Restaurants in Istanbul
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Galata House
This would have to be one of the most eccentric restaurants in town. Run by the utterly charming husband-and-wife team of Nadire and Mete Göktuğ, it is housed in the Old British Jail, just down from Galata Tower. The jail functioned from 1904 to 1919, and has been sympathetically but comfortably restored by Mete, who is one of İstanbul’s most prominent heritage architects. Nadire uses recipes handed down from her Georgian mother to concoct great comfort food – the hingali (meat-filled dumplings in tomato sauce) are absolutely delicious. She also plays the piano for guests.
reviewed
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Tarihi Sultanahmet Köftecisi Selim Usta
This is one of the most famous eateries in the city, and to be frank, we’re at a total loss to understand why. The ever-present queues of locals obviously adore its rubbery ızgara köfte (grilled meatballs) served with bread, white beans, salad and pickled chillies, but we have always been underwhelmed. Why not try it yourself, though? The place has been serving since 1920 and is certainly clean, cheap and cheerful.
reviewed
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Erzincanli Ali Baba Fasulyeci
Join the crowds of hungry locals at this long-time institution in the former kütüphanesi medrese (theological-school library) of the Süleymaniye Mosque. It’s been dishing up its signature kuru fasulye (Anatolian-style haricot beans cooked in a spicy tomato sauce) since 1924. Try some with side dishes of pilaf (rice) and pickles, and wash it all down with an ayran (yoghurt drink). Next-door Kanaat Fasulyeci is nearly as old and serves up more of the same.
reviewed
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Leb-İ Derya
Ask many İstanbullus to name their favourite watering hole and they’re likely to nominate this unpretentious place. On the top floor of a dishevelled building off İstiklal, it has wonderful views across to the Old City and down the Bosphorus, meaning that seats on the small outdoor terrace or at the bar are highly prized. There’s also food on offer.
reviewed
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Pierre Loti Café
After visiting the Eyüp Sultan Mosque, many visitors head north up the hill to the Pierre Loti Café, where the famous French novelist is said to have come for inspiration. Loti loved İstanbul, its decadent grandeur and the late-medieval customs of a society in decline. When he sat in this cafe, under a shady grapevine sipping tea, he saw a Golden Horn busy with caïques (long, thin rowboats), schooners and a few steam vessels. The water in the Golden Horn was still clean enough to swim in and the vicinity of the cafe was given over to pasture. The cafe that today bears his name offers views similar to the ones he must have enjoyed. It’s in a warren of streets on a prom…
reviewed
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Asitane
It’s not often that you’ll get the opportunity to sample Ottoman dishes devised for the palace kitchens at Topkapı, Edirne and Dolmabahçe, but this is what’s on offer here. Since 1991, the chefs here have been hunting down historic recipes and trialling them in the kitchen – only the most delicious make it onto the menu. Try the vısneli yaprak sarması (an 1844 recipe of vine leaves stuffed with sour cherries) and ayva kalyası (a recipe from 1539 featuring quince, lamb and chickpeas cooked in a grape molasses syrup); we’re sure the sultans would have approved of them as much as we do. The surrounds are modern and elegant, featuring a pale-green colour scheme, …
reviewed
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Moreish
Chefs Cokşun Uysal and Esra Muslu trained in Melbourne and London before returning to İstanbul and opening this intimate restaurant. The sophisticated interior by Milagard Architecture perfectly complements the ambitious menu, which comes complete with amuse-bouche and splendid home-baked bread rolls. An initial perusal of the dishes on offer may make you fear that there is too much happening on each plate, but fear not – everything works wonderfully. Highlights of our last meal included a main course of roasted lamb and braised lamb shank with red cabbage, tahini humus and a cognac-plum puree followed by a dessert of flourless chocolate mousse cake served with rosewate…
reviewed
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Haci Abdullah
Just contemplating the sensational imam bayildi (‘the imam fainted’) at Hacı Abdullah’s makes our tastebuds go into overdrive. This İstanbul institution (it was established in 1888) is one of the best lokantas in the city and is one of the essential gastronomic stops you should make when in town. You’ll find all the traditional favourites, as well as a wide selection of desserts, including home-bottled fruit compote and a delicious künefe (shredded wheat pastry with pistachios, honey and sugar). The elegant surrounds feature bottle upon bottle of pickled vegetables and comfortable banquette seating. No alcohol is served.
