About Us

EFES is named after Efes or Ephesus, an historical city in Aegean Turkey. Ibrahim Akbas opened Efes restaurant in 1974. He trained and continue to work as a chef, which could go a long way in explaining the consistently high standard of delicious and authentic Turkish cuisine to be found in this restaurant. Many TV personalities can be spotted amongs the regular customers and the restaurant is also very popular with the local community, having a reputation for generous portions and very good value. This reputation does mean that at busy periods customers may find the restaurant crowded but space can always be found in the deceptively cavernous interior which reaches right through from the Great Titchfield Street to Foley Street.

EFES or EPHESUS in ancient times was an imported city on the Aegean coast of Turkey near modern day Izmir it was once the Roman capital of Asia.

The archaeological site is now a famous tourist attraction with many impressive ruins. The TEMPLE OF ASTEMIS was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world but sadly now reduced to a single standing column. Fortunately many of the archaeological remains are better preserved including the GYMNASUIM OF VEDIUS, a combined gymnasium and baths dating from AD, 150, and the THREATRE. This is a massive tierred area carved out of the side of Mount Pion seating 24,000. The Theatre is still in use for the Ephesus Festival.

The ARBLE ROAD leads from the Theatre past the LIBRARY OF CELSUS with its beautiful marble facade to the BATHS OF SCHOLASTICA. These baths are an impressive example of Roman Baths which had cold, tepid and hot areas and were heated by circulating steam. Near these are the remains of the TEMPLE OF HADRIAN, well preserved with many rows of columns and sculptures. The PRATHE-RIUM housed the holy light which was a flame kept burning all the time to allow the people to obtain fire to light their lamps and stoves. This flame was guarded by girls of the noble families know as The VIRGINS OF HESTIA.

Ephesus has many early links with Christianity. The legend of the SEVEN SLEEPERS says that in AD,250, seven Christian youths, and their dog Kitmir, hid in a cave in order to escape religious persecution. They fell asleep for 200 years and the first wake went to baker for bread where he was told the money he offered was 200 years old! Fortunately by this time Christianity was the accepted religion in the city. When the seven eventually died a church was built on the site of their graves and is now and important place of Christian pilgrimage.

The Virgin Mary is said to have spent the latter part of her life at Ephesus after coming there with St. John, said her house is now a shrine.

The goddess Artemis predates Christianity to the time of the Ancient Greeks. Her name derives from and ancient Anatolian language and the Romans knew her as Diana. She was a deity who represented fertility and plenty and although a virgin was a mother and helper to women in childbirth. These qualities are paralleled in many ways by the Virgin Mary of Christianity. In statues, Artemis of Ephesus is represented with many breasts, symbolising fertility