Excellent restaurant. Wonderful food, service, and atmosphere. Love this place! Try the Osso Bucco!

I know I'm going to differ than any other person that has eaten here! My husband chose this place as his birthday dinner spot. We had both read and heard great things. It is very cute and cozy. I don't eat lamb so I chose tilapia. I was unsure whether to get this or something else but it was recommended by the server - "our tilapia is very good." I went for it. My husband got the lamb chops (4 for $25). My tilapia was $17. I was shocked but thought it may knock my socks off. I wanted something different than the other restaurants I had been to since the restaurant is so highly regarded. I didn't want to just get kebabs. My husband enjoyed his lamb. His came with a bed of wild rice. I was disappointed in my tilapia. First of all, $17 for tilapia? No way. Most dishes were around that price point anyway and I love having fish prepared by restaurants. It came on a bed of couscous which was average. I overhead the server at the other table tell them about the specials as I was eating my tilapia. We had not been informed of specials. The other server also brought over a tray of desserts to show his patrons after they finished their meals. Our server asked if we were finished after our entree as if she was heading for the bill. I asked if there are desserts so she said she would go get the tray. We ordered a birthday dessert and I was a little disappointed to see it on the bill after it was delivered with a "happy birthday!" Chain restaurants and fine dining establishments both usually provide a birthday dessert. It is not a dealbreaker but it may have made up for some of the disappointment. Overall, it was a solid average experience. read more

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Turkish coffee waa good but lacking cardamom. The kibbe, and bocha were amazing appetizers full of exotic flavor. The lamb shank for dinner was very tender and cooked perfectly read more

Aya Sofia - Turkish Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

The food was great and the place is very cool. Staff is friendly and the food is well priced. I ordered the lunch special and the grilled swordfish was amazing. Would go back again. read more

Aya Sofia - Lunch special: grilled swordfish kebabs, tabouli, hummus, pilaf, and pita - Turkish Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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I am a Turkish guy who live in NYC and in St Louis for business. This the third time I came to this restaurant and everything that I ate was delicious. Only thing that I did not like was music. You should play Turkish music if you are a Turkish restaurant. Service was good also read more

Aya Sofia - Turkish Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

This place is fantastic! The menu is wide and so are the flavors! The Bonfile special was really tasty and was very pleasing. I recommend checking out the Falafel as an appetizer. The dumplings are similar to a tortellini if you've never tried it. Great atmosphere five stars for everything. read more

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this restaurant is really easy to miss when driving down chippewa. the parking lot is small (with only about five/six spots), but don't let that stop you! the decor is lovely, the ambiance is definitely romantic and perfect for date night. we had a 6:45 reservation made a day in advance for a tuesday night- and there were quite a few free tables. however, on their website it does say they only accept a few walk-ins per day, so if you're dead set on this restaurant i would make a reservation just to be safe. for appetizers, we both ordered a hot meze, i opted for the ricotta and feta filled "fila cigars" while my husband got the falafel. the sigara boregi is a MUST! it was amazing! it's served with a "spicy tomato sauce" but it really just tastes like marinara sauce. the falafel is also good, but it's not the best i've ever had. they're better with the sauce served alongside them than they are on their own. my husband ordered one of the kuzu dishes- and couldn't remember what it was called once we got home. but it's the one served with mashed potatoes. i had a bite of it, and it was delicious! he cleared his plate- so i imagine it was quite the hit for him as well. i ordered the doner sandwich, which is just a gyro with feta, yogurt, lettuce, tomato and onion. french fries are served on the side and are average. the gyro itself is HUGE! i had to eat it with a fork and knife so it didn't all fall apart on me. but the flavors were really good! the veggies tasted fresh and the meat was perfect. the service is absolutely impeccable. our server, garret, was very nice! he was very patient and attentive during our first time visit, he was knowledgeable of the menu and he was very accommodating. we ordered a glass of lemonade and didn't really care for it, and without us even asking- he offered to take it off the bill. it was very sweet and unnecessary- but he went above and beyond! i definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone looking to try something new or to find a cozy, yummy spot for their next date night! read more

