Places to eat in Istanbul

In Istanbul, home to many deep-rooted cultures, you can find many different flavors from Turkish and international cuisine. You can find home-cooked meals from Anatolian cuisine, kebabs, pita bread and lahmacun.

In Istanbul, you can also taste flavors from different countries such as Ottoman cuisine or nearby Greek and Bulgarian cuisines. There are even restaurants serving Ottoman palace food.

You can find fast food restaurants, snacks such as toast and flatbread on almost every corner. You can find restaurants serving grilled meat and chicken, kebabs, pita bread, lahmacun, döner, kumpir and many other delicacies. You can find different restaurants from Japanese to Chinese cuisine. But the best thing is to take a simit tea break by the sea.

If you want, you can enjoy a nice fish at sunset against the magnificent sea and the Bosphorus. Fresh seasonal fish, seafood and a variety of olive oil appetizers will accompany you. In almost every season, the pleasure of fishing on the Bosphorus is different.

Editor's recommendation: Büyükçekmece Kalikratya Balık is one of the best places in Istanbul where you can feel the Greek breeze.

Hays lori Balat; the breakfast is amazing and has a very cute owner.

Babacan meat restaurant is a place that can be reached in 45 minutes from Istanbul. It is in Değirmenköy between Kınalı and Çorlu. It beats the well-known meat restaurants in Istanbul. The liver, baked mushrooms and veal cutlet were excellent. It comes with mustard and rock salt. Very suitable for families with children. There are large playgrounds.

Asitane Restaurant: Asitane is an important address for Ottoman cuisine lovers. It is useful to check the menu online before you go. During the Magnificent Century series, the food was also supplied from here.

Karaköy Güllüoğlu: Karaköy Güllüoğlu, which started its operations with a tiny shop in 1949, today offers the best examples of traditional desserts to its regulars. Karaköy Güllüoğlu has no other branches.

Münferit: With its modern tavern concept, Münferit offers exclusive examples of traditional Turkish cuisine with its unique and delicious flavors in Beyoğlu.

Ara Cafe: The walls of the famous photographer Ara Güler's cafe in Galatasaray are adorned with his own photographs. We recommend you to breathe in its warm and cozy atmosphere and have a snack.

Sultanahmet Köftecisi: Perhaps the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Sultanahmet is meatballs. The historical Sultanahmet Köftecisi is a must-visit place in Istanbul.

For accommodation suggestions, you can check our Istanbul Hotels page.