Istanbul for Foodies - Local's Guide to Food & Drink Spots on the European Side of Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul for Foodies - Local's Guide to Food & Drink Spots on the European Side of Istanbul, Turkey

Hungry in Istanbul
If you are traveling for food, and food is the first thing that you search for before your trip, this guide is for you! As a local from Istanbul, I collected my favorite food and drink spots located on the European side, in addition to the must-try food items. Although the majority of the places are located in famous neighborhoods such as Fatih (Historical Peninsula), Karakoy, Beyoglu, Besiktas, and Tarabya, sometimes you need to get away from the center to find the best food. This guide also covers these off-the-beaten-track locations. ⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️ The list contains the following sections: ✔️Breakfast 🍳🥯 ✔️Fine Dining 👩‍🍳⭐🍾 ✔️Kebab ✔️Authentic Turkish Cuisine & Street Food 🥘🌯🌭 ✔️Meyhaneler (Meze & Rakı Places) & Seafood Restaurants🐟🧊 ✔️Pubs/ Cocktail Bars/Wine House 🍷🍺🍸 ✔️International Cuisine 🍣🍱🍜 ✔️Traditional Sweets, Patisserie and Cafes 🍰🍨☕
Updated ago
15
Share

For my other guide covering the Asian Side, check here:

Breakfast

Özen Börekçisi
@hungryinistanbul
"Börek" is a must-try in Turkey. It is a pastry with layers of dough and generally has a savory filling (except Kürt or Küt Boregi which has powdered sugar on top). We enjoy börek throughout the day, but my preferrence is having them as a breakfast item. I highly recommend the one with ground meat, but if you do not eat meat the one with spinach and cheese is also divine. Do not forget to pair it with Turkish Tea!
Add to
Details
Boris'in Yeri
@hungryinistanbul
This humble breakfast spot prepares its own curd cream, yogurt, and butter with high-quality water buffalo milk since 1936. Beyti, the famous Kebab restaurant also gets its curd cream from here. You can start your day here with the curd cream, honey, and bread combo, and of course with some Turkish tea, before your historical peninsula visit. If you are craving some sweets, you can also taste the traditional dessert "Ekmek Kadayifi" which is a spongy cake with syrup, and served with curd cream.
Add to
Details
Dolmabahce Cafes
@hungryinistanbul
Just next to the famous Dolmabahçe Sarayı, here you can have a good breakfast with an awesome view. I can not say that the place is specialized in a certain menu item, but the food quality is quite good and the view of Bosphorus is excellent making this place an ideal breakfast spot before the Dolmabahce Palace visit. The entrance is a bit tricky, you need to enter the area where ticket booths are located, and then turn right to find the cafe (You do not need to purchase a ticket). You will not enter the main gate of the Dolmabahce Palace where they control the ticket. If you lose your way, show the staff the name of the place and they will help you to find it. Warning !! Just beware that there are a lot of seagulls that will be your guest throughout your breakfast. They appreciate it if you can share some "simit" with them, otherwise, they will be a bit proactive :)
Add to
Details

Buy to unlock full guide

Access all the local insights and recommendations from @hungryinistanbul when you purchase this guide.
5.0 (4 Ratings & Reviews)
"Because I like the way Hungry in Istanbul provides descriptions, comments & personal favourites for each recommendation. It is very helpful information and adds that personal touch."
Sep 2023
"It was great, but had a lot of fancy restaurants and i’m a budget traveller. Also, a few were way out of the way that i wouldn’t be able to get to in my short amount of time visiting."
"Super useful! Tons of great recs here that I used on my trip and many that I hope to go back to try next time!"
May 2024
Show more
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hungry in Istanbul
Hello! Merhaba! 🙋🏻‍♀️ I love food & traveling, and write about these topics on Medium: https://medium.com/@zezec I live on the Asian side, in Kadıköy-the cozy neighborhood with lots of pubs🍻and cats🐱. As a local from Istanbul, Turkey🇹🇷 I want to share with you the best places for food and drink. Although the majority of the places are located in famous neighborhoods such as Fatih (Historical Peninsula), Karakoy, Beyoglu, Besiktas, Kadikoy, and Prince Islands, sometimes you need to get away from the center to find the best food. My guides also cover these off-the-beaten-track locations. If you are traveling for food, and food is the first thing that you search for before your trip, my guides are for you! 🫒🫒🫒 Check my free guide about the "Food & Drink Spots in Prince Islands 🏖️" here: www.thatch.co/guide/1hvrdfboz0jsf/view 🫒🫒🫒 Check the links below for my other guides covering the European & Asian sides of Istanbul where I introduce you to the most delicious local bistros for tasting authentic Turkish food, meyhane (Turkish taverns serving "meze" 🍤 and "rakı" 🧊), pubs 🍺🍢, cocktail bars 🍸, and patisseries : Istanbul European Side: https://share.thatch.co/CjXp Istanbul Asian Side: www.thatch.co/guide/270onmb35bmse/view
What's included
Digital Map
Fully interactive, digital map for finding places nearby
51 places
51 hand-picked places with notes from the creator
2 extra guides
Access to additional guides curated by the creator.
1 link
1 link from the creator to go even deeper with more info
DESTINATION(S) COVERED
Fatih
Bakırköy
Arnavutköy
Şişli
Beşiktaş
Beyoğlu
İstanbul, Türkiye
Sarıyer/İstanbul, Türkiye
European Side, İstanbul, Türkiye
FOCUSES AND THEMES
Foodie
History
People & Culture
Romantic
Cafes
Luxury
Boutique
Budget
Slow Travel
Wine
Coffee
Format
Guide
Guides typically include detailed information and how-to’s about a destination as well as suggested places to try.
COMMON QUESTIONS
What is Thatch?
Thatch is an online marketplace that provides instant access to thousands of vetted local experts and premium travel guides - making it the easiest and most affordable way to take high quality trips with less stress. For travel creators (tastemakers, travel advisors, influencers and local experts) Thatch makes it easy to curate, publish, and sell digital travel guides, itineraries and personalized planning services.
What if I’m not satisfied with my purchase?
How do I access my purchased guides?
Can I access my guide offline?
How often are guides updated?
Can I request a personalized guide or itinerary?
Can I sell my own travel guides and itineraries?
Save for Later
Share
Powered by Thatch
The home for unique & authentic travel
Powered by Thatch: Where great trips are made.
© Hungry in Istanbul 2024 Help Privacy Terms Copyright Become a Seller Seller Academy About Careers Blog Explore Places