21 culinary recommendations for your Istanbul adventure
21 culinary recommendations for your Istanbul adventure
My favourite places to eat and enjoy a rooftop cocktail after nine years in the city.
Anyone who can should visit Istanbul at least once in their lifetime. It’s an incredible city with so much history and culture, and a vibe so unique it’ll be with you for life.
This month will be all about Istanbul here at Meze. I’ve lived and eaten in this city for the past 9 years, and I want to start by sharing my favourite places to eat.
First, a disclaimer. I’m not a restaurant critic. I’ve (non-food writer) friends who’ve eaten at a lot more restaurants than I have. This isn’t some definite, over confident “Top 20 restaurants in Istanbul” sort of list. It’s a list of the places I personally keep coming back to after nine years living in the city. The places where I meet up with friends or new acquaintances.
They all fit the bill of what I look for when going out to eat: Fresh food of the highest quality, in a friendly and relaxed setting. Reasonably priced (but not necessarily cheap). Street foods are of course a little different, and represent my suggested places if you want to try any of those dishes.
The main list of 15 eateries is public and free for everyone. I’ve suggested a few things to order, and linked to recipes where I have them.
Paying subscribers get a few bonus tips: my three favourites from the Michelin guide’s sixty-nine non-star recommendations, plus my three favourite cocktail bars with a view. Those additional recommendations also serve as this week’s post for paying subscribers (there won’t be a separate one on Friday – I thought it better to keep everything in one place).
So whether you’re visiting Istanbul, live here or just like reading about other cities, I hope you enjoy this little synthesis of my 9 years of eating out in Istanbul. If you know someone who’s going (or live here), please feel free to share the list with them:
And, of course, if you have favourites of your own, I’d love for you to chip in!
For some reason the platform I’m using doesn’t allow comments from free subscribers on partially paywalled posts. I’ve therefore created a separate post, where you can comment with your favourites. Please contribute generously for the benefit of us all!
With all best wishes from Istanbul ☀️
Vidar
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PS! Next week will be this month’s free for all new recipe: My version of the legendary Turkish Adana kebab, adapted for making at home.
I’ve grouped my recommendations according to the type of eatery:
Meyhanes are meze and seafood restaurants. Start with cold starters (meze), followed by hot ones (ara sıcak). Mains (usually fish) are optional – we almost always stick with just cold and hot starters. It’s common to order as you go rather than everything in go, and to pace the food for a full evening out. Each place has its own selection of dishes. The customary drink is rakı (aniseed flavoured liquor), but many now prefer wine. I recommend starting with a glass of rakı, then switching to white wine for the hot starters (or sticking with rakı, if you prefer). I wrote more about meyhanes here.
Kebab joints are where the meat magic happens. And by kebab, I mean here skewered, grilled meat (for sliced döner kebab, see street foods). The tempo at these establishments is high, with food served in quick succession. If you want to pace your meal, pace your orders, too. Historically served with plenty of small dishes on the house, modern kebab houses follow much the same flow as meyhanes (albeit faster): cold starters, hot starters, then meat. I recommend going easy on the cold starters. Instead, get mini lahmacun and içli köfte (kibbeh) to start, then the meat. Smaller, old school places won’t serve alcohol, but larger more modern establishments will offer both wine, beer and rakı. I recommend beer or ayran (yoghurt drink, non-alcoholic).
Homecooking restaurants are laidback affairs serving daily made food, mostly soups, stews and tray bakes from a hot buffet. Cheaper places will be canteen style, but good establishments will take your order at the table. Alcohol is rarely, if ever, served.
Street food is everywhere in Turkey. These are my recommendations for where to try the most common ones. Alcohol is rarely, if ever, served.
Modern Turkish food, using local ingredients and flavourings in new ways, are mostly newcomers to the Istanbul restaurant scene. Wine lists often showcase some of the better Turkish wines.
A few notes
On prices
Meat, seafood and alcohol are expensive in Turkey. At good establishments, expect to pay roughly the equivalent of any large-ish European city.
Imported wines are rare, but some Turkish wines are quite good, even if you won’t find the same price/quality match as e.g. Spain or France. A special luxury tax means sparkling wine is always outrageously expensive.
On reservations
In general, always make reservations. For most places, same day will be fine, but more upmarket or popular places may require booking a week or more in advance, especially on weekends.
The exception is street foods and homecooking restaurants, where bookings are rare (most places won’t even accept it), but expect queues at peak times.
A handy map
I’ve pinned the locations on a Google Map, which you can find here:
Paying subscribers will want to click the map link further down, which also includes the additional recommendations.
Meyhanes: Meze & seafood
Mahkeme Lokantası is my favourite and go-to meyhane. Set in an unlikely location among the small hardware stores of Karaköy, the restaurant itself is a beautifully restored han (old school “shopping centre” of independent tradesmen). The food is fresh and among the very best of meyhanes, the atmosphere delightful. Reserve a table outside, if the season allows. Same day reservations are usually fine, but for the weekend you may want to book a few of days ahead.
Order: Girit ezmesi (cheese & pistachio mash), hardallı levrek (sea bass in mustard sauce) and kalamari.
Mükellef is your meyhane with a view. Located at the top of the Haze hotel, you can enjoy your meal with stunning views of the Bosporos and old town as the sun sets. Their hot starters are particularly excellent. Note that they allow smoking in parts of the restaurant. Make sure to reserve, preferably a few days in advance, especially for weekends.
Order: Kuru biber kızartması (yoghurt with crispy fried chili), grilled octopus, grilled prawns.
