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    Lezzet-i Şark

    4.7 (17 reviews)
    ModerateTurkish, Kebab
    Closed • 8:30 am - 10:00 pm

    Lezzet-i Şark Photos

    LEZZET-I ŞARK ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Good for kids
    Outdoor seating

    Recommended Reviews - Lezzet-i Şark

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    esther h.

    This is the only restaurant that we visited more than once during our stay in Istanbul. The lamb soup, beef soup, kebab, and the cheese dessert were all yummy! On our third day in Istanbul the weather took a sharp turn and it was cold rainy and stormy. The lamb soup really hit the spot. Beef soup and lamb soup actually share the same soup base just different type of meat. They serve leafy green (arugula), lemon wedges, and pita bread on the side. And they accept Apple Pay! Highly recommended!

    Delicious and hearty lamb soup!
    Jennifer H.

    This place is so great we came here twice during our trip to Istanbul! Our first time was for breakfast. We came early and didn't realize their full menu wasn't available yet. We got the lamb soup, which was so savory, rich, and thick. They provide bread and leafy greens as the perfect companions for the hearty soup. I'll have to say this soup was probably one of my favorite meals when visiting Istanbul. The second time we came here was for lunch the day we left Istanbul. I ordered the Urfa kebab, and my friend ordered the kunefe dessert. The kebab was delicious and had a spicy kick. Each time, the service was super fast and friendly. Highly recommend this place if you are close to the Spice Bazaar.

    12 TL for 4 of these yummy golden delights (Icli Kotfe)
    Ryan M.

    This place is located in the Spice market. I decided to stop in because i saw a picture of one of the things that i wanted to try while in Turkey; Icli Kofte, ground bulgar wheat stuffed with spiced meat and deep fried. Anything fried has to be good right? I didn't know how to pronounce it so i just pointed to the picture. there were 4 of them for 12 TL ($6 US) They looked delicious; crispy deep golden brown color shell. Inside was soft tender and packed with spices but not chili pepper hot. Very delicious and my favorite thing to eat on the whole trip. You can find them all over istanbul in sit down type restaurants not so much the bufe shops which are more like take out places. Rule of thumb for tipping, if its a sit down type place, and they give you bread with your meal then you should probably leave 10% (if they don't add the 5% service charge), if they add the 5% service charge then you don't need to tip. If they don't give you bread and its more of a finger food on the go type thing then no need either.

    Inside
    Bob M.

    What a find! Yes, a "Hole in the Wall" place outside the Egyptian Bazaar/Spice Market. It was Outstanding. We highly recommend the "Kunefe" a Cheese dessert covered with Pistachios that they are making at the front of this restaurant. Not to be missed. Everything here is Delicious

    Fresh Künefe with turkish tea.
    William L.

    Had their künefe with turkish tea. Oh so wonderful. It's all freshly made and eating here in the midst of the spice Bazaar busyness is one kind of experience!

    Sheep tongue and cheek soup, and an order of Icli kofte.

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    11 months ago

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    13 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Loved the food. Unlike the U.S. all their meat is always fresh and never frozen. Always cooked to perfection.

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    7 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    7 years ago

    The food was very good and service was fast. You have to try their dessert- the kunefe, it's a must!! My family and I loved it!

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    10 years ago

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    14 years ago

    Loved this joint. Funky, and very good, and friendly. Sweet folks too. Ask for their recommendations.

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    Lezzet-i Şark Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Lezzet-i Şark

    “Beef soup and lamb soup actually share the same soup base just different type of meat.”

    Mentioned in 3 reviews

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    Sultan Mehmet - Lady making fresh pies and bread

