Restaurants in Istanbul
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A
Feraye
Another popular meyhane, Feraye hosts fasıl musicians and the occasional solo singer. Everything is authentically Türk tarzı (Turkish style).
reviewed
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Culinary Backstreets
reviewed
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B
Borsa
reviewed
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C
The House Café
The House Cafe is the most glamorous of the city's concept cafes, with interiors by the uberfashionable Autoban architectural group, menus by Australian/UK-trained chef Coşkun Uysal and prominent locations, including Sofyalı Sokak in Asmalımescit.
reviewed
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D
Sumahan on the Water
The grassed waterside terrace at this boutique hotel is an idyllic place to while away the afternoon hours. Ferries, fishing boats and private launches will pass as you sit in the sun enjoying well-prepared Turkish dishes and a glass of wine or a good Italian-style coffee. You'll find it north of the iskele (ferry dock); the entrance is via the hotel foyer.
reviewed
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Sofrada Restoran
Near the fayton park and clock tower, this place serves up simple dishes including mücver (zucchini fritters), köfte and karniyarik (aubergine stuffed with minced meat). You won't find a cheaper meal than this on the island.
reviewed
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Kiyi Restaurant
This ramshackle place is a favourite of big-city food critics. Start with the mezes (there are plenty of options) and then opt for some simply grilled or fried locally caught fish. To get here, walk left from the ferry terminal alongside the water, passing the row of restaurants and then turning around the bend.
reviewed
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Club Mavi
This hotel restaurant is in a pine grove on a bluff on the quiet side of the island – taking a fayton here and back is an enjoyable part of the experience. The food takes second place to the view, which is spectacular.
reviewed
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E
Sofyalı 9
Tables at this meyhane are hot property on a Friday or Saturday night, and no wonder. The food is fresh and tasty, and the atmosphere convivial. Stick to mezes rather than ordering mains – choose cold dishes from the waiter's tray and order hot ones from the menu – the kalamar (calamari) and Anavut ciğeri (Albanian fried liver) are delicious.
reviewed
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F
Sefa Restaurant
Locals rate this place near the bazaar highly. It describes its cuisine as Ottoman, but what's really on offer here are hazır yemek (ready-made) dishes and kebaps at extremely reasonable prices. You can order from an English menu or choose daily specials from the bain marie. Try to arrive early-ish for lunch because many of the dishes run out by 1.30pm. No alcohol.
reviewed
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G
Havuzlu Restaurant
After a morning spent in the Grand Bazaar, many visitors choose to park their shopping bags at this well-known lokanta. A lovely space with a vaulted ceiling, Havuzlu (named after the small fountain at its entrance) serves up simple but tasty fare to hungry hordes of tourists and shopkeepers – go early when the food is freshest.
The restaurant also has a clean toilet, something quite rare in the bazaar. No alcohol, though.
reviewed
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H
Çinar
With loads of outdoor tables and waiters running around with loaded trays, this long-standing favourite resembles a busy French brasserie. The views over the water and of the bustling square are great, and the food is quite good, too. Seafood mezes feature and you can choose your own fish for mains. The perfect place to spend a summer's evening.
reviewed
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I
Boncuk Restaurant
Armenian specialities differentiate Boncuk from its Nevizade neighbours. Try the excellent topik (meze made with chickpeas, pistachios, onion, flour, currants, cumin and salt) and the very tasty börek. To ensure that you get a table on the street, where all the action is, get there early or call ahead and book.
reviewed
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J
Tarihi Karaköy Balik Lokantası
Walk through the run-down quarter behind the Karaköy Balıkcılar Çarşısı (Karaköy Fish Market) and you’ll come upon this utter gem, one of the few old-style fish restaurants left on the Golden Horn. With seafood being such an expensive proposition in most of İstanbul’s restaurants, it’s incredibly refreshing to encounter top-class, perfectly prepared dishes that are within everyone’s budget – and that’s what’s on offer here. There’s no other word for the food here except fabulous, with the dirt-cheap fish soup possibly being the best you’ll ever eat. The original restaurant is only open for lunch, but the same owners have opened an evening venue, the Tarihi Karaköy Grifin,…
reviewed
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K
Balıkçı Sabahattin
The limos outside Balıkçı Sabahattın pay testament to its enduring popularity with the city's establishment, who join cashed-up tourists in enjoying its limited menu of meze and fish. The food here is excellent, though the service is often harried. You'll dine in a wooden Ottoman house or under a leafy canopy in the garden.
reviewed