33 of the best · Istanbul, Türkiye

31 of the Best Restaurants in Istanbul

From a lokanta lunch to a two-star tasting menu, these are the places to eat in Istanbul.

Our 33 favourites, listed A–Z · Updated October 2026

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Insiders' picks

Three of our favourites from this list, vetted by people who know and love Istanbul.

Two MICHELIN Stars (2026)

TURK Fatih Tutak

Bomonti·Modern Turkish·€€€€

Chef Fatih Tutak’s tasting menu reinterprets Turkish cooking and produce; two MICHELIN Stars and a Green Star in the 2026 guide.

Cumhuriyet, Hacıahmet Silahşör Caddesi, Yeniyol Sokak No:2, ŞişliExplore View on map
Bib Gourmand (2026)

Karaköy Lokantası

Karaköy·Lokanta & meze·€€

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
MICHELIN-selected (2026)

Tuğra Restaurant

Beşiktaş·Ottoman & Turkish·€€€€

The fine-dining restaurant of Çırağan Palace, with Ottoman and Turkish cuisine and terraces on the Bosphorus; in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide.

Çırağan Caddesi No:32, BeşiktaşExplore View on map

The full list: Restaurants, A–Z

Show 18 of 33 places on a map

The back story 2

The Istanbul table and the Bosphorus.

The back story

Meze, kebab and the lokanta: the Istanbul table, the back story

Istanbul·In depth: food

A city that has eaten from three continents for centuries: Ottoman palace kitchens, Anatolian kebabs, Aegean olive oil dishes, Black Sea fish and the humble lokanta, where lunch is ready and waiting.

Explore View on map
The back story

The best restaurants with a Bosphorus view: the back story

Bosphorus·In depth: food

Dinner on the Bosphorus is one of the great pleasures of Istanbul: the lights of the bridges, ships gliding past and two continents on either side of your table.

Explore View on map

Fine dining & MICHELIN stars 9

Distinctions quoted from the official 2026 MICHELIN Guide Türkiye.

MICHELIN-selected (2026)

Aheste

Beyoğlu·Modern Middle Eastern·€€€

A small, warm dining room in Asmalımescit with modern Turkish and Middle Eastern sharing plates; in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide.

Asmalı Mescit Mahallesi, Meşrutiyet Caddesi No:107/F, BeyoğluExplore View on map
One MICHELIN Star (2026), new

Araf

Kadıköy·Modern Turkish·€€€€

A tiny counter around an open fire on the Asian side, run by chefs Kenan Çetinkaya and Pınar Korgan Çetinkaya; Istanbul’s new MICHELIN Star in 2026.

19 Mayıs Mahallesi, Sümer Sokak, Sümko N Blok No:1, KadıköyExplore View on map
One MICHELIN Star (2026)

Araka

Yeniköy·Modern Turkish·€€€€

Vegetable-led, ingredient-focused cooking in Yeniköy on the upper Bosphorus; one MICHELIN Star.

Kapalı Bakkal Sokak No:8, Yeniköy, SarıyerExplore View on map
One MICHELIN Star (2026)

Arkestra

Etiler·Modern international·€€€€

A creative tasting menu in Etiler; one MICHELIN Star.

Etiler, Dilhayat Sokak No:28, BeşiktaşExplore View on map
Bib Gourmand (2026)

Foxy Nişantaşı

Nişantaşı·Asian-Turkish bistro·€€

A relaxed wine bistro with Asian-inspired small plates and natural wines; a Bib Gourmand in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide.

Harbiye, Mim Kemal Öke Caddesi No:1/D, ŞişliExplore View on map
One MICHELIN Star (2026)

Mikla

Beyoğlu·Modern Turkish·€€€€

A rooftop dining room with one of the great views of Istanbul, and Anatolian produce on a modern tasting menu; one MICHELIN Star.

Meşrutiyet Caddesi No:15, 18th floor, Tepebaşı, BeyoğluExplore View on map
One MICHELIN Star (2026)

Neolokal

Karaköy·Modern Turkish·€€€€

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
One MICHELIN Star (2026)

Nicole

Beyoğlu·Modern Mediterranean·€€€€

A tasting menu on the rooftop of Tomtom Suites, off İstiklal, with views over the Bosphorus; one MICHELIN Star.

Tomtom Kaptan Sokak No:18, BeyoğluExplore View on map
Two MICHELIN Stars (2026)

TURK Fatih Tutak

Bomonti·Modern Turkish·€€€€

Chef Fatih Tutak’s tasting menu reinterprets Turkish cooking and produce; two MICHELIN Stars and a Green Star in the 2026 guide.

Cumhuriyet, Hacıahmet Silahşör Caddesi, Yeniyol Sokak No:2, ŞişliExplore View on map

Bosphorus views 7

Dinner by the water.

On the Asian shore

Lacivert

Anadoluhisarı·Mediterranean & seafood·€€€€

A Mediterranean and seafood restaurant on the Asian shore at Anadoluhisarı, beside the Bosphorus near the second bridge.

Anadoluhisarı, BeykozExplore View on map
Bosphorus terrace

Lokanta Feriye

Ortaköy·Turkish & Ottoman·€€€€

Turkish and Ottoman-inspired cooking in the historic Feriye buildings on the Bosphorus shore, between Çırağan and Ortaköy.

Yıldız Mahallesi, Çırağan Caddesi No:44, BeşiktaşExplore View on map
Fire and the Bosphorus

Mürver

Karaköy·Wood-fired Turkish·€€€

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
MICHELIN-selected (2026)

Park Fora

Kuruçeşme·Fish & seafood·€€€€

A fish and seafood restaurant in the park at Kuruçeşme, right on the Bosphorus with the bridge in view; in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide.

