Best Restaurants in Turkey 2026

İskender Kebab

Thin slices of döner over flatbread topped with tomato sauce, browned butter poured tableside, and yogurt on the side. The original and best version is in Bursa where the Iskender family invented it in 1867.

Where to try: Bursa (original), Istanbul kebab restaurants

Price: $12-20

Meze Selection

A spread of cold and hot appetizers forming a meal in itself — tarama (roe paste), haydari (yogurt-herb), patlıcan (eggplant), arnavut ciğeri (Albanian liver), sigara böreği (cigarette-shaped filo pastry), and more. The foundation of meyhane culture.

Where to try: Meyhanes (taverns), seafood restaurants throughout Turkey

Price: $15-30 for selection

Balık Ekmek

Grilled mackerel in crusty bread with onion and lettuce — Istanbul's iconic street food served from brightly painted boats at Galata Bridge in Eminönü. Best eaten on the waterfront watching ferries cross the Golden Horn.

Where to try: Eminönü fish boats, Galata Bridge

Price: $3-4

Simit

Circular sesame-crusted bread ring — Turkey's most democratic food, eaten by everyone from street workers to businessmen. Fresh from the round red cart, still warm and crunchy. Best with tea and white cheese.

Where to try: Red Simitçi carts throughout Turkey, all day

Price: $0.50

Kumpir

Massive baked potato loaded with customizable toppings at Ortaköy Square — choose from cheese, corn, olives, sausage, pickles, mushrooms, and 20 more options mashed into the butter-softened potato. A Turkish street food mountain.

Where to try: Ortaköy Square waterfront, Istanbul

Price: $4-6

Baklava

Turkey's most famous pastry — paper-thin phyllo sheets layered with ground pistachios or walnuts, soaked in syrup. Gaziantep (Antep) is the baklava capital; Karaköy Güllüoğlu in Istanbul is world-famous. Best eaten the day it's made.

Where to try: Karaköy Güllüoğlu, Hafız Mustafa, Gaziantep specialists

Price: $3-8 per portion

Mikla

Celebrated rooftop restaurant on 18th floor of Marmara Pera with panoramic Istanbul views. Chef Mehmet Gürs creates innovative dishes blending Anatolian ingredients with Nordic techniques. Michelin-recommended with exceptional wine list.

Meşrutiyet Cd. No:15, 34430 Beyoğlu/Istanbul

Ciya Sofrası

Legendary Kadıköy restaurant showcasing forgotten Anatolian recipes from across Turkey. Daily-changing menu features rare regional dishes, incredible variety of mezes, and authentic flavors. No reservations - arrive early.

Caferağa Mahallesi, Güneşlibahçe Sk. No:43, 34710 Kadıköy/Istanbul

Durumzade

Legendary late-night durum (wrap) spot in Beyoğlu serving massive portions. Lines form after midnight for their famous lamb durum with perfect seasoning. Cash only, outdoor seating.

Kamer Hatun Cd. No:26/A, 34435 Beyoğlu/Istanbul

Balık Ekmek Boats Eminönü

Iconic bobbing boats selling fresh grilled mackerel sandwiches to crowds on the dock. Istanbul's most famous street food - simple but delicious fish in bread with onions and lettuce. Eat standing at waterfront.

Eminönü waterfront, various boats

Mandabatmaz

Legendary tiny coffee shop in Beyoğlu serving possibly Istanbul's best Turkish coffee since 1967. Rich, thick, perfectly prepared. Only seats about 10 people. Name means 'buffalo wouldn't sink' - referring to coffee's thickness.

Olivia Geçidi No:1/A, 34433 Beyoğlu/Istanbul

Sunset Grill & Bar

Sophisticated hilltop restaurant with breathtaking Bosphorus panoramas. Premium sushi bar, grilled meats, and fusion cuisine served in elegant setting. Popular with Istanbul's elite and sunset cocktails on the terrace.

Adnan Saygun Cd. Yol Sk. No:2, 34340 Ulus/Istanbul

Hamdi Restaurant

Famous for authentic southeastern kebabs with spectacular Golden Horn terrace views. Specializes in Urfa and Gaziantep cuisine with perfectly grilled lamb. Multiple floors with panoramic windows.

Kalçın Sk. No:17, 34134 Eminönü/Istanbul

Tarihi Sultanahmet Köftecisi

Famous since 1920 for simple grilled meatballs, beans, and salad. No-frills setting, quick service, and locals queuing. The köfte benchmark in Istanbul - nothing fancy but perfectly executed.

Divanyolu Cd. No:12, 34122 Sultanahmet/Istanbul

Midye Dolma (Stuffed Mussels)

Rice-stuffed mussels sold from carts by the dozen — squeeze lemon, pop in mouth, hand shell back for recount. Istanbul's most beloved street snack, concentrated around Eminönü and Istiklal Avenue. Check freshness by avoiding vendors with slow turnover.

Find it at: Eminönü docks, Istiklal Avenue, Karaköy

Kokoreç

Seasoned lamb intestines roasted on spit and chopped finely with tomatoes, oregano, and cumin in bread. Turkey's most controversial street food with devoted fans. The definitive late-night eating after a night out in Istanbul.

Find it at: Beyoğlu (multiple vendors near Taksim), Kadıköy

Gözleme

Thin Turkish flatbread filled with cheese, spinach, meat, or potato fillings and griddled to crispy perfection. Watch village women roll and cook these at markets and tourist sites throughout Turkey.

Find it at: Grand Bazaar, village markets, Spice Bazaar area

Çiğ Köfte

Spicy bulgur-based mixture shaped into balls and wrapped in lettuce with pomegranate sauce and lemon — originally raw lamb but now vegetarian. Ubiquitous fast food chain throughout Turkey.

Find it at: Öncü and Bolu Lokman chains throughout Turkey

Spice Bazaar (Mısır Çarşısı)

Istanbul's atmospheric covered market built in 1660 with colorful pyramids of spices, Turkish delight, dried fruits, nuts, and traditional foods. A sensory explosion of cumin, saffron, and rose water. Sample Turkish delight before buying.

Hours: 8AM-7:30PM daily

Kadıköy Market (Çarşısı)

Istanbul's finest local food market on the Asian side with specialist cheese, olive, pickle, and fresh fish shops alongside excellent street food. Far less touristy and more authentic than bazaars on European side.

Hours: 7AM-8PM daily

Grand Bazaar Food Section

The inner streets of the Grand Bazaar have excellent traditional food shops selling dried fruits, nuts, spices, and lokum at competitive prices if you bargain. Look for Bedesten inner section.

Hours: 8:30AM-7PM Monday-Saturday