Balat Sahil Restoran is for the hardcore enthusiast. An old school meyhane with decor that takes you back to a different time. Their mezes are excellent, with several unusual ones you won’t find many other places, including variations of offal.
Order: Mantar mezesi (wild mushroom meze), soğan dolması (stuffed onion), çiğer (fried liver).
Ocakbaşı: The kebab joints
Ali Ocakbaşı strikes a good balance between location and excellent kebabs. Their large menu caters to families, groups and couples alike. The atmosphere is non-fuss and relaxed. Skip the cold meze and go all in on the baked goods and kebabs. I suggest sharing a few different items, though they’ll serve you individual portions if you prefer. It’s also a good option for lunch, in which case just order less.
They’ve multiple locations, I usually go to the Karaköy one. Reservations recommended for most locations, essential for others, especially for dinner.
Order: Ali kebab (minced meat), küşleme kebab (lamb loin), katmer (sweet pastry).
Kevok (formerly Yirmibir) is a noisy but atmospheric kebab joint which draws in locals and expats alike. The setting is modern, but the quality of the meat is excellent. Reservation essential, preferably a few days in advance, especially on weekends.
Order: Adana kebab, lamb shish kebab and liver shish kebab.
Antiochia Concept specialises in the cuisine of Antakya, my favourite food region in Turkey. Known for being home to some of the best meat and produce in Turkey, this restaurant sources locally from the region. Since the earthquake, there are now many other places to get Antakya food as well, and all of the ones I’ve tried so far have been excellent, but Antiochia is conveniently located and has been around in Istanbul for a while. Reservation recommended.
Order: Meze platter, special grilled cheese, tepsi kebab, künefe.
Homecooking
Çıya Sofrası, famous from a feature on Netflix’ Chef’s Table, is perhaps the most unique restaurant in Istanbul. The owner, Musa Dağdeviren, spent years collecting Anatolian recipes on the verge of being forgotten, and brought them to life in this restaurant. They also serve kebabs, pide and lahmacun, but you want to go for the daily mezes and stews, which showcase some of the more unusual (but delicious!) dishes.
Order: Daily menu, but look out for any yoghurt based or sour stews. If you’ve space, finish the meal with a mixed candied fruit and vegetable plate, baklava and a cup of kekik çayı (oregano tea).
Mahir Lokantası is a local institution that has never skimped on quality. The menu is extensive and seasonal, and a good place to try a variety of local foods, many of them regional. A lot of local come especially for their meaty lahmacun, by many considered the best in town. Depending on group size, I suggest ordering a few dishes to share rather than individual courses.
Order: Lahmacun, your preferred dish from the daily hot meal menu.
Hayvore specialises in Black Sea cooking, and is one of the best place to enjoy lunch if you’re in the touristy district of Istiklal Caddesi or Galata. Expect soups, stews and baked meat dishes. The selection is made daily and the menu changes depending on season and ingredient availability. Note that Black Sea cuisine can be heavy on the butter.
Order: Karalahana çorbası (Black cabbage soup), stewed white beans (kuru fasulye) and laz böreği (sweet custard pastry).
Street food & snacks
For döner kebab, try the çağ kebap – the original from Erzurum that’s grilled horizontally rather than vertically – at Sehzade çag kebab near the spice market. If you’re in Kadıköy and don’t feel like Çıya (see above), the döner kebab at Tatar Salim is particularly excellent.
Lots of people rave about balık ekmek, a mackerel sandwich. It’s not my favourite (unfortunately, most versions are bad), but Mehmet Usta in Karaköy is renowned for being the best, though they serve it as a wrap, not in bread (though you can get it that way if you ask). Brace yourself for a long queue, though, regardless of time of day.
Whilst in Karaköy, Galat Simitçisi on the same street is an excellent place to try simit, the sesame crusted bread rings, or my favourite: tahinli simit (sweetened tahini pastry).
For baklava, the Istanbul gold standard is Karaköy Gulluoğlu, also in Karaköy. (Turkey’s best baklava can be enjoyed in Gaziantep, however.)
All these places bar Mehmet Usta offer (crowded) seating, though queues may be long and booking impossible.
Modern Turkish
Evelik opened just over a year ago, and is an excellent addition to our neighbourhood of Balat. On a rooftop with delightful views of the Golden Horn, the menu is seasonal sharing dishes. The chef hails from Sanliurfa in south-eastern Turkey, so expect bold flavours of isot biber (Urfa pepper) and pomegranate molasses. They also have a separate, delicious brunch menu during daytime.
Order: Seasonal menu. Make sure to get the kubani bread, hummus and muhammara, if on the menu. I like starting with their signature isot cocktail.
Important note: As of 22 May 2024, Evelik has been passed on to new owners with a brand new chef, team and concept. This recommendation is therefore no longer valid, but I’m leaving it here as new information to anyone who have seen the previous recommendation. The old Evelik head chef and team are expected to open a new venture in the future. You can find more information from the head chef of old Evelik here.
More recommendations behind the paywall:
My 3 favourites from the Michelin guide recommended restaurants
My 3 favourite cocktail spots with a view
⭐️ The Michelin recommendations: Modern Turkish
Beyond the seven star-level restaurants, the Michelin guide recommends 69 restaurants in Istanbul. These range from local joints to fine dining, from traditional to modern. I’ve visited a fair few of these. Many of them are excellent, but others I quite frankly question how made it onto the list.
Here are my three favourites serving up modern Turkish cuisine. Perfect as the highlight of your trip, or to mark an occasion: