The best restaurants Istanbul

In the heart of the Beşiktaş market, when it's lunchtime, you'll see a long line in front of the tiny kebab restaurant. Be careful, the restaurant closes when the brooch is finished, around 5pm. You can eat standing in front of the restaurant like most customers, or on the small wooden seats in front (rarely free). If you don't want to eat the kebab in a sandwich, you can go upstairs and ask for it on a plate.

A little hunger in the middle of the night? This establishment is open 24 hours a day and will serve you one of the best soups in town at any time. This simple restaurant offers a generous and efficient cuisine with a wide variety of Turkish specialities on the menu such as various soups, grilled meats, etc. If it doesn't look like much, it is mainly frequented by locals and will plunge you into an authentic atmosphere. An address to keep in mind if you plan to go out one evening in the Golden Horn district.

There is no coincidence, and Yeni Lokanta is not one of the most popular restaurants in Istanbul by a stroke of luck! His recipe? The boss and chef, Civan Er, has travelled all over the world to immerse himself in his cultures and make them a unique symbiosis. A bet taken! The service is impeccable and the staff pleasant. Among the essential dishes: sucuk (spicy sausage) with nuts, or mantı (ravioli) filled with dried eggplant. Prices are much higher than the average in Istanbul, especially the wine list.

In a small alley upstream from Galata, a tiny restaurant where you will come first and foremost for the choice of wines offered on the menu (from 100 TL a glass), and which are all accompanied by a small platter of Turkish cheeses. Comfortable armchairs, soothing brick walls decorated with nice black and white photographs, rooftop terrace... The menu offers every day a few well concocted and rather cheap dishes considering the setting. The choice is limited, but the products are fresh and cooked like at home!

If you didn't know what to expect, you'd walk right past it without even noticing it. But some clues do not deceive: the room and the few tables on the sidewalk are often full of Stamboulians who come to taste a home-made cuisine, copious, tasty and cheap. The menu changes every day, you just have to choose from the dishes prepared by the open kitchen. Here, for a handful of TL, you get a soup, a piece of moussaka, a beef or chicken sauté... In short, a nice little neighbourhood canteen!

For those who are looking for a doner in the district of Kadıköy, it's simple, this address is all that's needed! There are also two choices of soups that change every day, and some desserts. Several options exist: in dürüm (wrap), served on the plate, or served with rice. This doner restaurant is simple and efficient, the meat is of good quality, the service and presentation are impeccable and the portions are generous. Don't miss out on this good plan!

We concede it to you, this coffee doesn't have much charm, but we go for the view! If you are hungry and want to eat a croque-monsieur (Turkish tost) or have a cup of tea with a view of the Golden Horn and the old town, don't hesitate to push the door of this café with its perched terrace. However, if there is no more room on the terrace, it is not worth staying for the map, which is not exceptional. Be aware that if you decide to leave, the servers will not hold you accountable, they are used to it!

This shop serves the specialities of the Antep region (known for its kebabs and pastries). We recommend the aubergine kebab but there is also a mixed plate made up of several kinds of kebabs. The portions are very generous but keep room for the künefe cooked on charcoal (a pastry made with angel hair and cheese), the region's great specialty. Two downsides: it is difficult to find a place on weekends and the inside of the restaurant, with its very narrow stairs, is cramped.

Nizam Pide has three restaurants of the same brand located in Istanbul: in Galatasaray, Taksim and Harbiye. It is the ideal place to enjoy very good pides (the famous Turkish pizzas) at any time of the day and night. The staff is smiling and will be able to advise you on a wide choice of dishes based on local ingredients and always fresh (pides, grills, kebabs...). For desserts, try their famous "rice puddings" (rice puddings). Nizam Pide also offers their entire card for takeaway sale

Following its great success on the Corne d'Or, the brand opened this second tavern in the trendy Moda district, especially the garden area, which is very popular. The atmosphere is therefore a little different but just as friendly, the menu and the delight of the taste buds are on the other hand identical. Large choice of mezze and fish (no meat) presented on a tray. Among the specialities, the Cretan salad and, for dessert, the succulent tahin-pekmez, an oven cream made from sesame, cinnamon and crushed pistachios.

An opportunity to remind you: Turks love rice. Apart from the people of the neighbourhood, we come from far away to taste the rice from this restaurant. Because in addition to being satisfying, the prices are unbeatable. Served with kuru fasulye (white beans), nohut (chickpeas), tavuk (chicken), salad. Those who don't want rice can choose boulghour. Everything is exposed. No alcohol. The locals generally drink ayran (salted whipped yoghurt). With a few tables inside, many people order to take away.

