More about the return of Bereket to the Lower East Side

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Yesterday we had the scoop about the opening of Ankara Turkish Restaurant on Houston and Orchard ... from the owner of longtime LES favorite Bereket Turkish Kebab House.

After 19 years in service, Bereket was forced to close in June 2014 to make way for the new luxury condo via Ben Shaoul on the block. The property housed a single row of storefronts, including Bereket, Ray's Pizza and Lobster Joint — all demolished. (As Shaoul told the Times back in 2017, the small businesses that closed were "part of evolution ... You call it gentrification, I call it 'cleaning it up.'") 

EVG contributor Stacie Joy returned to the quick-serve restaurant, which debuted last week...

... and met with Ramazan Turgut, who owned Bereket and now Ankara Turkish Restaurant, which has two outposts in Brooklyn...

... and manager Aydın Günaydın...

Ramazan said that he always wanted to return to this neighborhood and that it wasn't his choice to leave. In the interim, he opened the two restaurants in Brooklyn under the Ankara name. When Bereket closed, he said he didn’t want to open a Brooklyn restaurant with the same name because it was special, and the name belonged to this area. 

He signed a lease when this space at 183 Houston St. (the former Dr Smood) became available directly across the street from the previous outpost. 

Since there are two other Ankara Turkish Restaurants, he decided to keep the name for continuity. Still, he wants people to know it's still Bereket (hence the "Bereket is Back" banners on the storefront). 

The menu items remain unchanged — including the famed vegetarian red lentil soup...

... and the variety of gyros (the chicken gyro option is new)...

There are also a variety of Turkish beverages (no alcohol!) ...

Ramazan said several former customers have come in and confessed how much they missed Bereket. One customer even started crying, which prompted tears from the staff too. 

During this soft-opening mode, the hours are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily, with plans to expand to 4 a.m. soon.

On Houston, Bereket returns in the form of Ankara Turkish Restaurant

Top photo from Thursday by EVG; other photos yesterday by Stacie Joy

3/28: Updated here.

Ankara Turkish Restaurant debuted last week on the southwest corner of Houston and Orchard. 

This is the first Manhattan outpost for the quick-serve restaurant with two Brooklyn locations. Their menu shows a variety of gyros and skewers combos... and sides like baba ganoush and grape leaves. 

In an exciting development, over the weekend, a "Bereket Is Back" banner arrived in the window (thanks for the tip, Seth!) ...

As you may recall, Bereket Turkish Kebab House anchored the opposite corner of Orchard and Houston for 19 years until its closure in June 2014 to make way for Ben Shaoul's gold-dusted condoplex at 196 Orchard St.  

The loss of the 24/7 Bereket with its legendary red lentil soup was tough. There were rumors Bereket would relocate nearby, but it never actually did.

Until now?!

Workers confirmed that the owner of Ankara was also the owner of Bereket. Unfortunately, we just missed him at the restaurant yesterday. So more on this later. 3/28: We talked with owner Ramazan Turgut here.

Ankara is currently open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. 

Signage alert: Ankara #3

Signage is up now for the new outpost of Ankara Turkish Restaurant on the SW corner of Houston and Orchard.

News of this arrival at 183 E. Houston St. dates to the fall of 2021.

This will be the first Manhattan outpost for the quick-serve restaurant that has two locations in Brooklyn. Their menu shows a variety of gyros and skewers combos... and sides like babaganoush and grape leaves. 

According to the Commercial Observer, ownership signed a 10-year lease for the 3,000-square-foot space (includes basement) with a monthly rent of $25,000. 

This storefront was previously the health-focused Dr. Smood.

Ankara Turkish Restaurant announces itself on East Houston

Ankara Turkish Restaurant is coming to the southwest corner of Houston and Orchard. 

Signage arrived on the storefront back on Friday. 

This will be the first Manhattan outpost for the quick-serve restaurant that has two locations in Brooklyn. Their menu shows a variety of gyros and skewers combos... and sides like babaganoush and grape leaves. 

According to the Commercial Observer, ownership signed a 10-year lease for the 3,000-square-foot space (includes basement) with a monthly rent of $25,000. (This storefront was previously the health-focused Dr. Smood.) 

News of this arrival comes on the heels of the quiet closure of Eastanbul (first reported here) a block away on Allen Street.

And we had always hoped that Bereket would reopen around here as rumored after their June 2014 closure on the southeast corner of Houston and Orchard.