Eat in Beyoğlu, Istanbul

Antiochia ★ 4.5

Antiochia in Asmalımescit cooks the kebabs and mezze of Antakya, Turkey's Levant border city, on a tight Beyoğlu side-street menu of southeastern grills.

SignatureCiğer kebap, Künefe, Hatay-style hummus

Hayvore ★ 4.4

Hayvore tucked off Istiklal, cooking the corn-bread, anchovies and smoky bean stews of the Black Sea since 2009 in a noisy steam-table lokanta close.

SignatureHamsi pilav, Muhlama, Karadeniz pidesi

Yakup 2 ★ 4.4

Yakup 2 on Asmalı Mescit Sokak, the Yakup Arslan meyhane founded in 1977 after seventeen years at Refik next door, multi-time winner of best-meyhane awards.

SignatureTopik, Arnavut ciğeri, Kuzu pirzola

Boncuk ★ 4.3

Boncuk on Nevizade Sokak in Beyoğlu's Balık Pazarı, the Armenian-leaning meyhane built around topik with chickpeas and tahini, kısır bulgur cakes.

SignatureTopik, Kısır, Snapper kebabı

Asmalı Cavit ★ 4.3

Asmalı Cavit on Asmalı Mescit Caddesi, a 1990s-opened Beyoğlu meyhane where proprietor Cavit Bey works the room nightly over a mezze list led by smoked.

SignatureSmoked eggplant mezze, Albanian liver, Köfte in tomato sauce

Mikla 1 ★ ★ 4.7

Mehmet Gürs's rooftop room at the Marmara Pera, holding a Michelin star and a Gault Millau ranking on its New Anatolian Kitchen across a Golden Horn skyline.

Book2 to 3 weeks ahead

Yeni Lokanta ★ 4.6

Civan Er's first Istanbul kitchen, off Istiklal in Beyoğlu since 2013, doing wood-oven Anatolian plates and a long-running 50 Best Discovery listing.

Book2 weeks ahead

Aheste ★ 4.4

Aheste in Beyoğlu, a 40-seat Michelin-listed mezze room running modern Turkish and Levantine small plates from a kitchen on Meşrutiyet Caddesi nightly.

Book1 to 2 weeks ahead

Nicole 1 ★ ★ 4.6

Executive chef Serkan Aksoy's one-Michelin-star tasting room atop Tomtom Suites in Çukurcuma, holding the 2025 Michelin Service Award beside a tight.

Book2 to 3 weeks ahead

Köfteci Hüseyin ★ 4.2

Köfteci Hüseyin on Kurabiye Sokak off Taksim, the Hüseyin Taşsöken counter that started on a 1958 push-cart, salt-bread-onion patties grilled.

SignatureIzgara köfte, Piyaz, Ayran

Mandabatmaz ★ 4.7

Mandabatmaz in Beyoğlu's Olivya Passage, a 1967 single-room Turkish coffee bar whose foamy cup is the standard against which the rest of Istanbul is measured.

DrinkTurkish coffee

Privato Cafe ★ 4.2

Privato Cafe on a Galata side-lane, a mismatched-crockery breakfast hall with Galata Tower views, doing one of the city's better all-day Turkish breakfast.

DrinkFilter coffee

Saray Muhallebicisi ★ 4.2

Saray Muhallebicisi on Istiklal, the 1935 muhallebici pulling chicken-breast pudding, kazandibi and milk-pudding bowls into the small hours.

Worth the queueTavuk göğsü chicken-breast pudding

Mandabatmaz ★ 4.6

Mandabatmaz, the 1967 family-run Beyoğlu coffee bar in Olivya Geçidi, whose copper-cezve Turkish coffee is brewed so thick the cup is said to hold a water.

BeansTurkey, Brazil

BrewsCopper cezve Turkish coffee

Solera Winery ★ 4.3

Solera Winery on Yeni Çarşı, a tight Beyoğlu wine shop-bar 300 feet off Istiklal where general manager Suleyman Er pours by-the-glass discounts to a regular.

PourKavaklıdere Yakut by the glass

WineLocal and imported wines, by the glass

FoodCheese and Turkish mezze

Pano Şarap Evi ★ 4.2

Pano Şarap Evi on Hamalbaşı, the 1898 Greek-founded Beyoğlu wine bar still pouring Bozcaada bottles in a high-ceilinged room with marble counters.

PourBozcaada Çavuş

WineHistoric Turkish wines, Bozcaada and Aegean

FoodCheese, charcuterie and Greek mezze

Nicole ★ 4.6

Nicole atop Tomtom Suites in Çukurcuma, executive chef Serkan Aksoy's Michelin-starred tasting-menu room with a tight Turkish-growers wine list above Beyoğlu.

PourBornova Misketi by the glass

WineNatural Turkish growers, by-the-glass focused

FoodModern Anatolian tasting menu

Mikla Bar ★ 4.5

Mikla Bar atop the Marmara Pera, Mehmet Gürs's rooftop terrace pouring a 450-label wine list and Anatolian-spirit cocktails over the Golden Horn from 18:00.

