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Eating Out in Istanbul
Edit ThisIstanbul with its many millions of people has so much to choose from local traditional meyhanes with its meze to top end dining with or without a view.
Best restaurant to experience traditional cuisine
Asitane Restaurant, Edirnekapı
This hidden spot located next to the old Byzantine Church, St. Savior in Chora, is definitely the right place to experience the traditional Ottoman palace cuisine. The menu is made of the long lost recipes from the sultan's time and it will definitely feed your imperial appetite!
www.asitanerestaurant.com
Best atmosphere at budget prices
Nevizade Sokak, Taksim
Ask someone to direct you to the fish market; its the street opposite the Galatasaray Lise about half way down Istiklal.
Pick from one of 20 meyhanes for meze and drinks. You'll be sitting with all the locals. If you want a bit more noise and indoors, head to Cicek Passaj; its the indoor 'food court' in the same area.
Tourists usually hangout around Sultanahmet, but the food is of mixed quality and you can do better.
Best atmosphere on a Sunday:
Ortakoy near the water
If its sunny and warm get an outside table at House Cafe then head to the local markets.
Best high end with a view in the evening:
So many high end options exist, Vogue for Sushi (above Besiktas), Mikla for Meat (on top of the Marmara Pera, Beyoglu), Ulus29 for international with a twist.
Best Veg
If you want Vegetarian, you can be hard pressed to find things other than pasta, pizza or meze. But head for the 5th Floor or Besinci Kat (http://www.5kat.com/main.htm). They do fantastic cocktails, great menu and a view.
Best high end Veg has to go to Changa, with the menu created by Peter Gordon (michellin star, London based Kiwi Chef) near the top of Istiklal. There are no mains on the menu, but pick from the veg starters and you can create your supper. Try the kiwi cocktail - wanganui ...
Some other suggestions for eating out in Istanbul include:
http://www.sultanahmetfishhouse.com
Contributors
September 18, 2006
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by reen (1 point)
September 11, 2009
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by selicinn
December 28, 2006
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by giorgio
January 11, 2007
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by dvsboy
October 07, 2008
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by hacisimsek
Display all
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African Cheap Chinese |
European Indian and Pakistani International Cuisine |
Local Local Specialities Seafood |
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Dai Pera
Edit ThisDai Pera, situated in the heart of (Beyoglu), (Galatasaray), provides the best experience to pass through an Istanbul home. To understand Istanbul culture better, this little restaurant with English speaking owner, will be a great guide.
| type: | Local |
| World66 rating: | |
| tel: | 0090 212 252 8099 |
| url: | daipera.blogspot.com |
| address: | yeni carsi cad. no 54 beyoglu / istanbul |
| PriceOfMenu: | TL TL |
| email: | agurdamar@dairestaurant.com |
Musafir Indian Restaurant Istanbul
Edit ThisMusafir indian Restaurant Taksim istanbul Turkey. The one and only Indian Restaurant in the heart of Istanbul, Taksim
It is situated on "Receppasha St." (Receppasha Cad.) under Crystal Hotel. On the street opposite Pizzahut in Taksim square. It has a spacious dining hall with a seating capacity of at 100+.
Inside the arrangement is by no means simple. Decoration is simple, yet artsy, serenaded with Indian music. There's fruity mango lassi on the menu to calm you down while you gaze out the big picture window and take in the quiet street, more..
| type: | Indian and Pakistani |
| World66 rating: | |
| accessibility: | On the street opposite Havash (DHL) near Taksim Square |
| tel: | +902122352741 |
| url: | www.musafirindian.com |
| address: | Receppasa Cad. No. 7/C Talimhane - Taksim |
| PriceOfMenu: | Main Courses 10 - 20 YTL |
| email: | musafir@istanbul.com |
| priceofmenu: | for map search musafir indian restaurant on Google Maps |
Sultanahmet Fish House
Edit ThisSmall but cozy and lovely; this restaurant is in Sultanahmet, 300 meters to Underground Basilica Cistern.