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The place is very nice and welcoming. The staff is extremely friendly as well. BUT, if you know Turkish food, then this place isn't for you. I come from New York, which is the home to many well known authentic Turkish restaurants. The stuff that we ordered was unseasoned and just bland. Salad was soggy, kofte was dry, rice wasn't pleasant, cigar rolls were bland as well. They also included marinara sauce instead of the spicy red sauce you're supposed to get with a gyro. I guess if you don't know real Turkish food, this place is a hit. read more

Aya Sofia - Turkish Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

What an excellent find...thanks to fellow yelpers a couple of years ago. Have been coming to Aya Sofia once or twice a year and the food, service, and atmosphere has been consistently good. We've tried many things on the menu from the lamb and vegetarian offerings, to the fish (whole) and many yummy appetizers. The food is always great, and to compliment the food has always been excellent servers. This is definitely our #1 destination when we are in St. Louis - even if it is a bit of a drive from O'Fallon lol. We're never disappointed, and neither will you. Oh, save room for dessert...wow, just loosen up those belt buckles!! read more

Ambiance of restaurant is nice. Service was good. Food was, well, just meh. The baba ghanouj was too lemony and not enough of the smoky undertone you come to expect. My wife ordered two items and she was told they had run out of both. Eventually I went with the lamb sausage kebab and she went with the sautéed chicken with lemon butter sauce. Both dishes were okay, but underwhelming. Mine, in particular, had a length of sausage that almost didn't fit on the plate and the rice pilaf had some uncooked rice that made me only finish 1/3 of the rice. read more

Absolutely crazy takes too much of a tip and have the gut to ask for more , don't tip them !! The food was okay but too over priced!!

We got carry out to celebrate my office mates at my home this holiday season. The food was incredible and plentiful. I ate my leftovers for the next three meals! read more

This is the best restaurant for authentic Mediterranean food!! The staff is very attentive and friendly too! I went with my family and we shared the following things: Seafood mezze platter - shrimp and swordfish skewers and calamari. The shrimp and swordfish are cooked perfectly. I wish the platter had more of the skewers and fewer calamari pieces. Bohça - Baked meat pies. I didn't have any of this one, but the family raves over it! Couldn't get enough of the sauce it comes with too! Falafel - perfectly crispy and not greasy/heavy. I like the pickles it came with. Ezme mezze platter - hummus, babaganoush, and biber ezme. All were divine! We especially loved the biber ezme spread! And the bread that comes with the platter so soft and warm!! read more

The food was amazing. We will definitely return when we come through town again. The portions are generous, the spice, perfect.

Delicious, romantic, and delightfully charming ambiance. Highly recommend lamb and any of their amazing appetizers. Best date place even after 30 years of marriage. read more

We had a reservation. Service was prompt. Front of the restaurant was good being greeted right away. They have a nice intimate bar in the front of the restaurant and I was happy to see that they support local animal rescues by offering great information about adoptions. Service at the table was prompt. We sat in a booth. It is also intimate with curtains drawn outside of the booth. The only issue I had with the booth was the center pendulum light was very bright. I was waiting for Jack Webb from Dragnet to come and interrogate me.....it was too bright and needed a lower wattage or a different type of bulb. We ordered an appetizer that consisted of white beans, herbs, olive oil and lemon. It was delicious although the bread that was alongside made it hard to eat. I had a Habibi 75 and I think it was missing some simple syrup as it was way to sour. I also had a Turkish salad that was delicious. Fresh salad, red pepper, red cabbage. It was colorful and really good. The entrees were why I give the 3 stars. My table mate ordered the whole fish. He said it was good but a lot of bones. They gave him a plate for the bones but didn't quite understand the instructions from the waiter on how to remove them all at once. My chicken kabobs we're over cooked and were under seasoned. Sides were also lacking in salt. It's a popular place with good ratings and I'll just say we probably ordered the wrong dishes. read more

