The fresh vegetables and herbs, and fine seafood in the city's colourful markets, which are open from dusk to dawn, make you want to indulge in Turkey's famous dishes. And once you've had your fill, you want more!
After a day of shopping in Istanbul, you are sure to have worked up an appetite. Check out our Istanbul restaurant guide below to find out more about Turkish cuisine, as well as the best places to eat. Relax and experience our local delights.
Food & Cuisine in Istanbul
You will be surprised to find restaurants abandoned during the summer. This is the season when the inhabitants of Istanbul like to dine in rooftop eateries where the weather is pleasant, and from where they can enjoy magnificent panoramic views of Istanbul. In fact, rooftop terraces are common in this city of balmy breezes.
Bars, cafés and restaurants
Apart from the traditional Istanbul restaurants, you can also find lots of international cuisine in Istanbul, including Far Eastern and European. Here are a few of the most popular restaurants.
Çiçek Pasajı on İstiklal Avenue
Head down Istiklal Avenue in Beyoğlu, and the surrounding areas, and you'll come across the city's most historic and well known wine houses and pubs, a great option for eating out in Istanbul. Walking down the Çiçek Pasajı, which means 'Flower Passage' in the Turkish tongue (also known as Cité de Péra in French), transports you in time to the famous Galleria in Milan, Italy. Built in the 19th century, it is a miniature counterpart of the Galleria with its rows of historic wine houses, restaurants, and pubs.
Cafés of Etiler
Some of the notable wine houses in Istanbul are Pano and the nearby Viktor Levi. These are among the oldest wine houses in the city and are on the Hamalbaşı Avenue near the British Consulate and Galatasaray Square. Cumhuriyet Meyhanesi, which translates into 'Republic Wine house', is another well known historic tavern situated on the Sahne Street nearby. On the same street is the Hazzopulo Wine house, nestled inside the Hazzopulo Pasajı, a lane that links Sahne Street to Meşrutiyet Avenue. In this area, you'll find the famous Nevizade Street, which is lined with historic pubs. Other historic pubs are around Tünel Pasajı and the nearby Asmalımescit Street. Around İstiklal Avenue you will come across some areas that have been recreated in recent times. One instance is Cezayir Street near Galatasaray Lisesi, which is known as La Rue Française. If you like live French music, you'll love visiting the many francophone pubs, cafés and restaurants in Istanbul.
Kanyon Mall in Levent financial district with its award winning architecture
Istanbul is a great stop for lovers of sea food with its historic seafood restaurants. Several of these eateries were established by the Greeks who made the city their home. There's the Aleko'nun Yeri ('Aleko's Place') in Yeniköy in the European side of the city across the Bosphorus; and the Koço Restaurant in the Moda area in the Asian section of Istanbul. This restaurant is unique because of its little Greek Orthodox Chapel and Hagiasma, or 'Holy Spring'. The most visited seafood restaurants in Istanbul are situated along the banks of the Bosphorus, and by the Marmara Sea shore towards the south of the city.
Heading towards the north from the south, you'll find Kumkapı, Ortaköy, Kuruçeşme (Park Fora, Marina), Arnavutköy (Kuyu), Bebek (Bebek Balıkçısı), Rumeli Hisarı (İskele), Yeniköy (İzmirli Balıkçı), Kireçburnu (historic Ali Baba) and Sarıyer on the European side, or Üsküdar, Kuzguncuk (İsmet Baba), Beylerbeyi (Villa Bosphorus), Kandilli, Anadolu Hisarı, and Çengelköy (Deniz Yıldızı) on the Anatolian side. There are many historic seafood restaurants on the Princes' Islands in the Sea of Marmara (Büyük Ada, Heybeli Ada, Kınalı Ada, Burgaz Ada) and Anadolu Kavağı near the northern entrance of the Bosphorus towards the Black Sea (close to the Genoese Castle).
Local eateries
If you want a taste of the authentic Turkish cuisine, get off the main streets and explore the back alleys for small eateries where workmen go for an afternoon meal of 'sulu yemek' (stew) or 'pilav' (rice). Beneath the Galata Bridge, you can eat traditional fish sandwiches in small restaurants. These sandwiches are also served from the boats anchored to the quay. For a cheap meal in Istanbul you can try the western side of the Galata Bridge, and also the lower level, where there are many little restaurants with low tables and chairs. Waiters will invite you in with cries of "Balik ekmek!" and "Buyrun!," which means "Come on in! and "Help yourself!" You will be served a grilled fish fillet sandwiched in a half-loaf of bread, and some 'salata,' a salad of lettuce, tomatoes, and onions. You can wash it down with a soft drink or the traditional Turkish drink of pickle juice known as 'salgam'.
Clubs
Nightlife in Istanbul is limitless offering you thousands of things to do, but if you want to shake a leg at the most popular night clubs in Istanbul, head to the banks of the Bosphorus. Here there are several open air summer night clubs such as Reina, Sortie and Anjelique in the Ortaköy district. In Beyoğlu, night cubs which are popular in all seasons include Babylon and Nu Pera.
Concerts in Istanbul by internationally known singers and bands are often hosted at the Istanbul Arena in Maslak. For example, Parkorman in Maslak hosted the Isle of MTV Party in 2002. In the summer, the club holds lots of concerts and rave parties. If you like jazz, check out the stylish Jazz Bar in Ortaköy which presents live jazz.