Whether you eat downstairs or upstairs, you will be comfortable and enjoy tasty food: soup of the day, fish or meat dishes (kebabs), veggies, salads, mezes, deserts with beverages, local wines or Turkish Raki. It is the right place to have a quick and delicious meal at reasonable prices.
| type: | Seafood |
| World66 rating: | |
| tel: | +902125274445 |
| url: | www.sultanahmetfishhouse.com |
| address: | prof.k. ismail gurkan caddesi no:14 |
| PriceOfMenu: | 20 Euro |
| email: | info@sultanahmetfishhouse.com |
dubb Indian Restaurant
Edit ThisDubb Indian Restaurant was opened in 1998 in Istanbul Sultanahmet . As an alacarte restaurant, it keeps on catering services and various organizations successfully. These organizations contain gala dinners, dinners on cruise with different concept and special parties and nights. We increased our catering capacity up to 1000 people with our second restaurant’s kitchen as a central kitchen, which is located in Cankurtaran. Besides we provide cook and basic facilities for the upstate organization. Our customer capacity for the first restaurant is 120 people, more..
| type: | Indian and Pakistani |
| World66 rating: | |
| accessibility: | free |
| tel: | +90 212 513 73 08 |
| url: | www.dubbindian.com |
| address: | incili cavus sok.no.10 sultanahmet istanbul Turkey |
| PriceOfMenu: | 25-40 TL |
| email: | info@dubbindian.com |
Swaad The Taste Of India
Edit Thisphoto by: nilgün1966
SWAAD -The Taste Of India” is here to offer authentic Indian cuisine with a variety of palatable
dishes. The menu provides enormous options to the guests to savor the meal of their own choice.
SWAAD -The Taste Of India” is open to serve lunch and dinner along with snacks. It is
constructed and designed for multi-purpose uses like – conferences, business meetings, group
meals, birthday parties, catching up with old friends or simply to have a perfect meal.
| type: | Indian and Pakistani |
| World66 rating: | |
| accessibility: | Next to Çemberlitaş tram stop |
| tel: | 00902125187111 |
| url: | www.swaad.com.tr |
| address: | Binbirdirek Mah. Peykhane Cad. No:9 Çemberlitaş Fatih/İstanbul |
| PriceOfMenu: | Average |
| email: | deependra@swaad.com.tr |
Sultana's Dinner and 1001 Nights Show
Edit ThisTurks like to be entertained when they eat. At home, it'll be the family and friends, outside it'll be the shows - if there are any. Sultana's is an Istanbul belly dancing and dinner venue
with other shows such as Turkish folk dancing and singing, and is attended by locals and foreign visitors to Istanbul.
Meze, kebabs and fish are served, as well as vegetarian dishes. On stage, Turkish music is sung live as well.
Sultana's is located near major Istanbul hotels, in Taksim.
| type: | European |
| World66 rating: | |
| accessibility: | Staircase |
| tel: | +90 212 219 39 04 |
| url: | www.sultanas-nights.com |
| address: | 40 Cumhuriyet Caddesi, 34437, Elmadag, Taksim, Istanbul |
| PriceOfMenu: | 45 euro/54 euro |
| email: | info@sultanas-nights.com |
Inci Pastahane
Edit Thisjust delicious
photo by: Damien Saunders
Inci Pastahane looking at the decor has been around for 60+ years ... and if you can read the old newspaper clippings .. then you can figure out how old it really is.
People come here for one reason - a plate of their profiteroles - with its crème / custard filling, smothered in delicious chocolate sauce.
The way you do this is ... walk in, pay your 5YTL and get yourself a plate. Grab a seat if you can and eat up. Its so popular on weekends people will stand and eat this.