Muallim Naci Caddesi No:54/A, Cemil Topuzlu Parkı, Kuruçeşme, BeşiktaşExplore View on map
One MICHELIN Star (2026)

Sankai by Nagaya

Bebek·Japanese·€€€€

Chef Yoshi Nagaya’s Japanese cooking with Turkish seafood, by the Bosphorus in Bebek; one MICHELIN Star.

Bebek, Cevdet Paşa Caddesi No:34, BeşiktaşExplore View on map
The view from Ulus

Sunset Grill & Bar

Ulus·International & sushi·€€€€

A long-running hilltop restaurant in Ulus Park with a panoramic terrace over the Bosphorus.

Kuruçeşme Mahallesi, Yol Sokak No:2, Ulus, BeşiktaşExplore View on map
MICHELIN-selected (2026)

Tuğra Restaurant

Beşiktaş·Ottoman & Turkish·€€€€

The fine-dining restaurant of Çırağan Palace, with Ottoman and Turkish cuisine and terraces on the Bosphorus; in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide.

Çırağan Caddesi No:32, BeşiktaşExplore View on map

Historic institutions & lokantas 9

Esnaf lokantası and Ottoman classics.

Bib Gourmand (2026)

Cuma

Çukurcuma·Modern Turkish·€€

A relaxed café-restaurant in the antiques quarter of Çukurcuma, with seasonal dishes; a Bib Gourmand.

Firuzağa Mahallesi, Çukur Cuma Caddesi No:53/A, BeyoğluExplore View on map
An Ottoman banquet

Deraliye

Sultanahmet·Ottoman palace cuisine·€€€

An Ottoman-cuisine restaurant on Ticarethane Sokak near Hagia Sophia, with recipes from the sultans’ kitchens.

Ticarethane Sokak, Alemdar, FatihExplore View on map
A classic of Nişantaşı

Hünkar

Nişantaşı·Lokanta·€€

A classic Istanbul lokanta in Nişantaşı: home-style stews, vegetables and the dish it is named after, hünkar beğendi.

Mim Kemal Öke Caddesi No:21, Nişantaşı, ŞişliExplore View on map
Bib Gourmand (2026)

Karaköy Lokantası

Karaköy·Lokanta & meze·€€

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
In an 18th-century hammam

Lokanta 1741

Cağaloğlu·Turkish & Ottoman·€€€

A restaurant inside the 1741 Cağaloğlu Hamamı, a few minutes from Hagia Sophia; listed by the MICHELIN Guide.

Alemdar Mahallesi, Profesör Kazım İsmail Gürkan Caddesi No:34, Cağaloğlu Hamamı, FatihExplore View on map
Recipes from the palace kitchens

Matbah

Sultanahmet·Ottoman palace cuisine·€€€

Ottoman palace recipes revived in Sultanahmet, a short walk from Hagia Sophia.

Caferiye Sokak, Sultanahmet, FatihExplore View on map
Bib Gourmand (2026)

Pandeli

Eminönü·Ottoman & Turkish·€€€

A historic restaurant upstairs in the Spice Bazaar gate, in blue-tiled rooms; a Bib Gourmand.

Rüstempaşa Mahallesi, Balık Pazarı Kapısı Sokağı No:1/2, Mısır Çarşısı, Eminönü, FatihExplore View on map
Bib Gourmand (2026)

Tershane

Karaköy·Modern Turkish·€€

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
Anatolian classics, reimagined

Yeni Lokanta

Beyoğlu·Modern Turkish·€€€

Modern Turkish cooking on Kumbaracı Yokuşu, between Galata and İstiklal, with Anatolian ingredients.

Kumbaracı Yokuşu No:66, BeyoğluExplore View on map

Kebabs, pide & regional 4

From every corner of Anatolia.

All of Anatolia on one counter

Çiya Sofrası

Kadıköy·Anatolian regional·€€

Musa Dağdeviren’s celebrated restaurant in the Kadıköy market, cooking forgotten regional dishes from across Anatolia.

Güneşlibahçe Sokak No:43, KadıköyExplore View on map
Pide from the oven

Fatih Damak Pide

Fatih·Pide·€

Long, boat-shaped pide from a wood-fired oven, near the Fatih Mosque.

Haydar Bey Caddesi, FatihExplore View on map
Kebabs above Eminönü

Hamdi

Eminönü·Kebab·€€

A big, busy kebab restaurant by the Spice Bazaar, with a top-floor terrace over the Golden Horn.

Eminönü, FatihExplore View on map
MICHELIN-selected (2026)

Khorasani

Sultanahmet·Kebab & south-eastern·€€

Kebabs and south-eastern Turkish dishes cooked over charcoal in Sultanahmet; in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide.

Alemdar Mahallesi, Ticarethane Sokak No:9/B, FatihExplore View on map

Fish & meze 2

By the sea walls.

Fish in an old wooden house

Balıkçı Sabahattin

Cankurtaran·Fish·€€€

A much-loved fish restaurant in a wooden house in Cankurtaran, below Sultanahmet, with tables spilling into the lane.

Şehit Hasan Kuyu Sokak No:1, Cankurtaran, FatihExplore View on map
MICHELIN-selected (2026)

Giritli

Cankurtaran·Cretan & Aegean meze·€€€

A set menu of Cretan-style meze and fish in a garden house in Cankurtaran, below the Blue Mosque; in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide.

Yenigüvey Sokak No:9, Cankurtaran, FatihExplore View on map

Price guide per person, without drinks: € budget, €€ moderate, €€€ upmarket, €€€€ top end. MICHELIN distinctions quoted from the official 2026 MICHELIN Guide Türkiye.