A small and cozy spot from a chain of coffee shops loved by Istanbul residents. They make excellent specialty coffee, with a choice of dessert. The calm atmosphere is conducive to both a friendly conversation over a drink and working on a laptop.
A specialty coffee shop in Cihangir that is adjacent to its own roastery. The menu features excellent coffee, as well as quality teas and kombucha. Please note: it is closed on Mondays.
An unpretentious place on a noisy street in Kadikoy, where there is no end to guests. Here you should try pide - Turkish pizza, of which there are several dozen types on the menu. And the best pairing for your pide will be ayran or strong Turkish tea.
A small home-cooking restaurant that serves family recipes. The most popular light lunch here is a meze plate with a side dish that you assemble yourself from classic, vegetarian and even vegan options.
An eclectic Turkish bistro in the historic part of town. The premises were once a boathouse during the Roman Empire and now serve excellent local wine and meze - and even vegan options.
A buffet with a modern twist. In the relaxed atmosphere of the lokanta, as the dining rooms are called in Turkey, you can try regional dishes, among which the Circassian chicken stands out. And for dessert, they serve excellent panna cotta.
A restaurant from a Netflix show whose menu combines cuisine from different regions of Turkey. Here you will find classic dishes with the author's interpretation: for example, lahmacun with walnuts or chiya kebab made of beef and lamb, baked in a crispy thin dough.
A restaurant in Karakoy with an inconspicuous entrance, but a pleasant view of the Bosphorus and the panorama of Sultanahmet. Try the grilled octopus, a popular meze in Turkey. And for the main course, try the mackerel sandwich balık ekmek or fish of your choice.
A budget-friendly restaurant near the fish market in Karakoy. Here, you can try everything from salmon steak to popular Istanbul street food: mussels stuffed with rice, fish sandwich balk ekmek, and fried calamari rings.
An elegant Mediterranean restaurant in a picturesque corner of the Bosphorus. The garden, surrounded by greenery, offers incredible views of the water. The menu offers fish dishes for every taste: from fish soup to sea bass with green curry and seafood pasta.
A fish restaurant on the waterfront of picturesque Uskudar, serving guests since 1951. Take a table overlooking the Bosphorus and enjoy local meze, fish dishes and fried mussels, which are a highlight of the menu.
A fish restaurant with a view of the Bosphorus, located in a 20th-century factory building. The local menu is rich in delicacies, from fish pastirma to grilled squid and fish manti, and surprises with a selection of excellent Turkish wines to go with any dish.
A restaurant with its own boat. If you are coming from the European side, contact the staff: the boat will pick you up at the Rumeli Fortress and take you straight to the restaurant. Then it's a small matter - enjoy fish delicacies while watching the sunset.
A Michelin-starred restaurant with a rooftop terrace that blends traditional Turkish cuisine with the city's modern rhythms. The place is famous for its original amuse-bouche appetizers and a sophisticated take on Istanbul street food, balık ekmek.
Set in a 250-year-old inn, Olden 1772 offers a modern take on Anatolian cuisine. The restaurant serves breakfast, but is at its best in the evenings, when the historic interiors are at their most impressive.
A fine dining restaurant awarded an Mspace star in 2024, it uses local ingredients, pays tribute to Turkey's culinary traditions, and adheres to the philosophy of mate 2 - a way for the team to honor the past while looking to the future.
A restaurant in fashionable Galataport from the creator of another Istanbul star, Turk Fatıh Tutak. The local menu explores the roots of Turkish and Asian cuisine intertwined along the ancient Silk Road, and pays tribute to the rich culinary traditions of the entire region.
The two-starred restaurant Mereyl, which honors the traditions of Turkish cuisine and cooks with the best local ingredients, welcomes only 30 guests each evening, offering a unique 13-course tasting menu.
A fine dining restaurant in the historic Ciragan Palace on the shores of the Bosphorus. The menu, which has been rated by Mscape, offers a modern take on Ottoman classics. Your dinner will be served on dishes decorated with the tugra, the signature of the Ottoman sultans that the establishment is named after.
An elegant restaurant in a former cistern. It offers a carefully selected tasting menu, complemented by a signature cocktail list. Book a table for the evening and enjoy dinner in a historic setting.