reviewed
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Changa
A number of eateries in İstanbul attempt fusion cuisine, but few do it well; this sophisticated restaurant is one that does. Order the 12-course tasting menu (TL124 for two people) and you may score delights such as scallops with hummus and panko crumble, roasted salmon with coconut sauce and a cress-coriander salad with rose petals, or slow-cooked lamb wrapped in vine leaves and served with sour cream and sweet chilli sauce. In summer, the action moves to Müzedechanga on the Bosphorus.
reviewed
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Mado
Next to Çınar, this branch of the popular ice-cream chain is packed on weekends, when locals stop by after checking out the flea market. The views are great and the people-watching opportunities unrivalled. Oh, and the ice cream goes down a treat. There are also Mado branches in locations such as Üsküdar (Selmanípek Caddesi) and Beyoğlu (İstiklal Caddesi).
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.
reviewed
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Konak
Eateries on İstiklal are often dreadful, but this long-time favourite bucks the trend. It serves excellent kebaps and pides; try the delectable İskender kebap and follow up with a serving of Turkey’s famous but hard-to-find Maraş ice cream and you’ll be both happy and replete. There’s another branch near Tünel, but this one is much better.
reviewed
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Yücetepe Kır Gazinosu
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 delicious – the köfte is particularly tasty. You can also enjoy a beer here.
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İnci Pastanesi
A Beyoğlu institution, İnci is famous throughout the city for its delicious profiteroles covered in chocolate sauce. Customers squeeze into the tiny shop and most scoff standing up.
reviewed
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Sultanahmet Fish House
If you're the fishy type, traditionally there have been only three viable dining options in the Old City: heading down to Kumkapı, grabbing a fish sandwich on the dock at Emininönü or booking a table at the pricey Balıkçı Sabahattin. But now there's this casual restaurant in Cağaloğlu. What makes this joint distinctive are its prices, which are remarkably low for what's on offer. Wine is also well priced, and everything is squeaky clean. Wow.
reviewed
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Albura Kathisma
Albura Kathisma is a welcome addition to the otherwise mediocre array of restaurants along Akbıyık Caddesi. Its streetside tables are usually occupied by tourists sampling Turkish dishes such as hünkar beğendi (lamb or beef goulash served on a mound of rich aubergine puree) or mantı (Turkish ravioli topped with yoghurt, tomato and butter). The food is decent, with lots of vegetarian options.
reviewed
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Cercis Murat Konağı
The menu at Cercis Murat Konağı is simply spectacular, featuring dishes that are as delectable to taste as they are gorgeous to behold. Start with the meze tabağı, a sample platter of 12 meze dishes, or opt for individual plates including allucıye (a mixture of greengage, lamb, squash, chives and parsley; TL6), ıncasiye (lamb, chickpeas, plums and pomegranate molasses; TL6) or an extraordinary kibbe stuffed with pomegranate, pistachio and lamb (TL5). Mains include the decadent kaburga dolması (lamb rib stuffed with dolma and slow cooked; TL50 for two people) and desserts range from homemade dondurma (ice cream; TL5) to a platter of unusual crystallised walnut, pump…
reviewed
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Zinhan Kebap House at Storks
Zinhan’s regal position next to the Galata Bridge means that every İstanbullu knows it. Unfortunately (for them, that is) most haven’t eaten here. If you buck this trend, you’ll enjoy an excellent meal on one of the most impressive roof terraces in the city – the views from here are simply sensational. Best is the fact that there are lots of tables in prime positions, meaning that you won’t have to book weeks ahead. You’ll sit on comfortable chairs at huge, well-spaced tables to enjoy tasty mezes such as hummus pastırmalı (hummus with pastırma ) and sophisticated kebap dishes such as ali nazik (spicy kebap on a bed of broiled eggplant salad with garlic yog…
reviewed
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Sofyali 9