The food I had tonight at Aya Sofia (while attending International Supper Club) was almost as good as the company! Much, much needed after a long and cold rainy day. Love the outside of this place as well as the indoor decor -- bright colors, dark lighting, lush materials hanging over the booths... very intimate and makes the experience that much better. Can I PLEASE say how excited I was about my glass of tempranillo? It was the best glass of tempranillo I've ever had, and not to sound like a lush, but I've had a lot. I had to really use my willpower to say no when our waiter asked if I wanted a second glass. The entire drink list here is impressive... tons of different wines, nice amount of martinis (all $8), as well as tons of specialty liquors and cordials. I only had room for one thing for dinner though I was considering a few, and I ended up with the Lahana Sarmasi... it's stuffed cabbage with ground beef, rice, herbs and garlic, cumin, tomato sauce, served on top of sauteed potatoes. It was one of the best dishes I've had lately! The potatoes combined with the tomato sauce, meat, and cabbage, really came together to be such a satisfying meal with great flavor. Can't wait to bring my other half here to try something else! Thanks to all who put in effort for tonight's dinner. read more

This romantic Turkish restaurant in South City, named for a cathedral turned monument in Istanbul Turkey, holds a special place in my heart. This is where my husband took me on our first date exactly 5 years ago to the day. Aya Sofia is special and unique with an air of mystery and a splash of exoticism. We have come back for romantic dinners several times since and always have a great experience. I love the ambiance of this place....The color scheme & decor are unique and quixotic with curtained booths that offer a feeling of seclusion and privacy. If the dim lights, succulent food and fine wine aren't enough to get you "in the mood" they have a belly dancer on Friday nights which is not to be missed. Not only is the art of belly dancing one of the most feminine forms of dance, highlighting the curves of the female form, it is very sensual and complements the context of the middle eastern meal. The menu is interesting in that they have the usual Mediterranean appetizers like hummus and babaganush which are always great but they have more than a few lamb dishes which is a major plus for me. Not only do they have it on the menu they really know how to prepare it. I have never had a bad meal here. I really like their wine list too because they focus on some other regions that you don't see on a lot of wine lists like Turkey, Lebanon, and Slovenia. If you like the concept of terroir its nice to have a Turkish wine to pair with your Turkish food. The martini menu is fun as well with Habibi, the Nutty Turk, and the Lebanese Princess all dessert-ish drinks. Aya Sofia is one of my favorite restaurants of all time and I highly recommend it for your next date. You will thank me later. read more

Aya Sofia - Enjoying a bottle of Turkish wine with our Turkish food. - Turkish Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

We had a reservation for 8:30 on a Thursday but we showed up early. We walked in right as the belly dancing was ending. I didn't even know they did that here. If you haven't been inside, you're missing out. This is a true date night kind of place. The dinning area is dimly lit adorned with red and gold trim. There are private booths on each wall with curtains, although I'm not sure if they let you draw them shut. And as I found out yesterday, they have belly dancing. We sat for a bit before a waiter came by... maybe close to 7-10 minutes. That gave us plenty of time to look over the food & drink menus. Finally someone walked past our table stopped and awkwardly came back letting us know that she didn't know we were there. We ordered Chopin vodka, but they said they no longer carry it even though it's on the vodka list. The liquor list here is sparse. The wine list is much better. And although the beer list is short, they have a few that I've never seen anywhere else. I tried the Romanian beer after reading Tim K.'s review. It was good. Holy shit, the brewery that makes the beer has been around since 1718! For appetizer we tried the calamari. This dish sucked. It tasted processed, greasy, and had little flavor. Once the pieces that I doused with the small lemon were devoured we left the rest. And anyone that knows me, knows I can eat... and rarely do I leave leftovers, especially when it's a starter dish. The dinner was much better. I choose the spicy lamb kebab. It's good, spicy, and flavorful. It's served with a large intimidating looking pepper that has been roasted... ...let me stop here. As mentioned earlier, I read Tim K's review before dining here. He describes the exact dish I was eating as 'a big dick of meat'. Unfortunately, that's all I could think about when it was sitting in front of me. Let me just say if the meat looks like a man part, then the long, slender, yellow pepper looked like an unrolled condom. There, now I've ruined everyone's chance at enjoying this dish... The wife had a donor sandwich which was good, not great. Another odd quirk... my plate must have been convex on the bottom. It spun a round like a top every time I tried to cut into my kebab. Frustrated, I used my napkin as a place mat so I wouldn't end up spinning rice all over the table. The liquor drinks were poured with way too little ice. I ordered a Jack on the rocks and the ice was gone before the drink was. Service was awkward... but I think it was just our server. We flagged down another server when he was showing his table the dessert tray. He seemed better, going over all of the different options. Unfortunately we were both full, but I'd suggest saving room, they looked good. read more

