! I love good food !
based on 9 votes
Actually my list would be the "top 10 of the places to eat", but I just couldn't stop writing.
So here you may find top 20 :)
- Category: Best of
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Traveler type: Culture, Sightseeing, Never been before, Repeat visitors
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Appeals to: Business travelers, Couples/romantics, Honeymooners, Singles, Families with teenagers, Large groups, Seniors, Students, Budget travelers, Tourists
- Seasons: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
- Tags: restaurant, dining, cafes, taksim, kadikoy, istiklal
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1. Breakfast / Caydanlik Cafe
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| Good place to have breakfast, especially in hot summer days, frequented by locals, therefore, cheap! (20YTL, 2 p), in Beylerbeyi Square (Asian side of Istanbul, one of the old fishing towns, the cafe is close to the Beylerbeyi mosque). |
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2. Cafe / Kaktus Cafe
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| Frequented by journalists, writers.. Nice place to sit for a while, their lemonade is to die for, great staff, also good for a light lunch (try "Kaktus Kitir"), in Taksim-Istiklal Caddesi (Address: Imam Adnan Sok No: 4 Beyoglu / Tel: 0090 212 459 5979) |
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3. Cafe / KV Cafe
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| Good place to go in hot summer season, always a little chilly, after visiting Galata Kulesi you can have a rest in KV then continue walking in Istiklal Street. Nice place to have a breakfast or a light lunch, great sandwiches (approx 14 YTL w tea), In Taksim/Istiklal Street/Tunnel area (Address: Asmalimescit Tunel Gecidi Tunel Beyoglu. Tel: 0212 251 43 38) |
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4. Turkish Cuisine / Haci Abdullah
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| Best place to eat lambchops! (mmmmm!), one of the oldest restaurants in Istanbul, a little touristy but frequented also by locals, nice Turkish foods, good for lunches or dinners (30YTL pp, including wine/raki), in Istiklal Street (start walking from Taksim down the Istiklal Street, after 150mt you will see its tinny sign). |
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5. Turkish Cuisine / Rumeli Meyhanesi
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| Sirtaki in Istanbul? Why not? Best "Rum" (greeks living in Istanbul) appetizers, great fun, frequented only by locals (especially by Rum community), go there without eating lunch (approx 40YTL, including wine/raki,they serve 12 different mezes!), in Cihangir (walking distance from Taksim) (Tel: 0090 212 244 3801) |
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6. Turkish Cuisine / Borsa Lokantasi
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| there are 2 Borsa Lokantasi, one of them for fine dining the other for fast food. Try the fest food one to eat "Hunkar Begendi", for lunch or quick dinner (approx. 20YTL pp) (walk down the Istiklal Street from Taksim, on the main street, after 300mts) |
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7. Turkish Cuisine / Ciya Lokantasi
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| frequented by locals, will give you an idea&taste of eastern turkey, like an obsessive I always eat the same thing "Eksili Kebap", good for lunches (approx 15YTL pp), worth to go till Kadikoy area. |
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8. Turkish Cuisine / Refik Meyhanesi
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| good place to have fun, all tables singing together, great mezes, good fish, ok staff, high prices (approx 60YTLpp including raki), good for dinners, in Taksim area. (Address: Asmalimescit Sofyali Sokak, Tunel, +90 (212) 243 28 34) |
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9. Turkish Cuisine / "Bol kepce lokantasi"
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| I donât know how to translate this, but gonna try to explain, in most of the areas of Istanbul you will notice little restaurants displaying the foods (typical Turkish home made foods) just behind the window, they are mostly frequented by neighbor artisans. The ones I can advise are of course in Taksim :) Walk down the Istiklal Street, after 50mt you will see one on the left side, there is another one on the right side after 100mts. |
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10. Fine Dining / Feriye Lokantasi
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| Really nice place, seaside, best Turkish cuisine in Istanbul, not cheap actually expensive (80YTL pp, including wine), recommended for dinner, in Ortakoy (near to Taksim, 15mn by car). (Tel : 0 212 227 22 16 - 227 22 17 - 236 25 22 - 236 25 23) |
