Istanbul
A magnificent panorama of the city can be enjoyed from the spacious outdoor terrace of this popular student cafe in a ramshackle building located in the…
Must-see nightlife in Istanbul
Beyoğlu
Specialty coffee bars have proliferated in İstanbul in recent years, spearheaded by businesses such as this hip place opposite the Firuz Ağa Mosque in…
Kadıköy
Making the call as to who makes the best Turkish coffee in İstanbul is no easy task, but our vote goes to Fazıl Bey, the best-loved khavehan (coffeeshop)…
Beyoğlu
Bored with contemporary coffee culture? Don't care where your beans have been roasted, or whether the milk has been heated to the prerequisite 54°C? If so…
Beyoğlu
Stocking more than 300 Turkish wines and pouring an extraordinary 47 by the glass, this atmospherically lit cavern is the city's best wine bar. Regulars…
Beyoğlu
Getting our endorsement as the home of İstanbul's best cocktails, this place is so crowded on Friday and Saturday evenings that the action spills out of…
Beyoğlu
Serving coffee home-roasted at their facility in Hasköy, these sapiens have well and truly wised up to the science behind the brew. Choose from Aeropress,…
Erenler Nargile ve Çay Bahçesi
Istanbul
Set in the vine-covered courtyard of the historic Çorlulu Ali Paşa Medresesi, this nargile cafe near the Grand Bazaar is the most atmospheric in the Old…
Beyoğlu
Asmalımescit's most popular bar is tiny, so on weekend evenings the action spills out into Jurnal Sokak and a party atmosphere ensues. Fight your way to…
Beyoğlu
Excellent cocktails and what could well be the best view in İstanbul await you on the top floor of the Marmara Pera Hotel. In winter the drinking action…
Sultanahmet
Superbly located directly opposite the Blue Mosque, the Derviş beckons patrons with its comfortable cane chairs and shady trees. Efficient service,…
Nişantaşi, Bomonti & Harbiye
One of the few brewpubs in İstanbul, the Populist became a hot spot as soon as it opened in 2016. A seasonally changing craft-beer list that includes…
Istanbul
The Suvla vineyards on northwestern Turkey’s Gallipoli Peninsula produce some of the best wine in the country, a wide selection of which is available at…
Kadıköy
The plastic chairs and tables here are decidedly no-frills, but the shady mastic trees and million-dollar views over the Sea of Marmara towards the…
The Bosphorus Suburbs
There’s a long list of bottled international beers and a good selection of international and local brews on tap at this lively Beşiktaş pub and brewery,…
Beyoğlu
İstanbul's most famous bar, and deservedly so. If you can score one of the bar stools on the terrace you'll be happy indeed – the view is truly…
Çırağan Palace Kempinski Hotel
The Bosphorus Suburbs
Nursing a mega-pricey çay, coffee or beer at one of the Çırağan's terrace tables and watching the scene around İstanbul's best swimming pool, which is…
Istanbul
This famous boza bar was established in 1876 and locals still flock here to drink its viscous non-alcoholic tonic, which is made from water, sugar and…
Istanbul
Many visitors head to this hilltop cafe after visiting the Eyüp Sultan Mosque. Named for the famous French novelist who is said to have come here for…
Beyoğlu
One of the harbingers of the city's current craze for coffee roasteries, the Federal Coffee Company advertises itself as an 'Australian Coffee Roaster'…
Princes’ Islands
Located on a street leading up to Refah Şehitleri Caddesi, which is lined with handsome villas, this cute cafe is decorated with secondhand furniture and…
Beyoğlu
There aren't as many traditional teahouses in Beyoğlu as on the Historic Peninsula, so this cluster of çay bahçesis (tea gardens) in a picturesque cobbled…
Beyoğlu
Cheekily located in the midst of Cihangir's cafe scene, where third-wave coffee and baristas with attitude are a given, this tranquil teahouse has…
The Bosphorus Suburbs
Built in 1870, this unlicensed restaurant and function centre was where Sultan Abdül Hamit II imprisoned his brother Murat V, having deposed him in 1876…
Beyoğlu
Tucked in an avant-garde enclave behind the Galatasaray Lycée, this hipster watering hole is known for its beef burgers (₺19) and tacos (₺25 to ₺28), the…
Kadıköy
Established by Jewish wine merchant Viktor Levi in 1914, this wine bar has a shady, flower-filled rear garden that is a popular drinking spot in the…
Beyoğlu
Dedicated to photography books, creative workshops and coffee, this bookshop-cafe in Karaköy is crammed into two floors of a small space that has been…
Sultanahmet
Open on fine days in summer, this rooftop bar has a full view of Aya Sofya, Ayasofya Hürrem Sultan Hamamı and the Bosphorus, while the Blue Mosque is only…
The Bosphorus Suburbs
Ecstatically embraced by the in crowd since 2005, Lucca's star shows no sign of waning. Glam young things flock here on Friday and Saturday nights to see…
Beyoğlu
On the top floor of a dishevelled building off İstiklal, Leb-i Derya has wonderful views across to the Old City and down the Bosphorus, meaning that seats…
Beyoğlu
The great thing about this neighbourhood place is its inclusiveness – the regulars include black-clad boho types, besuited professionals, expat loafers…
Kadıköy
Third-wave coffee is hugely fashionable in İstanbul, and this hole-in-the-wall coffee lab attracts serious coffee drinkers who shop, live and work in…
Beyoğlu
This İstanbul institution has been around for over two decades and is a great alternative for those who can't stomach the style overload at many of the…
Sultanahmet
Located in a sunken courtyard behind the Blue Mosque, Meşale is a tourist trap par excellence, but is still worth a visit. Generations of backpackers have…
Istanbul
The million-dollar location overlooking the water makes this indoor/outdoor cafe next to the Şemşi Ahmed Paşa Mosque a popular choice. It's a great spot…
Sultanahmet
We don't recommend eating at this rooftop hotel restaurant near Aya Sofya, but the view from its narrow balcony and glass-sheathed dining room is one of…
Caferağa Medresesi Çay Bahçesi
Sultanahmet
On a fine day, sipping a çay or freshly squeezed orange juice in the gorgeous courtyard of this Sinan-designed medrese is extremely pleasant. Located…
Nişantaşi, Bomonti & Harbiye
Named after the Brazilian footballer rather than the Greek philosopher, this sleek but cosy venue is located on the hippest bar and cafe strip in…
Kadıköy
Describing itself as the 'world's first coffee lab' (a claim we repeat with a degree of scepticism), this designer roastery and cafe takes its coffee…
Beyoğlu
Broadcasting from the basement of its tiny pub just off İstiklal Caddesi, this indie radio station livestreams on Facebook and YouTube and hosts popular…
