Beyoğlu
This much-loved baklavacı (baklava shop) opened in 1949 and was the first İstanbul branch of a business established in Gaziantep in the 1820s. There are…
Must-see restaurants in Istanbul
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Sultanahmet
Balıkçı Sabahattin is an enduring favourite with discerning Turks from near and far, who enjoy the limited but delicious menu of mezes and seafood. This…
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Istanbul
It's worth making the trek to this pideci overlooking the Fatih İtfaiye Park near the Aqueduct of Valens. Its reputation for making the best Karadeniz …
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Beyoğlu
Chef Maksut Aşkar has been wowing diners with his exciting rifts on traditional Turkish food since 2014, gaining an entry on the San Pellegrino World's…
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Beyoğlu
A notable recent addition to the local restaurant scene, this rooftop restaurant at the Novotel is sustaining its initial hype. The menu is dominated by…
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Istanbul
In 'Little Syria', this barn-like eatery offers a marvellously varied range of mezes, salads and kebaps. Specialities include tuzda kuzu kol and tuzda…
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Kadıköy
Known throughout the culinary world, Musa Dağdeviren's lokanta (eatery serving ready-made food) showcases dishes from regional Turkey and is an essential…
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Kadıköy
Ticking all of the hipster boxes (third-wave coffee, vegan food, tattooed baristas, indoor plants), this hugely popular cafe spreads over spaces on both…
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Beyoğlu
Notable lokantas (traditional eateries serving ready-made dishes) are rare in modern-day Beyoğlu, so the existence of this bustling place next to the…
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Beyoğlu
Located in an enclave off Galipdede Caddesi in Galata, this friendly, slightly ramshackle cafe is much loved for its exceptionally delicious and huge köy…
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Istanbul
Transplanted from Aleppo to İstanbul in 2014, this 150-year-old institution is known for speciality sweet cheese desserts such as kadayıf and peynirli…
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Beyoğlu
Every morning the chefs at this popular ocakbaşı (grill house) prepare fresh, top-quality meat – spicy chicken wings and Adana kebaps, flavoursome ribs,…
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Sultanahmet
Those keen on robust flavours and the liberal application of chilli in their food will be instantly enamoured of the dishes served at this bustling eatery…
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Beyoğlu
Banu Tiryakioğlu's laid-back foodie oasis in the heart of Çukurcuma has one of the most devoted customer bases in the city. Tables are on the leafy…
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Istanbul
Primi Ballat has a casual cafe ambience but a serious focus on food. Breakfast is Turkish (and very good), but other meals are emphatically Italian…
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Beyoğlu
Dishes from the southeastern city of Antakya (Hatay) are the speciality here. Cold and hot mezes are equally delicious (try the grilled cheese), pides and…
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Beyoğlu
Known for its gorgeous tiled interior, genial owner and bustling vibe, Karaköy Lokantası serves tasty and well-priced food to its loyal local clientele…
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Istanbul
Some of the best coffee on the Golden Horn can be enjoyed at this photogenic place in the thick of Balat's fashionable cafe scene, as can well-executed…
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Kadıköy
The thin and crispy lahmacun (Arabic-style pizzas topped with minced meat, herbs and spices and served with a squeeze of lemon) that come out of the oven…
Beyoğlu
A chilled-out spot befitting of its name, Mellow serves up some surprisingly innovative and very tasty food with Mediterranean influences, including a…
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Istanbul
This elegant restaurant next to the Kariye Museum (Chora Church) serves Ottoman dishes devised for the palace kitchens at Topkapı, Edirne and Dolmabahçe…
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Istanbul
Located next to the Historia shopping mall, this huge Syrian restaurant has a devoted following and is known for its mezes, metre-long kebaps and tuzda…
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Beyoğlu
Photographs of a luminously beautiful Sofia Loren adorn the walls of Beyoğlu's best Italian-style pizzeria. Bases are Naples-style thick and toppings…
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Nişantaşi, Bomonti & Harbiye
If you decide to spend a day or half-day shopping in Nişantaşı, consider taking a break and eating at Hünkar, one of the city's best lokantas (eateries…
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Beyoğlu
This cosy Caucasus kitchen serves up delicious, hearty Georgian favourites: fist-sized khinkali dumplings, divinely gooey khachapuri (cheese-filled bread)…
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Istanbul
In a bright and informal space dominated by a long kitchen table, Forno serves delicious pide, pizza and lahmacun (Arabic-style pizza). The weekend…
Beyoğlu
A Beyoğlu institution, the old Rejans restaurant has been reborn as 1924 İstanbul, with much of its nostalgic atmosphere intact. The well-executed menu…
Kadıköy
Grabbing a dürüm (grilled meat in a flatbread wrap) on the go in İstanbul is a quick way to refuel, but Basta offers a very different eating experience…
Beyoğlu
Named ‘Sow, Harvest, Eat, Drink’, this mostly vegetarian cafe serves up healthy soups, salads, wraps, smoothies and herbal teas made with locally grown,…
Beyoğlu
Yeni Lokanta means ‘new restaurant’ in Turkish and chef Civan Er certainly puts his own twist on Turkish cuisine, employing unorthodox ingredients and…
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Istanbul
One of the city's best-loved restaurants, this place near the Spice Bazaar is owned by Hamdi Arpacı, who started out as a street-food vendor in the 1960s…
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Istanbul
Those who enjoy investigating regional cuisines should head to this four-storey eatery in the Women's Bazaar near the Aqueduct of Valens. It specialises…
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Istanbul
Indulge in some peerless people-watching while enjoying the kebaps and büryan (lamb slow-cooked in a pit oven) at this popular place in the Women's Bazaar…
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Tarihi Sultanahmet Köftecisi Selim Usta
Sultanahmet
Not to be confused with the nearby Meşhur Sultanahmet Köftecisi, this no-frills place near the Sultanahmet tram stop is the most famous eatery in the Old…
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Beyoğlu
Tables at this meyhane (tavern) are hot property on a Friday or Saturday night, when locals flock here to enjoy the tasty food and convivial atmosphere…
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Beyoğlu
Cavit Saatcı's place is an old-style meyhane (tavern) that, like other old-timers on this street, has stood the test of time and retained a loyal local…
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Sultanahmet
This hybrid cooking school–restaurant serves a set four-course menu of Turkish home cooking, regional Anatolian specialities and Ottoman classics…
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Beyoğlu
A staple for Beyoğlu night-owls, this tiny grill shop on a grungy corner near the Beyoğlu Fish Market turns out mouth-wateringly tender kebabs – try the …
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Başka Şubemiz Yoktur Karadeniz Aile Pide ve Kebap Salonu
Sultanahmet
Serving tasty pides and kebaps since 1985, the original Karadeniz (Black Sea)–style pide joint in this enclave is a hit with local shopkeepers. You can…
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Beyoğlu
Known throughout the city for the quality of its kaymak (clotted cream), which it has been serving for half a century, this no-frills place is a highly…