DrinkAnatolian-spirit cocktails, Turkish wine flights

FoodBar snacks from the Mikla kitchen

Tarihi Cumhuriyet Meyhanesi ★ 4.2

Tarihi Cumhuriyet Meyhanesi in Beyoğlu's Balık Pazarı, a 130-year-old meyhane spread across three floors with fasıl music upstairs and the rakı table running.

DrinkRakı with mezze

FoodFull meyhane mezze and grill menu

360 Istanbul ★ 4.0

360 Istanbul atop Mısır Apartmanı, an eighth-floor wraparound-window space that flips from a mezze dinner to a club on weekends with city-wide views.

DrinkCosmopolitan with Turkish berries

FoodModern Turkish-international fusion plates

Kızılkayalar ★ 4.0

Kızılkayalar at Taksim Square, the 1978 originator of the ıslak burger, a beef patty soaked in garlicky tomato sauce and steamed inside a soft white bun.

TryIslak hamburger (wet burger)

Şampiyon Kokoreç ★ 4.3

Şampiyon Kokoreç on Sahne Sokak, the 1962 Beyoğlu kokoreççi shaving spiced grilled lamb intestine into sandwich bread for the late-night Balık Pazarı crowd.

TryKokoreç (grilled lamb intestine)

Bambi Cafe Taksim ★ 3.6

Bambi Cafe at Taksim, an almost-all-night counter doing döner wraps with melted cheese, kumpir baked potatoes and Turkish hamburgers to the post-Beyoğlu.

TryLate-night döner wrap

Kızılkayalar ★ 3.9

Kızılkayalar at Taksim, the 1978 ıslak hamburger counter still selling under 80 lira for a steamed bun in garlicky tomato sauce, three for a meal.

TryIslak hamburger (wet burger)

Hayvore ★ 4.3

Hayvore off Istiklal, a Black Sea steam-table cooking hamsi pilav, muhlama and bean stews where a full lunch with pide and ayran lands under 300 lira.

TryBlack Sea steam-table lunch

Hayvore ★ 4.4

Hayvore off Istiklal, the Black Sea steam-table cooking corn-bread anchovies and smoky bean stews for whoever knows the side street. Located in Beyoğlu.

Why locals goLocals fill it for the Black Sea menu, tourists walk past for the larger Istiklal places ten metres away.

TipOrder the hamsi pilav and the muhlama; they only run while supplies last.

Antiochia ★ 4.4

Antiochia on a Beyoğlu side street, an Antakya (Hatay) kitchen plating southeastern grills and Levant mezze from a tight Asmalımescit address.

Why locals goTucked on a tight General Yazgan side-street in Asmalımescit, often walked past on the way to bigger meyhanes.

TipOrder the cevizli biber, the kunefe and the cag kebab together.

Mandabatmaz ★ 4.6

Mandabatmaz in Olivya Geçidi, a one-table Beyoğlu Turkish coffee bar running since 1967, the cup of foam so dense the buffalo doesn't sink. Family-friendly.

Why locals goTucked inside the Olivya Passage off Istiklal, easy to miss for anyone not looking for the unmarked alley.

TipOrder an orta-şekerli (medium-sweet) and stay for two; the kahveci will keep refilling water.

Pano Şarap Evi ★ 4.3

Pano Şarap Evi on Hamalbaşı, an 1898 Greek-Turkish wine house with a doorway-deep cellar and a Bozcaada bottle list nobody else pours. Located in Beyoğlu.

Why locals goTiny 1898 wine cellar on a Hamalbaşı side-lane that the Istiklal crowd walks straight past.

TipOrder the Bozcaada Çavuş with a cheese plate; the room only holds about thirty.

Privato Cafe ★ 4.3

Privato Cafe in Galata, a brick-walled brunch hall with all-day Turkish kahvaltı, mini gözleme and a side terrace that runs out the side of the Galata Tower.

OrderSpinach gözleme and the full serpme breakfast spread

Kızılkayalar ★ 4.1

Kızılkayalar at Taksim Square open until 03:00, the 1978 wet-burger counter that finishes a Beyoğlu rakı table with a steamed bun and garlic tomato sauce.

TryIslak hamburger (wet burger)

Bambi Cafe Taksim ★ 3.7

Bambi Cafe at the top of Sıraselviler, a 22-hour counter window doing döner wraps with melted cheese and kumpir baked potatoes until 05:00 most nights.

TryCheese-melted döner wrap

Şampiyon Kokoreç ★ 4.2

Şampiyon Kokoreç on Sahne Sokak, the 1962 Beyoğlu kokoreççi keeping its charcoal grill burning past midnight for the Balık Pazarı late-rakı crowd.

TryKokoreç sandwich

Tarihi Cumhuriyet Meyhanesi ★ 4.2

Tarihi Cumhuriyet Meyhanesi spread across three floors of Sahne Sokak, the rakı table running with fasıl singers and mezze rounds until 02:00.

TryRakı table with fasıl music

Saray Muhallebicisi ★ 4.0

Saray Muhallebicisi on Istiklal, the 1935 muhallebici keeping milk puddings, kazandibi and tavuk göğsü flowing for late Beyoğlu walkers until 02:00.