    Sultan Mehmet

    3.8(9 reviews)
    1.2 km•Alemdar, Cankurtaran Mh., Cankurtaran
    •₺₺

    We were looking around in the area (close to the Sultanahmet Square) for a restaurant to dine at…read more There's plenty on this street, we checked out menu-s and prices and we settled on Sultan Mehmet because of their menu - specialized in traditional Turkish food, smaller menu - not a hodgepodge podge of pasta, chicken schnitzel and local dishes. Prices are more reasonable, the decor is cute, modern, with a traditional take. It does help to see the lady making pies and baking pita bread from the outside window and a prep bar full of fresh ingredients- meats prepared for kebabs, fresh vegetables and mezze-s. It was never crowded, but they had just enough customers around to have a lively atmosphere. We sat at a lower table where you can sit on pillows on the floor for a genuine experience. We didn't know we had to take our shoes off upon entering the area and got a tad scolded, we weren't trying to be disrespectful. After a day of walking and exploring it was nice to take them off and sit comfortably on pillows. Staff is nice, some speak English, I also learnt a few basic words and expressions and it helped communication. We got fresh squeezed Pomegranate juice (they don't serve alcohol here), shared a mixed filling pie (minced beef, spinach, feta cheese) which was warm, delicious, made on the spot by the lady and also shared a beef kebab portion. Plenty of food, fresh, full of flavors, nicely cooked. We finished with a traditional Apple tea inspired by our French next table neighbors. We enjoyed the restaurant, the food, the comfort, the coziness so much that we came here for dinner the next 2 nights - don't laugh! We were eager to try other dishes we notices people around us ordered. Also it was close enough to our hotel. Next night we got their mezze-s - you have to try the platter, even veggies you might not like/love on the platter you will finish, they taste so good, nicely marinated and infused with various herbs. Don't love mushrooms, but how they prepared them, with dill on top, they were amazing! We got a bit swindled in getting the big Kofta kebab platter, but boy it was sooo good, that we ended up finish it since we shared everything! They also got us some fresh pita bread just made by the lady next to us! We tried their mixed juice of fresh squeezed orange and pomegranate, pretty good! Our third was had a simpler menu - feta cheese pie and chicken kebab, smaller portion. We liked the waiter we had that nice the best, nice, chatty, he recommended us a Turkish soda which was fun to try, their version of Sprite. Service is not fast, but attentive and we wanted a slower pace to take it all in. They accept credit cards as well! Nice atmosphere, fresh traditional food, great respite after a day of exploring. It was nice to sit on the comfy pillows, watch the street life, the food they were making, neighbor people from various countries, all in for the Turkish dinner experience!

    They messed up our order about 4 times, bringing out completely different things that we never…read moreordered. First off, we sat for 20 minutes before anyone came up to us and we ordered 2 plates of urfa (no spicy) kebabs and a chicken shish kebab all of them with normal rice (the only one who really spoke English said they had rice but it would take about 10 minutes to make which we agreed to). The first round of dishes they brought to us was an urfa kebab and chicken wings; 1 right : 1 wrong. 10 minutes later the brought us 2 plates of kebab and we took what they told us was an urfa kebab, it was not but we kept it anyways because it didn't matter; 1 right : 3 wrong. Finally, after a total of us sitting there for over 40 minutes, our final and correct dish came. The overall service was very slow and very disorganized. We had to repeat our order multiple times to the guy who could speak English. The food was good but the overall service doesn't make it worth it since we spent an hour and a half at this place. A thing to note to anyone who wants to visit because of the floor tables, don't. We went during the summer when it was pretty hot and in order to sit at the floor tables you have to take your shoes off so after a while the place starts to smell of feet. Overall, if I ever went back to Turkey I would skip this place in favor for something else nearby. Okay food but bad service and a not so pleasant foot smell.

    Photos
    Sultan Mehmet - Inside

    Inside

    Sultan Mehmet - Prep bar

    Prep bar

    Sultan Mehmet - Apple tea, great!

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    Apple tea, great!

    Tarihi Sultanahmet Köftecisi Selim Usta - Corba, Seasonal and Bean Salads, Köfte

    Tarihi Sultanahmet Köftecisi Selim Usta

    4.1(102 reviews)
    1.2 km•Binbirdirek Mh., Alemdar, Cankurtaran
    •₺₺

    I am trying this restaurant because around this town this restaurant this is a famous one. It is…read moreknown for its meatballs. That don't looks like round lol. They are so famous here that the menu has them listed as the only main thing and everything else listed is a side dish or dessert. The Turkish meatballs were good. They come around with a red spicy sauce you can add to it. They had a nice taste to them. I got French fries and rice as a side. I loved the rice. The fries were different for me. It was a different type of potato that I had never had. It was good. The service was crazy fast. The staff is none stop moving. They come around to refresh things. They clean tables right away. It was impressive. It is a good thing that they do because the line for this place is long. It wraps around the restaurant. It's a must try place. I am glad I did

    After a morning spent exploring the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sofia, our hungry family was thrilled to…read morefind this restaurant a stone's throw away from these iconic landmarks. The menu is minimalistic but makes up for its simplicity in the flavor it brings. Service is very fast and as with all things in Istanbul, very courteous. We tried the Izgara kofte and the Lamb Shish Kebap, a side of Corba (lentil soup), seasonal salad, some pickled peppers and a round of Ayran to wash it all down. And wrapped up the meal with the Semolina Halwa and Baked Rice Pudding to share. Delicious. Highly recommend!!

