Karaköy Lokantası ★ 4.5
The teal-tiled Karaköy Lokantası, Bib Gourmand listed in the Michelin Guide, runs an Ottoman-leaning lunch lokanta downstairs and a meyhane upstairs at night.
OrderLakerda, Hünkar beğendi, Lamb shank
Marinated lamb or beef layered onto a vertical spit, slow-cooked beside charcoal until the outer layer crisps, sliced thin into bread or onto rice with yoghurt and grilled tomato.
Döner kebab was invented in 19th-century Bursa by Iskender Efendi's grandfather, who turned the horizontal grilled kebab vertical to capture rendering fat. The Istanbul cooks refined the technique through the 20th century: today the canonical Istanbul döner uses thinly sliced and pounded lamb leg layered with fat between sheets, marinated in onion juice, milk and spice. Tarihi Sultanahmet Köftecisi, Çiya Kebap and the Karaköy Lokantası lineup all serve the city's reference döner.
3 editor picks for Döner kebab in Istanbul, ranked by editorial score. All Istanbul signature dishes · Döner kebab across every city.
Çiya Kebap ★ 4.4
Çiya Kebap, the original 1987 sister to Çiya Sofrası on the opposite side of Güneşlibahçe in Kadıköy market, fires kebabs, lahmacun and pide from a single.
OrderPistachio kebap, Lahmacun, Pide
Tarihi Sultanahmet Köftecisi ★ 4.1
Tarihi Sultanahmet Köftecisi on Divanyolu, the 1920 charcoal-grill counter still building the canonical Istanbul köfte plate of flat patties.
OrderKöfte plate with piyaz
Learn to cook it, or eat it with a guide
Döner kebab makes more sense with someone from Istanbul explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.
Taste Döner kebab with a local in Istanbul
This dish
2 hours
Istanbul: Turkish Pizza and Kebab Cook & Taste with a Chef
Master the art of authentic Turkish Pizza (Lahmacun) and Kebab with a pro chef in Old City, Istanbul. A hands-on, flavorful journey from kitchen to table with Bosphoru...
from$51 Check dates
This dish
2 hours
Istanbul: Döner & Tandoor Bread Making Experience with Meal
Savor the taste of traditional Anatolian döner and tandoor bread. Watch as your bread is baked fresh to order and see the döner being sliced and served fresh from the spit.
from$17 Check dates
Guided tour · 3 hours
Istanbul: Kadikoy Food Tour with 12+ Delicacies Tastings
Savor authentic Turkish dishes in vibrant Kadıköy. From lahmacun to menemen, coffee, and wine, discover the flavors, history, and traditions that make Istanbul a true ...
from$108 Check dates