Aya Sofia - Timisoreana - Turkish Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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The service here is lackluster at best. Seating took about five minutes, since there was no hostess present upon arrival. The wait staff were not very good, taking an exorbitant amount of time to take orders, deliver the check, etc. The food was decent but nothing to write home about. The yogurt was pungent with garlic, while the lamb kabob was overwhelmed by salt. The presentation was not to my liking either; looked too much like something I'd order from a chain diner like Denny's. They had a wine flight going on with a casually dressed sommelier. The presentation was also a bit clumsy. There is minimal parking. Friends, I rarely give 1-star reviews so the fact that this place earned one should be an indicator to avoid. read more

Aya Sofia - Yogurt. Garlicky - Turkish Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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Came to Aya Sofia on a rainy Friday night for date night. Parked right up front in their tiny lot, and was immediately impressed with the decor upon entering. Their environment stays true to its Turkish roots...we sat in one of the booths, separated by ornate screens, which added to the intimate setting. They have a good wine list, as well as traditional cocktails with a Turkish spin. Husband got the Ottoman Old-Fashioned - delicious and strong. Wine pours are heavy, so I was good with a glass. They've got plenty of vegetarian options on their menu, as well as some gluten free options. We shared the Sigara Boregi - flavorful and yummy without the feeling of heavy, fried food. I got the Imam Bayildi for my entree - it's a very healthy option with steamed broccoli, lightly sautéed herbed carrots, couscous, and amazingly tasty eggplant. Anyone who knows me well knows I generally don't like eggplant, but I finished this entire plate! The Firinda Macama was a more filling entree for the Hubs - it's essentially a pasta dish with the same bold Turkish flavors and strong cheese. We were both satisfied by the end of the meal. Instead of a dessert menu, they brought around a dessert tray - we had a Turkish coffee chocolate mousse and a Pistachio Cinnamon custard. I liked the pistachio dessert - it was almost like a rice pudding. The chocolate dessert was salty and super sweet - I surmise its main ingredient is an entire SwissMiss packet in there. Wasn't sure how I felt about that... Regardless, we were overall really happy with the meal and will definitely come back! read more

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I have always wanted to visit this restaurant. I drive by it almost every day. Working just right up the street I finally had the chance. I attended a Yelp Interntional Supper Club this evening. Tonight Aya Sofia. I got there a little early so decided to have an alcoholic beverage. I was handed a wine list but noticed the small unique selection of beers they had. So I decided to go with a Goose Island Pere Jacques Belgium style ale beer. As the other members of the party started to show we were seated. I have to say the ambiance and decor of Aya Sofia is very pleasant. Great place to take a date or spouse! I had a chance earlier during the day to peruse their web site where they post their online dinner menu. Props to Aya Sofia for easy to use web site and using Open Table to reserve a table online! So I started my dinner off with an appetizer (Hot Small Plates). My selection - Kalmar Tava (kal-a-mar tava). Lightly breaded calamari served with homemade garlic aioli. One word - AMAZING! Calamari is either good or not good. This calamari was excellent. For my main course I went with the "recommended" popular dish - Kuzu Incik (koo-zoo in-jick). Tender lamb shank, slow-cooked and seasoned with Mediterranean spices, topped with a savory white bean sauce, served with rice pilaf. The Kuzu lncik was another homerun in terms of a presentation, food temperature and the overall taste of the entree. The lamb shank was tender and practically fell off the bone. Not a strong game taste at all and was paired very well with the white bean sauce and rice pilaf. The dish was also served with string green beans and carrots. Service was 5 stars all the way! Every employee was polite and went out of their way to make a very pleasant experience. Bottom Line: Go! If you are looking for something new try Aya Sofia! read more