Tables here are hot property on a Friday or Saturday night, and no wonder. This gem of a place serves up some of the best meyhane food in all of İstanbul, and does so in surroundings that are as welcoming as they are attractive. It’s a bit like eating in a close friend’s home, except here you’re offered a large array of meze and a wealth of grills and fresh fried fish along with the bonhomie. The köpeoğlu (eggplant and tomato with yoghurt and garlic) and semizotu (green purslane with yoghurt and garlic) are among the best we’ve ever eaten and the kaşaril börek (cheese pastries) and kalamar (fried calamari with garlic sauce) are damn fine, too. Regulars swear …
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Develi
Develi opened its first restaurant in Kuruluş in 1912, but its most popular outlet is located at Samatya, in the shadow of Theodosius’ Great Wall. The succulent kebaps here come in many guises and often reflect the season – the keme kebabi (truffle kebab) is only served for a few weeks each year, for instance. Prices here are extremely reasonable for the quality of food that is on offer and the service is exemplary – request a table on the roof terrace, which has great sea views. To get here from Sultanahmet, catch a taxi along Kennedy Caddesi (approximately TL10) or take the train from Cankurtaran Station (get off at Kocamustafapaşa Station). You’ll find Develi inla…
reviewed
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Hamdi Et Lokantası
A favourite İstanbullu haunt since 1970, Hamdi has phenomenal views overlooking the Golden Horn and Galata that are matched by great food, professional service and a bustling atmosphere. Try the haydari (yoghurt with roasted eggplant and garlic), the içli köfte (meatballs rolled in bulgur ) and the patıcanlı kebab (lamb kebab with eggplant) and you’ll see what we mean. Any place this good is always going to be busy, so make sure you book, and don’t forget to request a rooftop table with a view (outside if the weather is hot). If you get there early (around 6pm), you might be able to score one of these without booking. Enter through the ground-floor baklava shop.
reviewed
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Burç Ocakbaşı
We promised a shopkeeper friend that listing this unassuming ocakbaşı in the Grand Bazaar wouldn’t lead to it being overrun by tourists. Now we’re worried that we may have been overly optimistic. He was concerned that the usta (master cook) at his favourite lunch spot – a previously well-guarded secret – would end up being too busy to pay proper attention to the juicy cuts of Gaziantep-style meats and delicious dolmas that he serves to the locals (the southeastern region of Gazientep is considered one of Turkey’s culinary hotspots). We sincerely hope this won’t be the case. You can pull up a stool or ask for your kebap to be a durum (wrapped in bread) to go.
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Çiya Sofrası
We’re going to go out on a limb here, and say that this is the best lokanta in the city. We love the simple modern interior and ever-friendly staff, and we adore the food – everything from the delicious self-service meze spread to the icli köfte (spicy meatballs rolled in bulgar and deep fried) to the plentiful vegetarian choices. Two dishes wowed us on a recent visit: a stew of fresh apricots, chestnuts and lamb; and katmer fıstık şeker hamun kaymak (sweet pistachio flaky pastry with clotted cream). Next-door Çiya Kebapçı is owned and run by the same people, and is just as impressive. If these places served alcohol, we’d move in permanently.
reviewed
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Mikla
Among the big guns of İstanbul’s top-end dining scene, one place reigns supreme in our minds, and that’s Mikla. On the top floor of the Marmara Pera hotel, this sleek operation serves up excellent Mod Med cuisine to a truly international clientele. The chefs here embrace top-notch ingredients and simple execution and the results speak for themselves: try the absolutely delicious Trakya Kıvırcık lamb cutlets and follow with the pistachio and helva ice cream and you too will become fans. Service and the wine list are impressive, and the view is quite simply to die for. Ask for a table with a view of the Old City and consider arriving early to have a drink in the bar…
reviewed
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Subaşı Lokantası
This place first opened its doors in 1959 and it’s been feeding a constant stream of the Grand Bazaar’s shopkeepers and customers ever since. Choose from the spread of good-quality hot food in the kitchen on the right as you enter and then grab a seat at a table on one of the two floors. Don’t let the waiters cajole you into ordering an expensive mixed plate (they have a tendency to do this to unsuspecting tourists, who then end up with hefty bills); instead check out the price list at the door and order by the portion (opt for one plus rice). You’ll find it north of the Nuruosmaniye gate.
reviewed
