Turkish restaurants in Europe
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Kuru Fasülyeci Erzincanlı Ali Baba
Join the crowds of hungry locals at this long-time institution located opposite the Süleymaniye Mosque. It's been dishing up its signature kuru fasulye (Anatolian-style white beans cooked in a spicy tomato sauce) since 1924 and it's delicious when accompanied by pilaf (rice) and pickles. Next-door Kanaat Fasülyeci is nearly as old and serves up more of the same. No alcohol.
reviewed
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Ney Restaurant
Tucked away off the street up some steps is this tiny but delightful restaurant set in a 250-year-old Greek house. Decorated with seashells and wind chimes, it's run by the charming Birgül, owner and cook, who offers delicious home cooking at pleasing prices. Try the mantı böreğı (Turkish ravioli).
reviewed
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Ali Kaya Restaurant
Perched on a hill, yhis simple licensed restaurant is perfect for sunset dining, when you can recharge with meze after the steep climb while taking in views of the town and the tombs. Taxis will ferry you up for TL8.
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Kent
Kent means ‘small town’ in Turkish, an appropriate name considering the hordes that frequent this ever-expanding Turkish restaurant. In summer the tree-shaded garden is one of the prettiest in the city, and the food is consistently top-notch. The menu is extensive, but highlights include shish kebab, Ispanakli Pide (long Turkish pizza with sheep’s cheese, egg and spinach) and Büyük Meze Tabagi (a starter plate as big as a main with baked aubergine, carrots, courgettes, rice-filled vine leaves, green beans, hummus and other delights). The vegetarian and breakfast selections will please most, and everything is available for takeaway. For late-night desserts, try the…
reviewed
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Nazar Börek
Head here for supremely tasty traditional Turkish staples served up by friendly Rafik and his team. Nazar remains our long-standing favourite for its hearty plates of gözleme (savoury pancakes) and sosyete böregi (stuffed spiral pastries served with yoghurt and tomato sauce) while the convivial atmosphere encourages diners to linger long after their meal has finished.
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Mozaik
Over the years Mozaik has built a reputation as the most stylish restaurant in this part of town. Housed in a romantic Ottoman building dating from 1878 and with plenty of streetside tables, it has a huge menu that offers pastas and other international food as well as dishes from different regions of Turkey. Prices are far too high considering the quality of the food (average at best), but the surrounds are welcoming and the service is excellent.
reviewed
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Nazik Ana
This simple back-alley place offers prepared dishes hot and cold (viewable at the front counter), letting you sample different Turkish traditional dishes at knock-down prices.
reviewed
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Restaurant 36
Popular with the backpacker crowd, in part because of its location near to the cheaper pensions, yet also because of its distinctively laid-back vibe. The somewhat international menu offers items like tuna fish salads and omelettes along with the usual mix of mezes, kebaps and grills. Because the indoor dining area appears to also be the living room of the owner's home, front patio noshing is recommended.
reviewed
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Cezayir
Housed in an attractive building that was once home to an Italian school, Cezayir serves Mod Med food with Turkish influences and caters to an upmarket boho crowd. In summer, the courtyard is always packed with diners sampling dishes such as boneless lamb shank roast with rice, spinach roots and aniseed. Desserts include classics such as chocolate soufflé and ice cream.
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Güney Restaurant
You'll be lucky if you can fight your way through the crowds of hungry locals to claim a lunchtime table at this bustling eatery directly opposite Galata Tower. Friendly waiters will set you up with a basket of fresh bread and point you towards the array of meze and hot dishes on display.
reviewed
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İmren Lokantası
Well and truly off the tourist trail, İmren is a tiny neighbourhood lokanta with extremely friendly staff. It serves decent, dirt-cheap dishes such as peppery lamb guveç (stew) and musakka (baked aubergine and mincemeat). Go for lunch rather than dinner. No alcohol.
reviewed
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Yücetepe Kır Gazinosu Restaurant
At the very top of the hill where the Monastery of St George is located, this simple place has benches and chairs on a terrace overlooking the sea and İstanbul. Dishes are simple but good – the köfte is particularly tasty. You can also enjoy a beer or glass of tea here.
reviewed
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Yakamoz Restaurant
A pleasant 1km walk from town along the promenade, this is a great place to head for a sunset drink and dinner. It's a traditional Turkish menu and the fish can be pricey, but there's plenty of atmosphere and an attractive outdoor area with big cushions down by the water.
reviewed
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Çiçek Izgara
One block from the Koza Parkı, behind the half-timbered belediye, the Çiçek grillhouse is bright and modern (good for lone women), with a first-floor salon to catch the flower-market action.