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Every time I drive by Aya Sofia, I always comment on how cute it is and how I've never eaten here before. Well, I'm doing my best to eat and drink my way through every hot spot in St. Louis... and Aya Sofia was next on the list last night. The ambiance alone garners a few stars. Small and intimate with fun decor... love the look. Too bad it was raining, otherwise I would have loved to sit on the patio. Zut alors! Inside was warm and cozy, though, and service was pretty fast. Menu items were so-so. Nothing really jumped out at me, so I ordered the kabob special. When it came out, I was a tad surprised. Color me stupid, but don't most kabobs come on a stick? This was just a big long hunk of grilled sausage on top of a pita. Very phallic! It tasted OK, especially with the cucumber and pita. But my rice pilaf was overcooked and bland. When the bill arrives I find that my hunk 'o' meat and sad pile of rice cost $21. Yikes! Definitely not worth the price. Would I go back? For drinks, absolutely. For appetizers/small plate, too. But I wouldn't eat a full meal here - kind of overrated and overpriced. read more

Aya Sofia - Turkish Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

My wife and I stopped here for lunch primarily just because it was near Ted Drewes Frozen Custard. I was really not expecting it to be that great. Mediterranean restaurants tend to be kind of interchangeable and unremarkable. However, I was really surprised by how good the food was here. True, they did offer a lot of the standard Mediterranean restaurant items, i.e, gyros, kabobs, humus, tabuli, etc., but it was just so much more flavorful than most comparable restaurants. The humus was fantastic, and that is not a word that I frequently use to describe humus. We had one of their appetizer platters that included humus, fried feta cheese, stuffed grape leaves, tabuli and pita. It was a huge pile of food and It was all delicious. We probably could have made our lunch out of just this appetizer platter. But we went ahead and got gyros as well. There was barely enough room left for Ted Drewes after we waddled out of here. BTW, the tzatziki sauce at this place is really exceptional. read more

Fantastic meal for my birthday last week! Started with appetizers of Sigara Boregi and red pepper dip as well as hummus. All were delicious. Entrees were even better! I had the roasted lamb over potatoes with Mediterranean vegetables, Firinda Kuzu. So tender and wonderfully spiced. I wanted to devour the whole bowl but it was so well portioned I took some home leftover. My fiancé had the lamb shank, Kuzu Incik. The bean sauce wasn't exactly what he was expecting but the shank was so well prepared. Friends tried the Firinda Macarna and another dish I don't recall the name of. Everyone went away full! We also enjoyed a warm bite of baklava for dessert. Looking forward to our next visit! read more

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This is hands down one of my favorite restaurants in St. Louis. It's located on Chippewa, almost right across from Ted Drewes; but don't blink, you might miss it as it is somewhat tucked away. The actual parking is very small, but there is an adjacent parking lot that I always use when I come here. The interior of the restaurant is small, but clean and well decorated. If you have a choice, I would recommend sitting in one of the booths. The booths are very intimate and cozy, especially if you are coming here for a date (this restaurant is a wonderful restaurant to take your date). As far as the food goes, you really can't go wrong. Even though this is a Turkish restaurant, if you are feeling less adventurous, there are options for you as well. However, I would strongly recommend getting "Kibbe" which is a hot plate appetizer. It is one of the best things I have tasted in St. Louis. It's a mixture of ground beef, onions, pine nuts, and a special mixture of middle-eastern spices that will leave you dreaming of more. I have also had their "Musakka," "Iskender," and lamb chops and they were all very well flavored and cooked. The last few times I have gone, I've gotten the special which was a whole "Chupra" fish imported from the Mediterranean Sea. I would recommend getting this if they have it on the menu if you are in a seafood mood. The fish is grilled and the subtle grill taste is absolutely fantastic. If you still aren't full from the main course, then tasting one of the many dessert options is a must. If you want to go for the Turkish experience there are plenty of options. I would recommend getting the Baklava, a classic. If you're full, you can always walk off the meal and go to Ted Drewes right across the street for some refreshing ice cream. read more

