Aya Sofia

“Food was excellent. I have been looking for good Lahmacun in STL since I got back from visiting Turkey, this one was great. We also had a Pide, the Adana kebab and a chicken and beef Sis. It was all very good. Our server, Cavan, was also very knowledgeable and friendly. It was a great place to spend my 30th birthday dinner. I would recommend this place to anyone visiting STL looking to mix up their food options.”

“This place was a happy surprise when we were not even searching for it, but decided to give it a try. Since your first greeting at the entrance door, you know that you are coming to an authentic and family restaurant. The architecture sets the mood, and the staff is warm and attentive. We ordered the beef Pide and it was full of flavours. Deliciously seasoned and the perfect balance of acidity, fat and salt. I also wanted to try the The Moussaka because it is one of my favorite mediterranean dishes, and they did not dissapoint. It was very tasty as well, and a different recipe from what I am used to, with larger pieces of potato and eggplant, however, still very good. The couscous was probably my favorite part of the dish. Meant to be a side, it was well cooked and seasoned that it became the highlight. The restaurant has a nice patio, which was empty because of the weather, but we are definitely coming back soon to try it out!”

“This place is more than just a hidden gem ! The Food is amazing ! Well, it’s been a very long time that I’ve been here. It still tastes just like It did when I last visit and that says a lot about a restaurant’s perseverance in being consistent. The set up is cozy and intimate as well as laid-back! If you want to try something different come to this place you won’t be disappointed😊”

“Moving reviews over from Yelp. Originally published 7/8/18: Between dinner and dessert, I remarked to the wife: "how is it that we've never been here before?" I'm really quite mystified by the fact that we've lived in STL for nearly 6 years now, love trying new places and almost all of our Yelp friends rave about this place in their reviews. Seriously, how have we never been to the place? I wanted a nice dinner out since the kids were both elsewhere. After a bunch of poking around on Yelp, we came up with this place. First impression was a little confusing - walk in, it seems like you're in a coat closet, spot the hostess stand, spin a tight 180 to get to the dining room...but then it makes sense. We were shown to one of the booths with the curtains on it but left them open. All the better for watching the food being carried by while perusing the menu. The wife selected what our waiter referred to as his favorite cocktail. I asked him which one was his second favorite and ordered it. They were delivered a few minutes later and I very much enjoyed the medley of flavors in the Sofia's Sidecar. I'm disappointed that I can't find the description online to add to my review. Excellent cocktail! For $25, I selected the Aya Sofia Meze Platter as my dinner. It included the following: 1. humus (puréed chickpeas): very garlicy and absolutely delicious. I liked the twist of having it be a coarse grind instead of blended smooth. Served with a delicious dense bread that paired well. 2. sigara boreği (crispy feta): these are the "don't miss" item from the mezze menu. Think crispy, creamy, tart and sweet all rolled into one. 3. sarma (stuffed grape leaves): I've never had a stuffed grape leaf that knocked my socks off before...or still. Serviceable but I'm not a fan of this dish so it's no surprise that they didn't wow me here. 4. tabuli (parsley salad) - subbed their Aya Sofia salad for the tabuli as it is not one of my favorites and their house salad was just alright...I decided to leave about half on my plate so I could circle back on the hummus. For dessert, we ordered a dram of their house-made pistachio liqueur and took our great waiter's recommendation for dessert. I will need to revisit this review and update the dessert portion with the actual name and/or description. For now, we will just call it the hairy one on the dessert tray. Think baklava with some strands of sweet ricotta and a honey-based sauce, served warm. I've ordered this basic dessert in several different restaurants but the Aya Sofia version was the very best I've ever tried. Service? Impeccable.”

“The drinks were absolutely delicious. Good food and good service, would highly reccomend.”