Must-see nightlife in Istanbul

  • Mimar Sinan Teras Cafe

    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…

  • Kronotrop

    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…

  • Fazıl Bey

    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)…

  • Manda Batmaz

    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…

  • Solera

    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…

  • Geyik

    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…

  • Coffee Sapiens

    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…

  • Parantez

    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…

  • Mikla

    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…

  • Derviş Cafe & Restaurant

    Sultanahmet

    Superbly located directly opposite the Blue Mosque, the Derviş beckons patrons with its comfortable cane chairs and shady trees. Efficient service,…

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    Populist

    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…

  • Suvla Kanyon entrance

    Suvla Kanyon Teras

    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…

  • Moda Çay Bahçesi

    Moda Çay Bahçesi

    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…

  • 360

    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…

  • Vefa Bozacısı

    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…

  • Pierre Loti Café

    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…

  • Federal Coffee Company

    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'…

  • Luz Café

    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…

  • Hazzo Pulo Çay Bahçesis

    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…

  • Chado

    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…

  • Markus Tavern

    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…

  • Viktor Levi Şarap Evi

    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…

  • Fil

    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…

  • A’YA Rooftop Lounge

    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…

  • Cihangir 21

    Beyoğlu

    The great thing about this neighbourhood place is its inclusiveness – the regulars include black-clad boho types, besuited professionals, expat loafers…

  • Leb-i Derya

    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…

  • Coffee Manifesto

    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…

  • 5 Kat

    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…

  • Cafe Meşale

    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…

  • İkiyaka İstanbul Cafe

    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…

  • Cihannüma

    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…

  • Socrates Bistro

    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…

  • Walter's Coffee Roastery

    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…

  • NOH Radio Pub

    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…

  • Bina

    Kadıköy

    One of the most popular bars on the Kadife Sokak drinking strip, Bina attracts regulars from across the city, who love its rear garden, upstairs arts and…

  • By Harve

    Istanbul

    Garnering our vote for the best limonata in town, this pretty cafe with its jaunty red-and-white checked tablecloths tablecloths is an excellent place to…

  • MiniMüzikHol

    Beyoğlu

    Once the mother ship for inner-city hipsters, this small temple to house and techno near Taksim isn't the hot spot it once was, but retains a crew of…

  • Kybele Cafe

    Sultanahmet

    This hotel lounge bar–cafe close to the Basilica Cistern is chock-full of antique furniture, richly coloured rugs and old etchings and prints, but its…

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