8 casual dining worth the trip across Turkey, editor-ranked by TableJourney. All Turkey guides.
Karaköy Güllüoğlu ★ 4.7 · Istanbul
karaköy · Kemankeş Karamustafa Paşa Mah., Rıhtım Caddesi No:3-4, 34425 Beyoğlu, İstanbul
Karaköy Güllüoğlu has rolled phyllo baklava since 1949 at one Rıhtım Caddesi counter near Galataport, Nadir Güllü's pistachio version the canonical Istanbul reference.
Tarihi Hocapaşa Pidecisi ★ 4.3 · Istanbul
eminönü · Hocapaşa Sokak No:19, Sirkeci, 34112 Fatih, İstanbul
Tarihi Hocapaşa Pidecisi off the Sirkeci side-streets, pulling kıymalı and kuşbaşılı pide from a wood oven since the 1960s for the lunchtime suit crowd.
Tarihi Sultanahmet Köftecisi Selim Usta ★ 4.2 · Istanbul
sultanahmet · Alemdar Mah., Divanyolu Caddesi No:12, 34110 Fatih, İstanbul
Tarihi Sultanahmet Köftecisi Selim Usta on Divanyolu, the 1920 original now run by the fourth generation, still grilling its flat charcoal köfte beside piyaz beans.
Borsam Taşfırın ★ 4.2 · Istanbul
kadıköy · Caferağa Mah., Serasker Caddesi No:78, 34710 Kadıköy, İstanbul
Borsam Taşfırın in Kadıköy, a stone-oven lahmacun and pide salon running since 1968 with a counter line that turns over every five minutes at lunch.
Hafız Mustafa 1864 ★ 4.2 · Istanbul
eminönü · Hobyar Mah., Hamidiye Caddesi No:84, 34112 Fatih, İstanbul
Hafız Mustafa 1864 on Hamidiye Caddesi, the original Sultan Abdülaziz-era candy shop at the Eminönü viaduct, now a multi-floor stop for baklava, lokum and Turkish delight.
Bahar Restaurant ★ 4.1 · Istanbul
fatih · Beyazıt Mah., Çarşıkapı Nuruosmaniye Caddesi, Yağcı Han No:13, 34126 Fatih, İstanbul
Bahar Restaurant tucked inside a Grand Bazaar han off the Nuruosmaniye gate, an esnaf lokanta serving stews and pilav to the bazaar's working merchants until they sell out by 14:00.
Pandeli Lokantası ★ 3.9 · Istanbul
eminönü · Rüstem Paşa Mah., Mısır Çarşısı No:1, 34116 Fatih, İstanbul
Pandeli above the Spice Bazaar gates, the 1901 blue-tiled Bib Gourmand lunch room still cooking Ottoman dolma and courgette-flower fritters into the Eminönü afternoon.
Köfteci Ramiz ★ 3.7 · Istanbul
beyoğlu · Hüseyinağa Mah., İstiklal Caddesi No:85/B, 34435 Beyoğlu, İstanbul
Köfteci Ramiz on Istiklal, the 1928-founded Tekirdağ-köfte chain whose Beyoğlu branch keeps the original menu of grilled patties, piyaz beans and ayran for late-night Beyoğlu walkers.