Aya Sofia - The Chupra whole fish special with couscous and pickled onions. Highly recommend. - Turkish Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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Hands down my favorite restaurant in St. Louis. The food and service is consistently beyond the 5 star rating in the most unpretentious, cozy and welcoming environment. Both my visits to the restaurant have been unreal experiences, and the guests I brought with me agree. The Sigara Boregi is a must to order (think cigar or if you know Arabic, sigara actually means cigarette). It's rolled filo stuffed with feta served with a spicy dipping sauce. It sounds so simple, but it will be beyond your imagination! As a pseudo vegetarian/pescatarian, the Imam Bayildi is the perfect dish in every way. Eggplant and tomatoes served with pearl couscous and veggies. Not to sound redundant, but unpretentious and yet still decadent. The pasta dish (also vegetarian), is also a great choice. I tasted my sister in law's and I couldn't stop eating it. I even managed to polish off her leftovers the next day! If you can make it out of the restaurant with the temptation of Ted Drewes across the street, most definitely order the Firin Sutlac, a rice pudding that is dare I say, better than my mothers! read more

Aya Sofia - Imam Biyaldi - Turkish Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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Aya Sofia has a unique menu that is rare in St. Louis. The food is delicious and do not be afraid to try new things! We got the hummus and 3 small plates and it was enough for dinner for 2 people. They also have a nice drink menu. The patio is very pleasant and is in a cute neighborhood. My favorite dish was the boça, similar to an empanada. Aya Sofia is an overlooked gem in St. Louis. read more

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I had a chance to try Aya Sofia earlier this week and was pleasantly surprised. In the past when in the mood for mediterranean style cuisine I typically go to Saleem's West, however driving all the way out to Des Peres/Chesterfield isn't always an option. Atmosphere is great, perfect for date night, or just a casual evening with friends and family. The food was great, my table started off with the Hummus, which was great. As far as entrees goes I ordered the Köfte, which is chargrilled turkish meatballs (ground beef, lamb, spices) served with a side of yogurt sauce, rice pilaf and carrots. It was amazing, I did have an opportunity to sample the Akdeniz Uslu Tavuk or Mediterranean Chicken, which was equally as good. I have to admit that I would like to return and order the Akdeniz Uslu Tavuk for myself. Overall prices range from $15-$26 for the entrees, most of which are priced under $16. If you are feeling adventurous, and looking for a change of pace give Aya Sofia a go, you will be very glad you did. read more

Aya Sofia - Kofte - Chargrilled Turkish Meatballs (Ground Beef and Lamb, spices, side of yogurt sauce with rice pilaf and vegetables) - Turkish Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

This was our first time trying this restaurant with a group of friends. Our waiter seemed nervous and skittish the entire time (ie skipped us for drink orders, took my wife's order and forgot to take mine, etc). The food was very good (beet/goat cheese salad, chicken kabobs and kofte), however we literally waited an hour and a half to get our check! The waiter came out no less than three times to try to get it straight and still had it wrong. We ended up just starting over and read off to him what we had. The sad part was the owners seemed pretty content with just letting this poor guy struggle to wait on multiple tables. Needless to say, we won't be back! read more

We have Aya Sofia on repeat. It's that good. From the warm friendliness upon entry to the service, everyone is so nice. The food is fantastic, so many options and enjoy the varied specials. Also appreciate that the menu features something for everyone from vegan, vegetarian to meats and seafood. They have our brood covered. read more

We picked up Aya Sofia after a hankering for some Turkish cuisine one evening, and I am thoroughly impressed!! We started with the baba ganoush, a smooth and tangy dip which came with the most delicious, fresh bread on the side. For entrees, we got the iskender, which was tender and flavorful, (Added bonus points for the amazing grilled tomato) and the musakka, which is basically eggplant lasagna. The flavors were warm, herbaceous and so complex--I'm still thinking about it!!! To top it all off, we received a complimentary Turkish coffee chocolate sticky pudding, which was rich and deep and truly unlike anything I've ever tasted in my life. Absolutely divine. Can't wait to go back! read more

The gyro was greasy and had to ask for sauce for it. The Iskender was delightful . Service was good. However the last thing I want to do is listen to Guns and Roses and AC/DC while dining. Update:The management did contact me and apologized for the music and were concerned about our experience with the gyro. Based on the other reviews and the contact we will return. read more

Fabulous decor. Super friendly and attentive staff. And the food is fabulous! Sat on the patio and enjoyed a lovely brunch. So sad we didn't try it years ago. We will most definitely add it to the regular rotation. The waiters were fabulous, made the meal that more enjoyable. read more