Inci is about half down the Istiklal Cadd from Taksim Square and opposite the Mavi more..
| type: | Local |
| World66 rating: | |
| accessibility: | Yes |
| address: | Istiklal Cadd |
| PriceOfMenu: | Cheap |
Ciragan Palace
Edit ThisThe Ciragan Palace is great. It is not only a former Sultan's palace it is also one of the best restaurants in Istanbul. They offer traditional Ottoman food that you hardly will find somewhere else like that. Historical receipts and surrounding: What do you want more!? Attention: it is really not one of the cheapest on that list!
| type: | African |
| World66 rating: | |
| address: | Tugra in Ciragan Palace |
| tel: | 0090-212-258 33 77 |
Duran Sandwich
Edit Thisphoto by: nilgün1966
There’s no waiting here at all, the sandwiches at Duran are all pre-prepared and displayed in the window so you can choose what you want before you even walk in the door. Everything is always fresh and the turnover of food out of this place at lunchtime is incredible! There are two tiny tables to sit down and eat if you want to, but it does get cramped in there when it’s busy. Service is fast and friendly, though often the staff are so busy serving that they barely have time to look at the customers. It’s fast, good food with lots to choose from and it won’t cost you an more..
| type: | Cheap |
| World66 rating: | |
| address: | ISTIKLAL CADDESI, TAKSIM |
Gelik Et Lokantasi
Edit ThisGelik Et Lokantası
The Gelik Et Restaurant in Bakirköy is deservedly one of the most famous restaurants in all of Istanbul. There is no way to confuse this place with its sister fish restaurant nearby because as soon as you enter this huge, tastefully decorated and well-lit establishment the aroma of cooked meat simply transports you to a sensory heaven where vegetarians have never been.
Although usually crowded on weekends the place has a capacity of over eight hundred on two levels and has a delightful outdoor dining area and playground for several hundred more during the warmer months. Not more..
| type: | African |
| World66 rating: | |
| address: | Sahil Yolu - Mobil Karsisi, Ataköy 560-7282 |
China Club
Edit ThisThis excellent little Chinese restaurant on the main drag of Cihangir has been one of the most popular ideas in Istanbul since Atatürk formed the republic. The restaurant in Cihangir is great to sit and relax with tasty spring rolls in soy sauce, divine sweet and sour chicken or mild curry beef. You must check out the chicken and mushrooms sometime too! And any of the 'hot' dishes are also really good! Smiling faces are there to serve you night and day and they do a great job, Oya, the owner is wonderfully friendly and just genuinely nice. You can more..
| type: | Chinese |
| World66 rating: | |
| address: | Cihangir Akyol Caddesi No:33/A |
| tel: | 0212 293 06 02 |
Lale Iskembeci
Edit ThisAttention! "iskembe" means cooked lamb-innards. This is really hard-stuff!
| type: | Cheap |
| World66 rating: | |
| address: | Istiklal Cad. 238, Beyoglu |
Baked Potatoes
Edit ThisThese are called Kumpir and are ubiquitous throughout Istanbul, especially on Istiklal Caddesi. You choose the fillings that go into a large potato that's had its insides stuffed with butter and cheese. It costs around $2.50-3 for a huge potato filled to overflowing with all kinds of salad, olives and chillie sauce with lashings of butter and salt. You can choose whatever you want or you can let the guys choose for you.
| type: | Cheap |
| World66 rating: | |
| address: | Istiklal |
Parsifal
Edit ThisA Touch of French in a semi-European City
Having had been a vegetarian for 18 years, I found it quite fitting to do a review of this almost total vegetarian restaurant now that I'm a carnivore in Istanbul. The atmosphere at Parsifal, which is French for Puss 'n' Boots, is elegant, yet sparse. It has a warm provincial feel with ochre walls, bleached hardwood floors and simple, bistro style table and chairs to seat 34. The posters and lighting are reminiscent of a Paris of years ago that was conjured up on a Hollywood film set; cozy but not glitzy. Tucked away on a tiny more..
