This, my friends, are a good place!…read more We went here for lunch. Basically us and a lot of Turks. They had the menu in english so ordering were not a big issue. Really nice waiters as well. I ordered lamb roast with bulgur. Perfectly cooked, well balanced flavours. Even the Bulgur were delicious. We would have come back to this hidden gem if it weren't so far away from our hotel. The only downside were that the place had no air conditioning, so pretty hot. But hey. When in Turkey. I truly recommend this restaurant.

Great choice for a piece of traditional and rustic Turkish cuisine. If you are already tired of…read morekebabs and pide check this out to have a taste of dishes for the homesick Turks.

Wonderful authentic Turkish food from Antakya. Service was also solid, English speaking and good…read morewith talking through my girlfriend's allergies. We got the mezze plate with 8 different mezzes---the spicy yogurt was our favorite and it's very spicy. The bread they use is excellent, has some red spice on it that we all loved. For dinner got the lamb shish which was excellent, and the pera antakia kebab which was also very good. All around great, highly recommend

One of the absolute best we had it Istanbul. My husband and I did a couple Michelin restaurants in…read moreIstanbul including Turk Fatih Tutak and Sankai but I must say Pera Antakya was certainly our top pick in its category even next to our Michelin experiences. It was our most memorable experience given the food was just so authentic and good. We were pleasantly surprised because I had found Pera Antakya in my research when planning our trip and it was first on our list to try, we then discovered when we arrived at our hotel (The Westist) on our first night that Pera Antakya was right next door. We were shocked/surprised/thrilled all at the same time. As such, we had dinner here the first night we arrived in Istanbul and was blown away. We did the meze, the wrap, farmer's cheese, and the mixed grill plate all based on recommendations from who we believe was the owner. The hospitality was lovely, welcoming, but more so the food was incredibly memorable and we found ourselves wishing we had more time in Istanbul so we could come back and eat at Pera Antakya. We did a couple other highly rated restaurants in similar concept to Pera Antakya over the week we stayed in Istanbul and ultimately though food in Istanbul is generally good, we found Pera was still the best we had out of all them in the same category. In fact, if it was only one restaurant we could go back to and have another meal at or if I could only recommend one restaurant to eat at while you're in Istanbul--- it would be Pera Antakya. We were that impressed with this place. Do not miss it if you're in Istanbul!

Everything I ate here was utterly delicious and unique. The staff was lovely and so helpful. Their…read morerecommendation of what to order was spot on. I'm already craving a second visit.

Galata Kitchen is not a doner grill and it doesn't open onto a busy street with a big outdoor…read morepatio. After two days having some great meals in Istanbul of that type, we looked for something different. Not far from Galata Tower, GK is on a side street with little foot traffic. It has a big modern sign back off the street and one of the operators saw us hesitating where to enter and waved us in from the front entrance. Inside it has whimsical and funny decorations and serious books mounted on the wall, but is not atmospheric, more like a diner. BUT the food is displayed in a case, hot and cold entrees separated, so you can see what you are ordering. You pick what you want and they assemble your choices on a plate and bring it to the table. Hot entrees included chicken bites in a tomato sauce and chicken with onions, lamb stew and beef and plenty of salad and vegetable choices in the cold display case. The group of men running the place that night were low key but personable, answering our questions about food items and Turkish literature. Service was prompt but understated and helpful. Our group of four had a great time and the menu is diverse enough that everyone found choices that pleased them. But remember, we came in expecting something very good other than doner kebap and were not disappointed!

Although Faros Kebap isn't as authentic as other restaurants within the area, the food here was…read moredelicious! Coming from a vegetarian, I was appreciative of the fact that they had so many options for me - I really enjoyed the hummus, falafel, fries and pide. Had a super filling meal for quite the reasonable price.

Really descent food with lots of options. Portions were on par and didn't leave still hungry or…read moreoverly full. Beer was super cold !!