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11. Fine Dining / Zarifi Restaurant
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| Real Ottoman Cuisine which includes Armenien, Greek, Cerkez cuisines. Fine dining place at approx 70YTL pp. , but worth the price, in Ortakoy area (Address for summer season: Muallim Naci Caddesi No: 103 Kurucesme Tel: 0212 293 5480 ) |
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12. Fish / Cinaralti Balikcisi
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| Great fish restaurant, in a really cozy place, eat their "Sicak Helva" for the desert, for lunch or dinner, approx 40YTL pp ( Adress: Iskele Meydani No: 28 Ortakoy / Istanbul Tel: 0212 227 33 81- 0212 261 46 16) |
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13. Fish / Halki Restaurant
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| You can go there by ferry, don't miss the opportunity to have a walk around the island, friendly owners, for lunch or dinner (approx 35 YTL pp) (Adress: Princess Islands-Heybeli Ada- when you walk out of the ferry, turn right, keep walking 50mts , watch to your left side, you will see their sign) |
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14. Fish / Vira Balik
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| Restaurant on the deck, deck on the sea, fish in the sea... The owner is a great DJ (chansons, 60's, jazz), total darkness around, lighted just by the candles, great for romantic dinners (30YTL pp), in Sile (Adress: Sile is in outside of Istanbul, you should rent a car or get a taxi to go there, when you are in Sile, go to harbour, and ask. Tel: 0216 711 31 61) |
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15. Deserts / Gulluoglu
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| Heaven of "Baklava", they have several corners in Istanbul, their center is in Karakoy (Karakoy, Katli Otopark Alti Tel: 0212 293 09 10) |
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16. Deserts / Bolulu Hasan Usta or Ozsut
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| Heavens of "milky deserts", if you see the sign of one of them do not hesitate, enter. The oscar goes to "Tavuk Gogsu" and to "Kazandibi" ! |
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17. Deserts / Ali Muhiddin Hacibekir Sekerlemecisi
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| In business since 1777! Great place to buy lokoums, Turkish candies (try the one with rose) or to drink a fresh lemonade etc. They have 2 shops, one in Eminonu (near to Sultanahmet) the other in Istiklal Street. Shop in Istiklal Street: walk down the Istiklal Street, on the left side, after 100-150mt from Taksim. Don't leave your lokoum shopping to the airport, Ali Muhiddin is the place. |
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18. Pastry Shops / Gezi Pastahanesi
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| Good place to rest a little, just in the center of Taksim. Try the cake with carrots, it will cost you approx 7$ with a cup of coffee, in Taksim (Taksim AKM Yani, Inonu Caddesi No.5 Kat 1 Taksim Telefon: 0212 292 53 53). |
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19. Pastry Shops / Savoy Pastanesi
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| One of my favorite pastry shops, they have this tinny sandwiches with cheese, or w cheese+salami, or w mushrooms etc. (Address: Siraselviler Cad. 181/183A Cihangir / Istanbul / Tel: (0212) 249 18 18 - 293 02 42) |
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20. Icecream / Mastika Dondurmasi
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| Icecream with Mastika...to die for. Only in Yesilkoy (near to airport), you can stop by before going to airport, take your ice-creams and continue. I don't know the address, when you are in Yesilkoy ask for "Mado Dondurmacisi" (Mado Icecream shop), the shop selling the icecream with mastika is at the opposite pavement. The name is Giritli (I think... not sure) |
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21. Bonus :) / Fine Dining / Es Kandil Karai Restaurant
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| The restaurant is in Karakoy, close to Sultanahmet also to Taksim, has a nice roof with Sultanahmet view (at night, it's beautiful with all the lights sparkling) , good music, nice people, friendly staff, great food (hope you are not vegetarian, try "Kuzu Kolu" -lamb meat), fine dining place, you will pay approx. 40-50YTL pp including drinks (Address: Kemeralti Caddesi, No: 7, Karakoy Tel: (0212) 249 45 15) |
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