    Photos
    Tarihi Sultanahmet Köftecisi Selim Usta
    Tarihi Sultanahmet Köftecisi Selim Usta - Complimentary drinks and bread

    Complimentary drinks and bread

    Tarihi Sultanahmet Köftecisi Selim Usta - Outside

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    Outside

    Dürümzade - Delicious Adana Kebab. Moist and flavorful meat with a crispy wrap.

    Dürümzade

    4.6(128 reviews)
    2.1 km•Kamer Hatun, Hüseyinağa Mh., Kalyoncu Kulluk, Beyoğlu
    •₺

    Mega hyped because of the Anthony Bourdain connection. I've been in Istanbul for over a month, and…read moreevery time I have visited the place has been completely packed with tourists. Many of the reviews mention the good service, but my experience has been a little different. Every time I've visited here, I felt very uncomfortable and I don't find it welcoming. They still have an enormous amount of tourist business because of the Bourdain connection, and people seem to come here almost as a pilgrimage. The food itself is very good, but honestly, it isn't significantly better than some of the other places nearby. There are several restaurants in the area serving good kebap. Overall, glad I tried it because of the Bourdain connection, but for me, the hype is much bigger than the experience.

    Our first food here in Turkey. Welcoming staff. Sweet waiter that took our order very promptly…read more Restaurant appears small from the outside, but actually has a second floor with more seating. Very clean bathrooms were a bonus downstairs also. Food was served quickly with an excellent portion size. I ordered the beef wrap and fries with a Pepsi. It was supposed to have been a small lunch, but was actually very filling. I will say the meat could've used a sauce. Something to cut all the grease that it was covered in. I did try someone else's chicken and it was even more in need of a flavorful sauce. That being said, it is served with ketchup and mayonnaise, which is familiar to us, but not the sauce I had in mind. Overall though, great first stop.

    Photos
    Dürümzade
    Dürümzade
    Dürümzade - The Durumzade best Food in Istanbul cooked over coals.

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    The Durumzade best Food in Istanbul cooked over coals.

    The Khorasani - Lamb on Traditional Cooking Tray

    The Khorasani

    4.2(44 reviews)
    1.1 km•Alemdar Mh., Alemdar
    •₺₺

    So delicious! Great service and a nice welcome, too. The mixed grill was absolutely wonderful. And…read moreI love how they serve the fresh bread....it's all puffy and then magically deflates as it cools. The patio is wonderful and they have a nicely decorated interior dining room with a Byzantine theme, as well as an open kitchen and grill where you can watch them cook the delicious kebabs and meats. They offered us a delicious baklava and ice cream as a "free" dessert. Plus the prices are not bad, considering it's in such a touristic area. It's about half what I paid at some other places. Service is great. The food is very fresh. Highly recommend if you are in Fatih or nearby in the Sultanahmet area.

    The Khorasani was a restaurant chosen by our guide during our day tour around Istanbul…read more The space felt open and breezy even though we sat inside and I loved that they had air conditioning. I did feel like the salad with chicken I ordered was incredibly meat heavy with very little salad and I didn't love that the bell peppers included aren't listed on the menu, but their hummus was mouthwateringly delicious. The service was prompt and the meal came with gratis baklava and ice cream as well as tea, but I didn't partake since we were walking so much. All in all, it was a good meal but definitely a bit different than expected from the menu.

    Photos
    The Khorasani - Nice restaurant and great service.

    Nice restaurant and great service.

    The Khorasani - Balloon ekmek

    Balloon ekmek

    The Khorasani - The bread that they bring to the table is the best part. It's all delicate and puffy and then magically deflates as it cools.

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    The bread that they bring to the table is the best part. It's all delicate and puffy and then magically deflates as it cools.

    Lezzet-i Şark - turkish - Updated October 2026

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