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Restaurant

Bodrum Essendon

51 Fletcher St, Essendon VIC 3040, Australia

Recommended by 8 people

Updated

Find Bodrum Essendon

51 Fletcher St, Essendon VIC 3040, Australia

Directions ↗
+61 452 224 293
HoursMonday: Closed Tuesday: 5:30 PM – 9:00 PM Wednesday: 5:30 PM – 9:00 PM Thursday: 5:30 PM – 9:00 PM Friday: 5:30 PM – 10:00 PM Saturday: 5:30 PM – 10:00 PM Sunday: 5:30 PM – 9:00 PM

*Opening hours may differ during holidays.

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About Bodrum Essendon

Bodrum Essendon turns out regional Turkish cooking anchored by a dedicated wood-fired oven. Guests pile into the dining room for meze spreads and charred, pillowy flatbread before diving into slow-cooked lamb shanks and smoky clay-pot barramundi that pull apart effortlessly. Family-run hospitality keeps banquets unhurried and welcoming—finishing over warm künefe and brewed Turkish tea.

  • Wood-Fired Hearth & Clay Pots: Slow-cooked for hours in clay pots and hearth heat, meats like kuzu tandir and lamb shanks yield fork-tender, smoky depth.
  • Specialty Regional Sweets: Feasts conclude over freshly baked, cheese-pulling künefe and house Turkish delight waffles paired with traditional tea.
RestaurantTurkishRestaurant

What's On at Bodrum Essendon

Upcoming events, special menus and other reasons to plan a visit.

No events or specials listed right now.

Why Choose Bodrum Essendon

Authentic wood-fired Anatolian cuisine, artisanal desserts, and heartwarming hospitality in Essendon.

  • Wood-Fired Slow Cooking

    Slow-cooked for up to six hours in a dedicated wood-fired oven, Anatolian lamb shanks and tandir achieve fall-off-the-bone tenderness with distinct woodsmoke depth.

    Their slow cooked (6hrs in wood fired oven) lamb shanks are to die for- you will never taste better!

    ML D

  • Hearth-Baked Bread & Meze

    Freshly baked to order in the hearth, warm Turkish flatbread delivers charred crusts and fluffy crumb alongside handcrafted dips like haydari and silky baba ganoush.

    Baked in a real wood-fired oven at the back of the restaurant, smoky and slightly charred on the outside, soft and fluffy inside.

    shasha yang

  • Anatolian Cultural Escape

    From ambient Turkish lighting and music to authentic decor, dining transports guests to the Aegean coast without leaving Essendon.

    A night that felt like a mini escape to Turkey

    Apoorva Rai

  • Artisanal Künefe & Desserts

    End the meal with authentic warm künefe baked to order and signature Turkish delight waffles paired with freshly brewed Turkish tea and coffee.

    The künefe was the best I’ve had in Australia — it can easily compete with the good places in Turkey.

    Utku Yilmaz

  • Generous Sharing Banquets

    Multi-course sharing banquets feature expansive spreads of clay pot entrees, grilled meats, and sides tailored to group dining.

    We got the banquet, which came with a lovely variety of dishes, and it did not disappoint. The food was delectable and there was plenty to go around!!!

    Christina Schmidt

  • Welcoming Family Hospitality

    Family-led hospitality and thoughtful personal care make celebrations and casual gatherings feel like dinner in a friend's private home.

    The whole experience was like going over to a friend's house for dinner, we loved it.

    Ken Baker

Wood-fired hearth specialties and traditional feast banquets

  • Slow Cooked Lamb

    Their slow cooked (6hrs in wood fired oven) lamb shanks are to die for- you will never taste better! Amazing flavour profile, literally falling off the bone and melting-in-the-mouth sensational!

    ML D

  • Ali Nazik Kebab

    Ali Nazik Kebab was packed with smokiness and authentic Turkish spices

    Charlie

  • Bodrum Banquet

    We tried the Bodrum banquet and every bit was amazing!

    Shawn Carter

  • Clay-Baked Barramundi

    the children ordered the clay pot barramundi together with several entrees. We were overwhelmed by the smoky flavours and the very generous servings

    Erol Akarsu

Other favorites

Authentic regional sweets and traditional brewed beverages

  • Künefe

    The künefe was the best I’ve had in Australia — it can easily compete with the good places in Turkey.

    Utku Yilmaz

  • Turkish Delight Waffles

    the Turkish delight waffles dessert has to be experienced to be believed!

    ML D

  • Baklava

    the baklava. The best I’ve had in Melbourne. Period.

    Apoorva Rai

  • Turkish Coffee

    I’m still dreaming about their Turkish coffee and kunafa

    Niki

Beyond the menu

Thoughtful hospitality touches, wood-hearth traditions, and regional dessert rituals that define dining at Bodrum Essendon

  • Birthday Celebration Ritual with Turkish Tea

    Celebrations receive a personal family touch, with staff coordinating surprise music and singing 'happy birthday' as dessert and brewed Turkish tea are brought to the table.

  • Six-Hour Wood-Fired Lamb Braising

    The kitchen slow-cooks lamb shanks for six hours inside the wood-fired oven until the meat melts off the bone with deep smoky flavour.

  • Hearth-Baked Turkish Flatbread Service

    Fresh flatbread is baked to order inside the dedicated rear wood-fired hearth, served hot and lightly charred alongside house-made haydari and meze dips.

  • Specialty Künefe and Turkish Delight Waffles

    Dessert service extends beyond standard fare with house-made regional specialties, including oven-baked künefe and signature Turkish delight waffles paired with rich Turkish coffee.

Before you head over

Practical dining advice on timing, ordering, and making the most of your meal at Bodrum Essendon.

  • Plan for Peak Friday Rushes

    Friday nights can be extremely busy with the team under heavy pressure. Book ahead and plan for potential service lulls during peak times, or consider visiting for lunch or early dinners to enjoy a more relaxed pace.

  • Pace Your Meal for Generous Portions

    Portions across the banquet and slow-cooked meat dishes are remarkably generous, with diners frequently taking leftovers home. Pace your ordering and consider asking for takeaway containers if you want to leave room for sweets.

  • Reserve Room for Specialty Desserts

    Save dedicated room at the end of your meal: signature specialties like the hot freshly baked künefe, baklava, and Turkish delight waffles with Turkish coffee or tea are central highlights that require extra appetite.

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