Istanbul Restaurants

  1. 360

    It's the most hyped restaurant-bar in the city, and quite frankly we don't think it deserves its reputation. Though its stylish fitout and knockout views make it a fabulous spot for a drink, the food here is trying too hard - and falling flat as a result. If you order simply you'll enjoy your meal, but beware the fussy mains, which often have flavours that clash.

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  2. Albura Café & Restaurant

    This newcomer is a welcome addition to the otherwise mediocre array of restaurants along Akbıyık Caddesi. Its pretty 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 opting for international favourites such as tortellini with mushrooms and basil.

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  3. Alibaba Restaurant

    Alibaba is the most popular of the seafood joints on the water near the ferry terminal. The overpriced food is adequate, but nothing more.

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  4. Asırlık Kanlıca Yoğurdu

    Past the bridge, still on the Asian side, is the charming village of Kanlıca, famous for its rich and delicious yoghurt. You'll be offered some on the ferry and can sample it in the Asırlık Kanlıca Yoğurdu, a café on the shady waterfront village square. The small Gâzi İskender Paşa Camii in the square dates from 1560 and was designed by Sinan.

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  5. Asitane

    It's not often that you'll get the opportunity to sample Ottoman dishes devised especially for a 16th century royal circumcision feast, but this is what's on offer at this popular restaurant. The food is magnificent - try the vişne yalanci dolmasi (vine leaves stuffed with morello cherries) and yufkada kuzu incik marmarina'li (baked lamb with pureed spinach and cheese on a plate of flaky pastry).

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  6. Ayasofya Kebap House

    This neighbourhood kebapçı serves lots of tourists, but it also provides plenty of locals with belly fuel. You can grab a table on the street or order to take-away - either way you'll get a perfectly adequate kebap dinner for under YTL10 or a quick lunch of mercımek çorbası (lentil soup) or sulu köfte (meat balls filled with rice and cooked in a tomato-based sauce) for considerably less. You can also order a beer or glass of wine here.

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  7. Bab-İ Hayat

    It took seven months for a team headed by one of the conservation architects from Topkapı Palace to restore and decorate this vaulted space over the eastern entrance to the Spice Bazaar. Beautiful hand-painted ceilings and tiled window frames provide an atmospheric setting in which to sample decent kebaps and adequate pides and hazır yemek dishes.

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  8. Balıkçı Sabahattin

    The solid stream of chauffeur-driven limousines stopping outside Balıkçı Sabahattın is testament to its enduring popularity with the city's establishment. One of the few top-notch restaurants in Sultanahmet, it's set in a restored wooden Ottoman house tucked away in a ramshackle street just near the train line. The menu comprises a limited range of mezes and top-quality fresh fish, and there's also a delicious buğlama (fish soup).

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  9. Banyan

    The menu here travels around Asia, featuring Thai, Japanese, Vietnamese and Chinese dishes. There is even the occasional fusion number: why not try the grilled vegetables and warm goat's cheese with pea paratha and green mandarin and ginger-infused olive oil and see if it works for you?

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  10. Baylan Pastahane

    Baylan has been serving its home-made pastries, dondorma (Turkish icecream) and cakes to appreciative İstanbullus since 1923. This branch dates from 1925, but had its last facelift in 1961, making it a truly funky decorative time capsule. To the rear of the shop there's a courtyard complete with astroturf and a profusion of hanging baskets - a great spot to scoff a fabulous caffe glace , a top-notch espresso or a plate of profiteroles.

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  11. 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.

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  12. Buhara Restaurant & Ocakbaşi

    It ain't glam (quite the contrary), but Buhara has built a loyal local following over many years for its well-cooked kebaps. It's busy at lunch but usually quiet at night, so you shouldn't have trouble bagging a table. You can order an Efes to accompany your meal.

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  13. Büyükada Kültür Evi

    Set up by the Turing Association in 1998, this garden café serves breakfast, lunch and dinner in its terraced garden. Service can be desultory and the food's not up to much, but it's an undeniably pretty setting and a great spot for a morning glass of tea or a late-afternoon beer.

