosphere where everyone is welcome.”

Owner, Cesur is proud to bring authentic Turkish cuisine to Teesside.

However it’s not just the family-friendly atmosphere which will keep customers coming back time and time again, it’s the restaurant’s selection of fine food, which is freshly prepared every day.

Only using products from local suppliers, Lezzet’s menu is packed full of the best grilled dishes, which will instantly transport you to a warmer climate. And for an added bonus, the menu features favourite Italian dishes from pasta to king prawns.

Alongside the main menu, the restaurant also serves up a dedicated children’s offer, matchday specials and has recently introduced a happy hour every Friday between 12pm – 5pm, where diners can tuck into two courses for £13.95 per person.

‘We’re receiving lots of positive reviews online, people seem to be happy with not only our food, but the whole package” mentions, Cesur.

When asked about what the future might hold for the establishment, Cesur was hopefully about growth:

“As we have just recently opened, we’re just concentrating on building up a reputation on delivering a fantastic customer experience. Eventually we would love to expand into the empty unit next door or to another location across Teesside.”

Lezzet’s is open seven days a week from 12pm, visit their Facebook page to view their full. Explore Middlesbrough’s fantastic restaurant offer by visiting our Food and Drink guide.