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