Neighbourhood guide · Istanbul, Türkiye
Karaköy
Below Galata on the water, Karaköy has turned from port and banking district into one of the city’s liveliest corners, with Galataport and Istanbul Modern on the Bosphorus.
About Karaköy
Cafés, galleries and restaurants fill the lanes; Karaköy Güllüoğlu is here, and the ferry piers link it with Kadıköy and the old city.
Where Karaköy is
Our 13 places in Karaköy
Restaurants in Karaköy
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Bib Gourmand (2026)
Karaköy Lokantası
A tiled, buzzing dining room by the Karaköy piers: home-style lokanta dishes at lunch, meze and rakı at night; a Bib Gourmand.
Kemankeş Mahallesi, Kemankeş Caddesi No:57, Karaköy, BeyoğluExplore View on map
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Fire and the Bosphorus
Mürver
Wood-fire cooking with Anatolian produce on a rooftop by the Karaköy shore, with Bosphorus views.
Novotel İstanbul Bosphorus, Kemankeş Caddesi No:57-59, Karaköy, BeyoğluExplore View on map
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One MICHELIN Star (2026)
Neolokal
Chef Maksut Aşkar’s modern Anatolian cooking in the SALT Galata building, with views over the Golden Horn; one MICHELIN Star and a Green Star.
Arap Camii Mahallesi, Bankalar Caddesi No:11/1, BeyoğluExplore View on map
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Bib Gourmand (2026)
Tershane
A modern Turkish restaurant on the eighth floor of a Karaköy hotel, with views over the Golden Horn; a Bib Gourmand.
Arap Cami Mahallesi, Tersane Caddesi No:24, Karaköy, Beyoğlu (Hotel Momento, 8th floor)Explore View on map
Cafés in Karaköy
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Baklava by the piers
Karaköy Güllüoğlu
The famous baklava house of Karaköy: pistachio baklava, börek and tea in a busy hall by the waterfront.
Kemankeş Caddesi No:67, Karaköy, BeyoğluExplore View on map
Bars & meyhanes in Karaköy
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A Karaköy favourite
Unter
A bistro and bar in the lanes of Karaköy, busy from brunch to late.
Karaali Kaptan Sokak No:4A, Karaköy, BeyoğluExplore View on map
See the full list: The Best Bars, Meyhanes & Rooftops in Istanbul
Hotels in Karaköy
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On the Karaköy waterfront
The Peninsula Istanbul
A luxury hotel on the Karaköy waterfront, opened in 2023 across restored historic buildings by Galataport.
Kemankeş Caddesi, Karaköy, BeyoğluExplore View on map
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A bank turned hotel
Vault Karaköy
A House Hotel in a grand former bank building on Bankalar Caddesi, with a rooftop terrace.
Bankalar Caddesi No:5, Karaköy, BeyoğluExplore View on map
See the full list: Where to Stay in Istanbul: The Best Luxury, Palace & Boutique Hotels
Arts & Culture in Karaköy
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Renzo Piano on the Bosphorus
Istanbul Modern
Turkey’s leading museum of modern and contemporary art, in a Renzo Piano building on the Bosphorus at Galataport, opened in 2023.
Kılıçali Paşa, Tophane İskele Caddesi No:1/1, BeyoğluExplore View on map
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Turkish painting at Galataport
Istanbul Museum of Painting and Sculpture
Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University’s collection of Turkish painting and sculpture, in a waterfront building at Galataport since 2021.
Galataport, Tophane, BeyoğluExplore View on map
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An Ottoman bank turned cultural centre
SALT Galata
Exhibitions, a research library and archives in the grand 19th-century Ottoman Bank building on Bankalar Caddesi.
Bankalar Caddesi No:11, Karaköy, BeyoğluExplore View on map
Hammams & spas in Karaköy
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Sinan’s restored masterpiece
Kılıç Ali Paşa Hamamı
Sinan’s hammam of the 1580s in Tophane, beautifully restored, with set hours for women and men.
Hamam Sokak, Tophane, BeyoğluExplore View on map
Shopping in Karaköy
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A promenade on the Bosphorus
Galataport
The waterfront cruise port and promenade at Karaköy and Tophane, with shops, cafés, Istanbul Modern and the Museum of Painting and Sculpture.
Kılıçali Paşa, Meclis-i Mebusan Caddesi, BeyoğluExplore View on map