Local Flavor: the best places to eat and drink in Istanbul

From street snacks grabbed on-the-go to hours-long breakfasts or nights spent in meyhane (taverns), Istanbul is a city that loves to eat. New restaurants are constantly opening and old favorites remain packed despite an ongoing economic crisis in Türkiye that has sent food prices soaring.

Though they share the national passion for traditional Turkish cuisine, Istanbulites also love a good international food trend, whether it’s a craze for burgers or San Sebastian cheesecake. Over the 16 years I’ve lived in the city, my own taste buds have been more excited about the dramatic increase in the number and variety of restaurants serving the cuisines of new immigrant groups, from Indonesian to Yemeni food.

Here’s just a small selection of some of the places where I like to take friends to eat (and drink) when they're visiting Istanbul.

Breakfast

Breakfast in Istanbul can be as simple as a simit, the ubiquitous sesame seed-covered bread ring sold at street carts and bakeries all around the city. On weekends, though, it’s all about a leisurely serpme kahvaltı, a lavish breakfast spread of small bites – olives, cheeses, jams, pastries, eggs and much more – that’s meant to be lingered over and shared. Combine breakfast with Bosphorus views at the string of cafe-restaurants lining the shoreline near the Rumeli Hisarı fortress: my pick is an old favorite, Kale Café, which now has two locations just steps from each other on Yahya Kemal Caddesi. (I’m partial to the somewhat shabbier-looking one at No 2, closer to the Bosphorus bridge.)

Closer to the city center, there’s an entire street in the Beşiktaş neighborhood devoted to breakfast. While some newer spots there are more style than substance, the original Çakmak Kahvaltı Salonu is still the best for menemen (soft-cooked eggs with tomatoes and peppers) or sucuklu yumurta (pan-fried eggs with spicy beef sausage). Don’t forget the side of bal kaymak, thick cream drizzled with honey.

Go early to both places to avoid the late-morning weekend crowds.

Coffee and tea

For traditional Turkish coffee (türk kahve), it’s hard to top Mandabatmaz, a Beyoğlu classic where the drink – cooked over a flame in a small, long-handled metal pot called a cezve – is served up thick and rich. Established in 1967 as a tiny one-room cafe, it’s expanded into the neighboring building in recent years, but perching on the alley seats is still the best way to soak up the vibe.

You wouldn’t know it from the dozens of trendy cafes dishing out flat whites and iced lattes in the Karaköy, Cihangir and Moda neighborhoods, but Türkiye still predominately has a tea culture, with reportedly the highest per capita consumption in the world. The Tarihi Çınaraltı Çay Bahçesi in Çengelköy, along the Bosphorus on the Asian side of the city, has a pretty unbeatable view for sipping your brew.

Lunch

When I’m out and about visiting art galleries and museums in the Beyoğlu area, the colorful buffet counter at Hayvore is my go-to for a quick bite. I love its Black Sea dishes like karalahana çorbası (kale soup), hamsili pilav (seasoned rice with anchovies) and the custardy puff-pastry dessert laz böreği.

When the meal is the main point, though, I like to gather up some friends and head to the Fatih district west of the Laleli tram stop, where immigrant communities have enlivened the Istanbul eating scene. This is the place to go for Syrian fatteh, a comforting mix of chickpeas, pita chips and garlicky tahini yogurt sauce at Al Muallim, or spicy green beans and laghman hand-pulled noodles at the Uyghur restaurant Yüksel.

Food markets

There’s no better way to get insight into the ingredients that make up Turkish cuisine – from colorful strands of dried eggplant husks to candy-shop-like jars of pickled produce to village-made cheese and butter – than visiting an open-air food market. It’s a great way to while away an hour or two, wandering, people-watching and sampling the wares until you find the best ones to buy. The stalls at the Kadıköy Produce Market and around the Kadınlar Pazarı square in Fatih are permanent fixtures, while most parts of the city typically have their own semt pazar (neighborhood market) that sets up shop on a weekly basis. The Wednesday Market in the streets around the Fatih Mosque is among the biggest.

Dinner

No trip to Istanbul is complete without a meyhane night: a long, lively evening working your way through an array of meze, hot starters and fish, typically accompanied by rakı, Türkiye’s potent anise-based spirit, or wine. Asmalı Cavit in Beyoğlu is a classic of the genre; reserve a table (+90 212 292 49 50) in the busier, memorabilia-filled upstairs for the full experience. Along the banks of the Golden Horn, the ramshackle-looking Cibalikapı Balıkçısı is another favorite choice for meze and seafood, with its own unique dishes like mung beans with pomegranate molasses or sundried tomatoes stuffed with sea bass.

For more contemporary pan-Mediterranean fare, I like Salon Galata in Karaköy, with its gorgeously old-fashioned, high-ceilinged dining room and creative salads, local cheese plates, hearty pastas and tahini soufflé for dessert.

Dinner reservations aren’t usually an issue on weeknights; on weekends, if you haven’t booked ahead, I recommend arriving early – Istanbulites typically like to eat late. Expect a nice dinner in Istanbul to set you back at least 1000–1500TL ($30–45) per person, more if you’re drinking alcohol.

Bar

Though Kadıköy has probably claimed Istanbul’s nightlife crown, especially for the younger crowd, I’m still loyal to my neighborhood of Beyoğlu. Behind Galatasaray High School, revelers spill out into the short street Hayriye Caddesi until late at night from hip, lively establishments like Noh Radio Bar, where DJs spin electronic music, and Tavern, known for its creative cocktails.