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  14. Caferağa Medresesi

    In Sultanahmet, it's rare to nosh in stylish surrounds without paying through the nose for the privilege. That's why this teensy lokanta in the gorgeous courtyard of this Sinan-designed medrese near Topkapı Palace is such a find. The food isn't anything to write home about, but it's fresh and cheap as chips, so who's complaining?

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  15. Çamlica Restaurant Off

    Should you take the time to visit Üsküdar, this charming kiosk on the hill is a great spot to savour a coffee or a snack. Marble floors are covered by rugs, and seating is on small stools clustered around brass tray tables. In winter there's a log fire, and in summer the windows looking out over the park provide an attractively airy feel.

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  16. Canim Ciğerim İlhan Usta

    The name means 'my soul, my liver', and this small place behind the Ali Hoca Türbesi specialises in grilled liver served with herbs, ezme (spicy tomato sauce) and grilled vegetables. If you can't bring yourself to eat offal,you can substitute the liver with beef if you so choose. Locals rate this place highly and no wonder, as this is fabulous cheap food served in a really friendly atmosphere. No alcohol, but ayran is the perfect accompaniment.

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  17. Cankurtaran Sosyal Tesisleri

    Literally built into Theodosius' walls, with views over busy Sahil Yolu to the Sea of Marmara, this terrace restaurant and çay bahçesi near the Cankurtaran train station is very popular with families. It's set in a landscaped garden and has a small playground. Simple dishes such as soup, salads and kebaps feature.

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  18. Cezayir

    After reading that Cezayir showcased 'experimental Turkish cuisine' we visited with a great deal of trepidation; fortunately, our delicious meal would more rightly be categorised as Modern Mediterranean with Turkish accents.

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  19. Changa

    İstanbul's most controversial eatery has fans and detractors. At issue is Peter Gordon's handling of fusion dishes: do they work? Try the salmon and wasabi tortellini with grilled porcini and creamed lemon-grass sauce and see what you think. One dish that no-one would question is the soft meringue of strawberries, lychees and fresh cheese with a strawberry and raspberry sauce - delicious.

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  20. Çiğdem Pastanesi

    Customers have been ordering tea and baklava here since 1961. Çiğdem serves a cappuccino that could hold its head high on the Via Veneto in Rome, well-priced portakal suyu (fresh orange juice) and a wide range of cakes, pastries and puddings. No wonder it's always crammed with students from nearby İstanbul University.

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  21. 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.

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  22. Çiya Sofrasi

    We're going to go out on a limb here, and say that this is our favourite lokanta in the city. We love the simple modern interior and ever-friendly staff, and we adore the food - everything from the yogurt soup to the stuffed artichokes to the perde pilavı (traditional chicken dish). The self-service meze array is a fabulous idea (and so cheap!) and the milk puddings and crystallised fruit are perfect finales to a meal. No alcohol.

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  23. Develi

    Near the Wall at Samatya, on the Sea of Marmara, the five floors (including a roof terrace) of Develi are always full of happy punters enjoying the flavours of southeastern Anatolia. It's been serving up kebabs to hungry locals since 1912, so Develi really knows what it's doing when it comes to the national dish. Try the çiğ köfte (raw ground lamb, bulgur , onions and spices) and the fıstıklı (pistachio) kebab and you'll feel happy too.

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  24. Dubb

    One of İstanbul's few Indian restaurants and the only one worthy of a recommendation, Dubb is a little piece of the Subcontinent slap-bang in the middle of Sultanahmet. Specialising in tandoori dishes (the breads and kebabs are great), it also serves the full complement of fragrant curries, including a wide range of vegetarian choices. Its thalis , which offer small serves of a number of dishes including dessert, are particularly popular.

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  25. Flamm

    Once a stylish Mod Med bistro, Flamm has morphed into a well-priced Turkish eatery that has retained its sense of style but lowered its prices. In the centre of the hopping Asmalımescit precinct, its outdoor tables are good spots to soak up the scene and sample simple dishes such as mantı and ızgara köfte (grilled meatballs).

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