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The food is delicious, the restaurant is beautiful, and the service is excellent ... what else could you ask for? I took my mother here while she was visiting, and even my notoriously difficult-to-please mom enjoyed the experience and found little to complain about. I love Greek and Mediterranean food, and I was pleased that there were some truly authentic items on the menu, plus an extensive wine list. Our server was good about answering questions, making suggestions and checking up on us, and our food was served promptly, with beautiful presentation, and obviously tasted wonderful. I agree with Alexandra G.'s review, though ... the specials are notably more expensive than the usual menu items with no warning. The Turkish sea bass special that my mom ordered was $35 ... more than twice as much as the entree I ordered off the menu, which slightly dampened my mom's originally enthusiastic endorsement of this dish. Just a heads up about that! I think this would be a really nice date location. The restaurant is dimly lit and has intimate booths with curtains along the walls (but larger tables in the middle of the restaurant for larger groups), which altogether makes the place feel very classy and intimate. It was a little out of my budget, but I would definitely come to this place again for a special occasion. I really enjoyed the experience. read more

Aya Sofia - Turkish sea bass special, 10/19/12 - Turkish Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

Finally after years of wanting to check this place out, a friend and I went ended up here at 5 on a Saturday night, the weekend before New Years. As expected for that time of night on a Saturday, a few days before New Year's Eve, it was empty. That was a nice plus though, because we had the place to ourselves for 45 mins before it started getting crowded. We sat in a cozy booth, which makes you feel like you have a little privacy. Our server was Jeff, and he was just the right amount of joking/suggestions and still giving us our space. I can't remember the name of the bottle of wine we shared, but it was per his suggestion after telling him our taste. It was a Turkish semi dry white wine and we loved it. Also reasonable at around $30. We shared an appetizer of the sigara boregi and I would highly recommend it! Then we shared the Firinda Macarna (Turkish mac and cheese) and the Sebzeli Musakka. Neither one disappointed. The veggies were cooked perfectly, as well as the pearl couscous. The Mac n cheese was to die for!! Overall, it was a lovely experience and I'm glad I finally went. I can't stop thinking about it every time I'm hungry, so I'll definitely be back again soon! read more

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Middle Eastern International flair prepared authenticity by family. As you approach the restaurant, it's meticulously maintained, well decorated and landscaped. Both patio and exterior seating is available. Menu is substantial. From standards to what would seem like old family recipes, it's the real deal. If you need to get off of Delmar or South Grand and try something new, I strongly suggest you give them a try. Support small business. Support local. Support international. read more

My lady and I came here for a romantic dinner and managed to acquire one of the coveted booths. Years ago, we came here during one of our favorite date nights as boyfriend and girlfriend and we would leave this time as a newly engaged couple. From the soft lighting to the food, everything gave that appearance of romance, though we were a little jealous of the outdoor seating behind us. After a tiny wait, we started with the Baba ghanoush. As a rule, we will usually order hummus to start, but our occasionally adventurous curiosity got the better of us and what a reward! The appetizer was fragrant and flavorful and the grilled pita was seasoned well. Following the appetizer, I ordered the meatballs (Köfte) that came with rice, vegetables, and a yogurt sauce that was delicious. The meatballs were cooked and seasoned well and mixed well with the rice. My lady ordered the Adana Kebap, which looked like a long sausage, but came with a ton of food. I suspected she was a little envious of my meatballs and she said the Kebap was a little too spicy for her taste, but it tasted good. Both visits, separated by years, were great and memorable. This is an easy recommendation for anyone who does not fear something unfamiliar. Enjoy! read more

Aya Sofia - Kofta: delicious - Turkish Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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Great food and atmosphere! Patio available as well. Never too packed! Always some specials on the menu! read more

We got a large amount of takeout last weekend to feed 5 adults - we all were stuffed with another full meal's worth of leftovers!!! The food was EXCELLENT. Well packaged, and I thought it was an especially nice touch that it all came in a large reusable fabric bag! The woman who took our order over the phone was extremely friendly. Super easy transaction and we were all thrilled with our meal!! Everything was extremely fresh and beautiful. read more