Good to know
Good to Know
- Lokanta restaurants are Istanbul's backbone for affordable lunch dining—canteen-style with steam-tray counter service, no printed menu, and typical cost of 150–250 TL for a full meal.
- Street food represents genuine value and daily dining habit for locals, not a second choice: simit (20 TL), lahmacun (50–70 TL), kokoreç with ayran (around 250 TL).
- Best budget-eating neighborhoods: Eminönü waterfront, Kadıköy market streets, Fatih, Grand Bazaar surroundings—full satisfying meals available for 150–200 TL without sitting down.
- Turkish cuisine celebrates restraint and layered flavors—sumac, pomegranate molasses, yogurt as flavor anchor rather than mere garnish.
- Seasonal ingredients matter significantly in Turkish cuisine; ask servers what's fresh for best value and taste.
- Most popular vegan and vegetarian restaurants cluster in Beyoğlu, Beşiktaş, Kadıköy, and Nişantaşı; easily accessible for nomads.
- Pide houses (pideciler) offer excellent value: a topped pide costs 150–250 TL and is a filling meal.
- Turkish mezes—small plates—form the ritual foundation of meals and best enjoyed unhurried.
- Traditional restaurants specialize by genre (kebapçi for kebab, balikçi for fish by the Bosphorus, meyhane for raki and meze) per Ottoman chef guild legacy.
- Migros and CarrefourSA are most reliable supermarket chains for international products and consistent quality; delivery available via mobile apps from both.
- Online ordering via Yemeksepeti is the de facto standard for food delivery; available in English and accepts foreign cards.
Supermarkets
Migros
- Description
- Wide network across Istanbul (Sisli, Besiktas, Kadikoy, Bakirkoy); multiple store sizes (M, MM, MMM, 5M); offers fresh produce, meats, dairy, international brands, organic products, and delivery service.
CarrefourSA
- Description
- Prominent presence in Besiktas, Sisli, Fatih, Taksim, Kadikoy; ranges from small CarrefourSA Mini to large Hyper stores in shopping malls; good balance of quality and value.
A101
- Description
- Affordable staple grocery chain with wide network across Istanbul; focuses on basics, snacks, cleaning products, and Turkish tea at low prices.
BİM
- Description
- Largest discount supermarket chain in Turkey; rock-bottom prices, limited selection but covers all daily needs; popular with budget-conscious shoppers.
Metro
- Description
- Bulk-buy hypermarket chain with massive selection of Turkish and international products, strong meat and fish sections; warehouse-style format.
Budget
Daruzziyafe
- Price Range
- TRY 200
- Neighborhood
- Sultanahmet (Hoca Gıyasettin Mahallesi)
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Turkish home-style kebabs, stews, traditional dishes
Karakol Restaurant
- Price Range
- TRY 200
- Neighborhood
- Sultanahmet (Cankurtaran)
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Turkish kebab, manti, lahmacun
Saraykapı Sac Tava
- Price Range
- TRY 220
- Neighborhood
- Cumhuriyet
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Turkish kebab, sac tava
High End
Mikla
- Price Range
- TRY 8,250
- Neighborhood
- Beyoğlu (The Marmara Pera)
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Modern Turkish, tasting menu, dried beef, Iskenderun prawn
Nusr-Et Steakhouse
- Price Range
- TRY 1,200
- Neighborhood
- Levent-Maslak
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Premium steaks, expertly prepared grilled meats
Mid Range
Pandeli
- Price Range
- TRY 450
- Neighborhood
- Spice Bazaar (Eminönü)
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Traditional Ottoman dishes, fresh hamsi (anchovies), grilled fish, meze
Seven Hills Restaurant
- Price Range
- TRY 550
- Neighborhood
- Sultanahmet
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Turkish and seafood, Mediterranean cuisine, Hagia Sophia views
Mivan Restaurant Cafe
- Price Range
- TRY 400
- Neighborhood
- Eminönü
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Turkish kebap, menemen, adana kebab
Delivery Services
Yemeksepeti
- Notes
- Turkey's most popular food delivery app (over 10 million downloads); most extensive restaurant network; user-friendly interface; available in English; widely praised by expats and locals.
Getir Yemek
- Notes
- Very fast delivery service; popular for special campaigns and filtering options; 24/7 customer support; real-time courier tracking; operates in Istanbul.
Trendyol Yemek
- Notes
- Part of major Turkish e-commerce platform Trendyol; offers variety of restaurants; coupon campaigns; strong courier network.
FoodVibes
- Notes
- Leading Istanbul-based food delivery company; connects restaurants and online customers with focus on quick delivery.
Getir (Grocery)
- Notes
- Fast grocery and food delivery app; operates across Istanbul; known for incredibly rapid service; accepts foreign cards.
Banabi
- Notes
- Subsidiary of Yemeksepeti; focuses on quick grocery and food deliveries; wide range of products from snacks to full meals.
Istegelsin
- Notes
- Turkey's first online supermarket; operates in Istanbul, Ankara, Kocaeli, Bodrum; specializes in organic vegetables, fruits, meat, and dairy products.