Had early dinner meal,had mixed grill and wraps,the chicken is really good ,lamb not…read morerecommended,the kefta is so,so and tiny.the garlic sauce is not good-just a hint of garlic. Hummus is okay,tabbouleh is good. Yogurt mint drink is good. Lemonade mint-will not order again. Area is clean,staffs were fast that one waiter asked at the end if we were done eating and grabbed our plates at the same time while my husband is finishing the hummus and meat. We were surprised and just laughed it off. I will only comeback for grilled chicken and yoghurt drink.

I ordered the plate that had chicken pulled off the skewer, 3 falafel patties, humus, tahini,…read moretabbouleh salad, pickles and pita bread. The chicken was perfectly cooked, with good flavor. Although the falafel patties were not as hot as I like them, they were still amazing. I'm not a fan of tabbouleh salad, so I can't really give an opinion on whether it was good. Given the quality of everything else, I'm guessing it was good. I did eat some of it. The people serving were very kind.

Excellent service, excellent food- The lentil soup is the absolute best , ever. Sude and Erdem are…read moreamazing. guys, if you read this, thank you so much for your hospitality and of course, the Lentil soup. Joey

Food: We ordered the traditional Turkish breakfast, and…read moreeverything tasted incredibly fresh. They source much of their ingredients from their own farm, and you can tell. The tomatoes were unbelievable, the walnuts were some of the best I've had, and every plate felt thoughtful and vibrant. It's the kind of breakfast that reminds you how simple food can be exceptional when the ingredients are high quality. Ambiance: Beautiful setting on a quiet street with a clear view of the historic Galata Tower in the background. The space is clean, cozy, and welcoming. It has that warm, tucked-away charm that makes you want to linger a bit longer. Location/Getting There: Be prepared: it's an intense uphill walk from the Karakoy Ferry Port. There is a cable metro that takes you up, so it's worth finding if you want to skip the climb. Once you're up there, the area is great and the walk becomes part of the experience. Reservations: We were able to go without any issue, but it's a popular spot. If you're planning a weekend visit, a reservation wouldn't hurt. Price: About $100 USD for four people. A bit on the pricey side, but worth it--especially considering how fresh everything is. Prices across Istanbul have gone up in general, and this felt fair for the quality. Service: A+. Friendly, attentive, and warm. I went with my cousin, who is a regular here, but even aside from that, the service was excellent. You can feel they take pride in what they do. Overall: Cafe Privato is a great find with amazing food, a charming atmosphere, and a unique location. Five stars all around and absolutely worth visiting. I highly recommend it.

When we dined here in April of 2025, this restaurant had re-branded to TERE This is an excellent…read morechoice for upscale atmosphere, high quality Turkish cuisine, and an excellent view of the Bosphorus. We were staying at the Intercontinental and walked about 8 mins to get there. White table cloths, we ordered more food than we could consume and bill was $120US including service. Note....everything we ordered could be shared between two people...keep in mind when placing your order. This is a great value and I can highly recommend

Topaz offers one of the most scenic dining experiences you can get in Istanbul! Come an hour before…read moresunset to make the most of the views and make a reservation for a table by the window. The menu has ample variety, offering both Turkish and Western dishes. Great cocktail selection as well.

Upon walking into the restaurant, you immediately embark upon a open-fire grill. The smoke coming…read morefrom it made me crave the not-yet-ordered grilled meats. For appetizer, my friend and I shared the mezze platter consisting of eight different spreads. It was a great choice because it let us try several different spreads. My favorites are the eggplant spread and the hummus. For grilled meats, we loved both the grilled filet mignon and the grilled chicken skewers. The meats have been aged and seasoned to perfection. It was the best meat we have had in Istanbul. You really can taste the difference between other inferiorly prepared meats. The meats come with grilled flatbread, which was delicious as well. For dessert, I had the best kunefe ever! I was so full at the end of the meal that I almost could not drink their sweet complimentary tea...almost. P.S. Warning: The long pepper that comes with the meats is extremely spicy. Don't say that nobody warned you.

Highly recommend for a traditional Turkish meal that is fresh and clean…read more We started with the mezze platter for two which had an array of different cold dips. Accompanied by fresh baked bread which was mildly crunchy on the outside but light and fluffy inside. Every item was full of wonderful flavors. For the main course we had the Tenderloin which was so soft and tasty.