TryTavuk göğsü chicken-breast pudding

Klein Garten ★ 4.4

Klein Garten on Meşrutiyet Caddesi in Asmalımescit runs the sixth-floor sky-garden offshoot of the Klein electronic family, programming techno and house.

TipRestaurant service runs 18:00-20:00, then the room turns club until late. Summer season only; check the Klein Facebook for the next opening before going.

Salon İKSV ★ 4.6

Salon İKSV on Sadi Konuralp Caddesi in Şişhane is the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts performance venue, a 400-standing room hosting classical, jazz.

TipŞişhane Metro L2 is next door. Ticketed concerts only; book through the IKSV site. The room is small, sightlines from the seated rows are best.

Asmalı Cavit ★ 4.6

Asmalı Cavit on Asmalı Mescit Caddesi has run for over two decades as the Beyoğlu meyhane reference, with two floors of jammed tables and a meze tray of some fifteen small plates carried past on every round.

TipBook ahead Friday and Saturday; the meze tray arrives before you order. Raki and grilled anchovies are the canonical pair; music starts around 21:00.

Mikla ★ 4.7

Mikla on top of the Marmara Pera on Meşrutiyet Caddesi is the Mehmet Gürs rooftop restaurant and bar, holding a Michelin star since 2023 with cocktails.

TipBar from 18:00-02:00; the restaurant downstairs is the tasting-menu seat. Dinner reservations essential; bar takes walk-ins. Closed November to March.

360 Istanbul ★ 4.4

360 Istanbul on top of the 19th-century Mısır Apartmanı on İstiklal Caddesi runs a glass-walled penthouse with panoramic city views, Turkish meze fused.

TipLunch to late-night kitchen; the bar runs to 04:00 on weekends. Lift to the 8th floor through the apartment lobby. Book a window for the sunset rail.

Leb-i Derya ★ 4.3

Leb-i Derya on Kumbaracı Yokuşu off İstiklal Caddesi opened in 2002 as the original Beyoğlu rooftop concept, a sixth-floor apartment-building terrace looking.

TipLift to the 6th floor; the sign at street level is small. The terrace is the photo seat; book for sunset. Kitchen serves Mediterranean small plates to 22:30.

Şahika ★ 4.3

Şahika on Nevizade Sokak in Beyoğlu runs five floors stacked from a ground-floor pub through casual lounges to a techno-leaning rooftop terrace.

TipClimb to the rooftop for fresh air and Beyoğlu views; the techno floor is just below. The room peaks after midnight Thursday through Saturday.

Kiki ★ 4.2

Kiki on Sıraselviler Caddesi in Beyoğlu is the Burcu Denizer gastro pub running since 2009, known for house-vodka cocktails like the mastic and pomegranate.

TipWalk in for the bar; the back room turns club after midnight. Taksim Metro is a 5-minute walk. The apple martini is a regular order.

Tekyön Club ★ 4.5

Tekyön Club on Sıraselviler Caddesi in Cihangir has run for over 15 years as Istanbul's reference gay dance club, with drag shows on quieter weekdays.

TipOpen six nights, closed Monday. Doors after 23:00; Saturday is the peak set. Cash bar and card both accepted. Taksim Metro is three blocks.

Bigudi Club ★ 4.4

Bigudi Club on Bekar Sokak in Şehit Muhtar opened in December 2006 as Turkey's first exclusively lesbian venue, relocating in November 2024 to a fourth-floor.

TipFourth floor and rooftop; ring for the lift. The room is small, doors from 22:00. Taksim Metro is a 5-minute walk. Owner asks the door for queer-only entry.

Stay Club ★ 4.2

Stay Club on Sıraselviler Caddesi in Cihangir opened in 2020 as a two-storey gay club below the Riddim Club building, relocating to this Taksim-walkable.

TipFriday and Saturday only, doors 23:00-05:00. Three minutes from Taksim Square; Taksim Metro L2 is the closest stop. Cash bar moves faster than card.

Arsen Lüpen Taksim ★ 4.1

Arsen Lüpen on Mis Sokak off İstiklal Caddesi runs a rooftop late-night bar with live music, karaoke nights and an open-mic strand, a Beyoğlu fixture.

TipOpen until 05:00 most nights; happy hour 14:00-19:00. Mis Sokak is a left turn off İstiklal from Taksim. Cash bar runs faster than card.

The James Joyce Irish Pub ★ 4.1

The James Joyce on Balo Sokak off İstiklal Caddesi is Istanbul's original Irish pub, with Guinness on tap, live music every night of the week.

TipLive music every night; Friday and Saturday run to 04:00. Cash bar moves faster on big-match nights. Şişhane Metro is two blocks.

Munzur Cafe Bar ★ 4.3

Munzur Cafe Bar on Hasnun Galip Sokak off İstiklal Caddesi opened in 1992 as one of Turkey's first türkü bars, with nightly live Turkish folk by saz players.

TipLive music starts most nights around 21:00; the room sings along by midnight. Cash bar is fastest. Nearby Galip Dede ramp leads down to Galata.