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Vatan Lokantası
Don't expect culinary revelations in this snappy joint, just the usual suspects honestly prepared and served by attentive waiters. Grab a tavuk şiş and satisfy the inner self.
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Ottoman House
Inside a 100-year-old stone villa surrounded by lush gardens, Ottoman House is Alanya's most atmospheric eatery. The beğendili taş kebabı (TL32), a traditional Ottoman combination of sautéed lamb and aubergine purée, and grilled seafood dishes (TL24 to TL29) are all good. Visit on Thursday or Sunday night for all-you-can-eat barbecue (€15); on Tuesdays there's a meze buffet (€15) and Turkish dancing.
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Teras Restaurant
The terrace restaurant at this upmarket hotel offers good food, a killer view of the Blue Mosque, Aya Sofya and Sea of Marmara, an excellent (and affordable) wine list and very comfortable seating – a compelling combination indeed. Added extras come courtesy of a kids' menu (TL12–14) and decent coffee. We recommend starting with a meze tray to share (TL26–29).
reviewed
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La Padella
La Padella's chef-owner previously worked at Göreme's well-regarded A'laturca, and it shows. The menu showcases many of the same dishes, but offers them at prices that are considerably cheaper. We heartily approve!
The menu (presented in Turkish and English) includes favourites such as soğuk salata tabağı (mixed cold meze plate,and kapaturco tavuk şiş (chicken kebap served on a bed of eggplant, tomato, onion and peppers. A beer costs a bargain-basement around €2 and service is extremely friendly. Highly recommended.
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Rami
The favoured spot for dinner here is the rooftop terrace, which has a full view of the Blue Mosque. Make sure you request a table there when you book. Ottoman specialities such as kağıt kebap (lamb and vegetables cooked in a paper pouch) dominate the menu and although the food is nothing to get excited about, the view and the decent wine list certainly compensate. No credit cards.
This restored Ottoman house also has several quaint dining rooms that are decorated with impressionist-style paintings by Turkish painter Rami Uluer (1913-88).
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Karaköy Lokantası
Known for its gorgeous tiled interior, genial owner and bustling vibe, Karaköy Lokantası serves tasty and well-priced food to its loyal local clientele. It functions as a lokanta during the day, but at night it morphs into a meyhane, with slightly higher prices. Bookings are essential for dinner.
reviewed
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Karaköyüm Café & Restaurant
The elegant lady owners will greet you personally when you enter this popular rooftop restaurant. Everyone in town knows the secret of the success here - put simply, the women in the kitchen are wonderful home-style cooks. Try Anatolian favourites such as the utterly delicious dürüm köfte (köfte wrapped in pastry and served with yogurt and tomato sauce) and we're confident that you'll become an instant devotee.
There's a terrace with views of Topkapı Palace, and a wine list that is well priced.
reviewed
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Etap
Etap might not have Kent's garden or its popularity, but it certainly has its authenticity and heavenly Turkish cuisine. Its pan dishes, such as Tavuk Sote (roasted chicken with tomatoes, paprika, mushrooms and rice), arrive piping hot to the table, the wood grill adds a lovely flavour to the likes of the shish kebab , and the stuffed zucchini with yoghurt are hard to pass over. The open buffet (€9) on Friday and Saturday (from 6pm onwards) is a smorgasbord of Etap's best dishes; after 9pm live music accompanies the feast.
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Bistro Kars
The Bistro Kars captures the hearts and tummies of well-heeled locals and visitors alike. The list of meze gallops through patlıcan (aubergine), yoghurt, pepper, salads and other goodies that are too hard to pronounce - all irresistibly fresh. You can also dig into well-executed meat and fish dishes and wash it all down with a glass of wine or a beer (hallelujah!).
The dining room is an enchanting mix of elegance and rustic charm, but on a hot summer's day the breezy terrace is a sure winner.
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Demeti
This modern meyhane has a friendly feel and simple but stylish decor. Reservations are a must if you want one of the four tables on the terrace, which have an unimpeded Bosphorus view. There's occasional live music.
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Rendezvous@Nargile
A stylish West End venue specialising in Turkish cuisine. There are tasty spreads of mezes – shakshuka (a blend of roast peppers, tomatoes, aubergines and chilli), djadjik (yoghurt with garlic and cucumber) and sigara boregi (cheese pastries), for example – followed by delicious, melt-in-the-mouth kebabs and marinated meats, and vegetarian dishes such as mantar guvec (casserole of button mushrooms in creamy sauce with a cheese-and-couscous crust).
reviewed