If you are looking for a snack in the Beyoğlu area, you must come here. This small dürumcü at the corner of a street near Nevizade is certainly one of the best in the city. The bread is made on the spot and served hot, the onions seasoned with sumak - a tangy spice. The tavuk şiş (marinated chicken skewer) is particularly delicious, as is the adana. It has become an institution in the city but its prices have not increased. Possibility to taste on site or to take away. Warm welcome.

A stone's throw from the docks is Kahraman's restaurant, a singular character nicknamed "fish teacher". The walls of the establishment are filled with press articles. As for the map, there is no map! When you don't speak the language, it's complicated but nice and folklore. But don't worry, the house is honest and the waiters are attentive. They will be able to guide you even if they take their time. It is better to avoid the weekend. The score goes up if you want to taste the turbot, which is exquisite (almost twice as high).

One of the oldest Turkish taverns, deeply rooted in the Fatih landscape. This establishment is considered one of the best fishmongers in town. The menu features excellent mezzés, such as girit ezmesi (a mixture of cheese and dried fruit), and deliciously prepared fish. The music is typical of Turkish meyhanes, and the atmosphere is warm and welcoming. English is not widely spoken, but the staff do their utmost to put you at ease. Be aware that after a certain hour, people start smoking inside.

In the heart of the market of Beşiktaş, the breakfast street offers a concentrate of specialized establishments in the morning meal. The advantage is that the neighborhood is heavily frequented by students, so prices were decided on the basis of their purse. You will eat very well for a bite of bread, in a convivial atmosphere. The day after a team match of the same name as the neighborhood, you will see around you many young fanatics celebrating a victory or mourning a defeat!

The Sütis brand has many restaurants in the city, but the most famous is the one in Emirgan's wonderful park, with its exceptional view of the Bosphorus and memorable breakfast. You will compose your own breakfast with the suggestions of the menu in which only fresh products are available. A little more expensive than the average, but the quality of this establishment is beyond reproach. In the spring, you will not miss to go for a walk in the park to discover an incredible variety of tulips.

A reference in Istanbul. This very small restaurant located behind the mosque of Süleymaniye offers a very large number of terrace tables. And for good reason! These are filled very quickly from 6:30 pm. This restaurant only serves white beans in sauce with white rice. This typical Turkish dish (rice beans) is not to be missed after a visit to the mosque. The beans are served with a very strong red pepper but the dish is not spicy. Some desserts are available. Exceptional atmosphere in Ramadan period.

To eat quickly when discovering the Taksim or Kadiköy district, let yourself be tempted by tantuni, native of the Mersin region in southern Turkey. This Turkish snack in the form of a sandwich or a dürüm (wrap)of your choice is filled with slightly spicy minced meat, tomato and onion. You can garnish it with lemon juice and ask for it on the plate with yogurt. This restaurant is a chain, you will see them all over the city, but they are specialists in the genre, so we can go there without fear.

The famous sign designed by three brothers at the end of the 1990s now has 14 restaurants in the city. However, Arnavutköy and Fenerbahce are the first to be opened in 1997 and the most famous as they serve 24 hours a day. It offers classic Turkish dishes, but very carefully prepared, such as the famous köfte and kebap. But the speciality of the restaurant remains as its name suggests the manti, the Turkish yoghurt ravioli. We recommend the çitir manti (the ravioli are previously baked in the oven), a delicacy!

Please note that in Turkey, the Sosyal Tesisleri are restaurants open and managed by the town halls. The locations of these restaurants are generally very well located in the city centres, with beautiful views and very low prices. This is not without minor inconveniences: long service, families with rather noisy children, it is better to avoid weekends... IBB HALIC offers fresh fish and very good starters, but also classics such as köfte.

Overlooking the Golden Horn, this Greek tavern delights gourmets in search of authenticity with its warm wooden decor and inventive Mediterranean cuisine. Large choice of mezze and fish (no meat) presented on a tray. Among the specialities, the Cretan salad and, for dessert, the succulent tahin-pekmez, (oven cream made from sesame, cinnamon and crushed pistachios). Smiling service. A second address in the Moda district of Kadıköy, on the Asian side of the Bosporus. Address used by the locals.