Michelin Restaurants
Mikla
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Modern Turkish cuisine, tasting menu format
- Notes
- Located in The Marmara Pera hotel in Beyoğlu; reservations strongly recommended; considered one of Istanbul's best Michelin-starred establishments.
International Cuisine
Italian
- Venue
- Eataly (Zorlu Center)
- Notes
- Gourmet Italian market with cheeses, hams, wines, and freshly baked bread.
Middle Eastern & Egyptian
- Description
- Falafel, koshari, foul, and other traditional dishes available in several neighborhoods.
Asian (Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese)
- Description
- Growing availability of Asian cuisines in trendy neighborhoods like Cihangir and Nişantaşı.
Local Must Try Dishes
Iskender Kebab
- Description
- Thin slices of döner meat on pide bread, swimming in tomato sauce, yogurt, and sizzling hot butter.
Menemen
- Description
- Scrambled eggs with tomatoes, green peppers, and olive oil, best eaten straight from the pan with fresh bread.
Lahmacun
- Description
- Thin flatbread topped with minced meat, onions, tomatoes, and herbs; often called Turkish pizza.
Pide
- Description
- Oval-shaped Turkish flatbread with various toppings: cheese, egg, minced meat, spinach, or vegetables.
Manti
- Description
- Tiny dumplings filled with seasoned minced meat, served with garlicky yogurt and chili butter sauce.
Meze
- Description
- A series of small appetizer plates ranging from herb-based salads to grilled vegetables, foundational to Turkish meals.
Kokoreç
- Description
- Seasoned lamb offal cooked on a spit and served in flatbread; an adventurous local favorite.
Baklava
- Description
- Layers of filo pastry, nuts (pistachio or walnut), and syrup; fresher and flakier in Istanbul than abroad.
Künefe
- Description
- Crispy shredded pastry filled with melted cheese and soaked in syrup, served hot with pistachios.
Simit
- Description
- Braided round bread coated with sesame seeds; popular street snack with a crunchy exterior and soft interior.
Kestane
- Description
- Roasted chestnuts; a beloved Istanbul street food especially associated with winter, now available year-round.
Vegan Vegetarian Dining
- Description
- Istanbul has a growing plant-based dining scene, concentrated in neighborhoods like Beyoğlu, Beşiktaş, Kadıköy, and Nişantaşı. Turkish cuisine offers natural vegetarian foundations—olive-oil-based dishes, lentils, and vegetables—making vegan adaptation increasingly common.
Venues
Vegan Istanbul
- Price Range
- TRY 200
- Neighborhood
- Beyoğlu (Firuzağa, Türkgücü Caddesi)
- Cuisine Or Dish
- 100% vegan Turkish cuisine: vegan pide, lahmacun, manti, baklava, Turkish breakfast, kebab made from seitan
Kumin Vegan Lezzetler
- Price Range
- TRY 350
- Neighborhood
- Kadıköy (Rasimpasa)
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Seasonal creative vegan dishes: lentil shepherd's pie, mushroom kibbeh, gnocchi, raw desserts, high-quality ingredients
Basta! Neo Bistro
- Price Range
- TRY 600
- Neighborhood
- Kadıköy (Caddebostan)
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Fine dining vegetarian and vegan; Michelin-trained chefs blending Anatolian cooking with upscale technique
Lokanta No 19 Dining
- Price Range
- TRY 250
- Neighborhood
- Beyoğlu
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Daily fresh vegan and vegetarian dishes in lokanta (home-style) setting; rotating menu of vegetable stews, legumes, rice dishes, soups, salads
Vegan Food Regime
- Price Range
- TRY 200
- Neighborhood
- Beyoğlu
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Turkish and Asian vegan dishes: vegan menemen, burgers, doner wrap, falafel, seitan skewers
Pokémate
- Price Range
- TRY 250
- Neighborhood
- Nişantaşı
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Fresh poké bowls with extensive plant-forward options; build-your-own plates, modern and relaxed atmosphere
AI-generated estimateData refreshed September 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this food & dining research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
- 1.goatsontheroad.com
- 2.restaurantsistanbul.com
- 3.restaurantsistanbul.com
- 4.forbes.com
- 5.willflyforfood.net
- 6.happycow.net
- 7.yummyistanbul.com
- 8.thehopefulveganista.com
- 9.esim.holafly.com
- 10.istanbultouristpass.com
- 11.museumpass.istanbul
- 12.istanbulprivatetour.net
- 13.istanbul.tips
- 14.grandsirkeci.com
- 15.jcozyhomes.com
- 16.enatega.com
- 17.istanbulapartmentsforsale.com
- 18.vartur.com
- 19.istanbul.tips
- 20.getyourguide.com
- 21.almatar.com
- 22.thetourguy.com
- 23.whereandwander.com
- 24.turkeytravel.com
- 25.saveur.com
More About Istanbul
Data last updated September 2026 · Verify anything important.