16 Best Restaurants in Istanbul, Turkey

Balık Dürüm Mehmet Usta

$ | Karaköy

Fresh-grilled fish with raw onions encased in a lightly grilled, oily wrap is the perfect lunch-to-go, and while the seaside is dotted with many balık dürüm (fish wrap) vendors, this small storefront on a Karaköy side street is the best of the bunch.

Mumhane Cad. 37, Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey
535-788–8968
Known For
  • family-run business
  • traditional Turkish street food
  • sidewalk seating

Brew Coffeeworks

$ | The Bazaar Quarter and Environs

This large, airy café on a main street near the Spice Bazaar has a large selection of cakes and sandwiches to accompany its coffee and tea.

Cup of Joy

$ | Nisantasi

This airy café-bakery, filled with lush green plants and big greenhouse-style windows, has an extensive menu of coffees, sweets, and brunch foods.

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Doy-Doy

$ | Sultanahmet

Doy-doy serves a fairly standard array of kebabs and pide—a type of Turkish pizza baked in a wood-burning oven—with different toppings, but at lunchtime, local workers come for the cheap daily specials, such as meat-and-vegetable stew or baked beans (displayed on the steam table to the left of the entrance). The two-level rooftop terrace, open in summer, has fine views of the area, but don't expect to savor them with a drink in hand, as no alcohol is served.

Şifa Hamamı Sok. 13, Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey
212-517–1588
Known For
  • cozy atmosphere
  • traditional Turkish food
  • Blue Mosque and Sea of Marmara views

Elde Börek

$ | Besiktas

This Beşiktaş restaurant is a family affair, serving home-cooked Turkish cuisine with a twist and run by a brother-sister-mother team. Like a typical Turkish lokanta (a cafeteria-style restaurant, usually for workers), the food is prepared ahead of time, and you can choose many options to fill your plate.

Ihlamurdere Cad. 23, Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey
212-259–7531
Known For
  • home-cooked-style food
  • seasonal ingredients
  • casual atmosphere
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.

Fes Café

$ | The Bazaar Quarter and Environs

Squeezed into a former market stall in the heart of the Grand Bazaar, the small kitchen at Fes Café turns out simple sandwiches, salads, excellent fresh lemonade and fruit juices, homemade desserts, and other American-style fare. The fuller menu includes salads, pastas, and meat dishes.

Ali Baba Turbe Sok. 15a, Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey
212-528–1613
Known For
  • nice views inside the Grand Bazaar
  • good quick-bite option while shopping
  • housewares and jewelry from young Turkish designers
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No dinner

Helvetia

$ | Beyoglu

The menu at this very affordable restaurant changes daily, but it has at least a dozen home-cooked dishes, including both meat and vegetarian options. The atmosphere is laid-back, and the easiest way to order is to simply point at what you want from the day's specials, which are displayed in front of the open kitchen; ask for a mixed plate if you'd like to try several small portions.

General Yazgan Sok. 8/A, Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey
212-245–8780
Known For
  • seasonal, changing menu
  • casual, relaxed atmosphere
  • extensive vegetarian selections
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.

Karaköy Lokantası

$ | Karaköy

By day, this sleek, airy restaurant with a large outdoor dining area offers a changing menu of reasonably priced Turkish vegetable and meat dishes. At night, it becomes a classy meyhane, serving an excellent variety of meze.

Kemankeş Cad. 57, Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey
212-292–4455
Known For
  • varied meze
  • sheltered outdoor seating
  • stylish atmosphere
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Sun., Reservations essential

Kronotrop Cihangir

$ | Beyoglu

A popular neighborhood spot to sip lattes, this hip café offers an extensive coffee menu and light pastries to refuel.

Firuzağa Cami Sok. 2, Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey
212-249–9271
Known For
  • trendy vibe
  • outdoor seating
  • coffee beans from their own roastery

Meşhur Dondurmacı Ali Usta

$ | Asian Side

With long lines snaking out the door in the summertime, Ali Usta Dondurma is Kadıköy’s most popular ice cream spot, with flavors that draw on local tastes like chestnut, pistachio, and Turkish coffee.

Moda Cad. 176, Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey
216-414–1880
Known For
  • close to the seaside
  • wide variety of flavors
  • lively atmosphere

Montag Bomonti

$ | Nisantasi

Located just a short walk from the Bomontiada culture complex, Montag Bomonti pays attention to the details, with beans roasted in-house and impeccably pulled espresso.

Silahşör Cad. 65, Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey
530-090–6998
Known For
  • stylish atmosphere
  • coffee beans roasted in-house
  • coffee cocktails

Pasifik Pastanesi

$ | Asian Side

Located in the heart of Kadıköy, this welcoming patisserie has windows full of colorful cakes and traditional sweets. It's the perfect place to have a cup of tea and a sweet or savory Turkish pastry.

Pianto Coffee

$ | Western Districts

Set in the heart of Balat, this relaxed, two-story café has a small balcony overlooking the lively streets and a long coffee menu, along with a selection of local teas.

Şehzade Cağ Kebap

$ | Sultanahmet

This tucked-away lunch spot specializes in one dish: the horizontal slow-roasted cağ kebap with layers of lamb meat and fat cooked slowly in rotation over a flame.

Hoca Pasa Sok. 6, Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey
212-520–3361
Known For
  • regional specialty dish
  • fast service
  • outdoor seating
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.

Tarihi Sultanahmet Köftecisi

$ | Sultanahmet
Like pizza for New Yorkers, humble köfte (grilled meatballs) inspire countless arguments among Istanbullus about who makes the best. Tarihi Sultanahmet Köftecisi wins with a simple menu—meatballs, lamb kebab, lentil soup, piyaz (boiled white beans in olive oil), rice, and salad—that has remained virtually unchanged since 1920. Service is somewhat perfunctory, and this bustling place is not somewhere to linger, but the location just steps from the Blue Mosque and Aya Sofya makes it ideal for a quick lunch.

Voi Feriye

$ | Ortaköy

Situated on the Ortaköy seaside, with floor-to-ceiling windows that look out on the Bosphorus, Voi is a relaxing place to grab a coffee and a quick breakfast with a view.