6 cheap eats rooms in Istanbul, editor-picked. the best low-budget rooms in Istanbul — the places editors actually return to. All Istanbul food.
Hayvore ★ 4.4
beyoğlu · Turnacıbaşı Sokak No:4, 34433 Beyoğlu, İstanbul
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 to Galatasaray Lycée.
Tarihi Hocapaşa Pidecisi ★ 4.3
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
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
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.
Bahar Restaurant ★ 4.1
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.
Köfteci Ramiz ★ 3.7
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.