| type: | International Cuisine |
| World66 rating: | |
| address: | Kurabiye Sokak No: 13, Beyoglu |
| tel: | +90-212-245 2588 |
Amedros Cafe & Restaurant
Edit ThisThough it's a European-style bistro, Amedros also does good Ottoman dishes. The house special is testi kebabı, lamb roasted with vegetables in a sealed clay pot that is cracked open at the table. In summer,candlelit tables are lined up in the cobbled alley;in winter, diners are warmed by a crackling fire.
| type: | Local |
| World66 rating: | |
| accessibility: | Easy/old city center/on the side street off the divan yolu/main street |
| tel: | +90 212 522 83 56 |
| url: | www.amedroscafe.com |
| address: | Divan yolu cad/hoca rustem sok no/7 sultanahmet/istanbul/turkey/34400 |
| email: | info@amedroscafe.com |
Kumkapi
Edit ThisKumkapi is a quarter full of fish restaurants on the backside of the Sultan Ahmet hill. Every taxi driver will know it; by car it's 5 min. from Sultan Ahmet. Remark: You should only go there if you really want to eat fish. There are about 30-40 restaurants and they all offer - more or less only - fish! In summertime it's a very nice atmosphere with all the tables on the street. The second place is Tarabya which is a bit outside the city. It is a small bay on the European side up the Bosphorus for about 30-40 min. by car. I would recommend to go there by more..
| type: | Seafood |
| World66 rating: |
Sanamet Mutfak
Edit ThisWhat a find! This is truly a unique restaurant. An open kitchen where you can watch your meal prepared in Fatma and ªule's actual home-style kitchen, tucked down a hallway off Istiklal Street in Tünel. They have an alternative kitchen. This has many meanings: they use mostly organic products, there's an open dialogue between the restauranteurs, where they will take suggestions, and they have a big heart when it comes to students. They know scholars must eat, so they offer discounts to be sure Istanbul's youngsters are fed properly. They are true humanitarians. The atmosphere is more..
| type: | Local Specialities |
| World66 rating: | |
| address: | Sofyalı Sokak - Tünel |
| openinghours: | 09:30-22:30 |
| tel: | +90-212 251 0573 |
Bereket
Edit ThisOne of the main reasons I like this place is because they have a little room set aside for non-smokers. The food is very good too, and service is fast and friendly. If you have time, I can thoroughly recommend the Iskender Kebap; if not, a half bread doner with home-made tomato sauce and pickles will fill the gap. It’s not expensive at all, and it’s one of the most popular ‘cheapie’ places in Beyoglu to eat out at night as well.
| type: | Cheap |
| World66 rating: | |
| address: | Hava Soyak |
Theodora Pub
Edit ThisIf you walk in from the street, Theodora Pub simply looks like an English-style pub with its sleek private booths and tidy bar stools and shelves filled with polished bottles of imported beers and spirits. But there's much more to Theodora than meets the eye. The bar is nicely laid out in green leather and dark wood with lots of space to relax in and have a beer with friends. There's none of that cramped tables and chairs rubbing-backs-with-strangers game going on in here!
A tiny café in the front corner serves snacks, cakes and pastries with tea and coffee during the more..
| type: | African |
| World66 rating: | [rate it] |
| address: | St. Sophia Hotel , Alemdar Caddesi No: 2, Sultanahmet |
| tel: | 0212 520 1035 or 520 1521 |
Asitane Restaurant
Edit ThisAsitane Restaurant is located in Edirnekapi, considered by many to be
one of the most important areas of historical Istanbul. The restaurant
lies in the shadow of the mighty Chora Church which is famous for its
mosaics and is one of the most important and well kept buildings of the
Byzantine era. Located high up in the foot hills overlooking the Golden
Horn, Asitane opened its doors in 1991, together with the Kariye Hotel,
now a restored 19th century traditional Ottoman mansion.
The restaurant, whose more..
| type: | Local |
| World66 rating: | [rate it] |
| tel: | +90 (212) 534 8414 |
| url: | www.asitanerestaurant.com |
| address: | Kariye Camii Sok. No: 18 |
| email: | info@asitanerestaurant.com |
