Found this gem of a place on Happy Cow after spending a few days in Istanbul. Turkey is a pretty…read moremeat heavy culture, but you can seek out some good veggies places. This is one of them. It is a little hole in the wall place, but they serve up a traditional flavorful dish a bit like seitan basically. You can get it in a wrap and if you are staying somewhere can take a box home for fairly cheap. Also be sure to check out nearby Parsifal. This is a simple sit down affordable place that is 100 percent vegetarian and has many vegan options. The menu labels what is vegetarian and what is vegan making ordering easy.

Zencefil which means "ginger" in English is located Istiklal street area and it is one of the few…read morevegetarian restaurants in Istanbul. I have been going to Zencefil for years but last time I was there was about 4-5 years ago. The restaurants has been keeping its style, quality for many years. Even the menu looks like the same except for a few new dishes depending on the season. There are several kinds of vegetable quiches such as eggplant, spinach, etc. The nice think is that before the meal they serve butter mixed with herbs accompanied with bread. There were two kinds of bread; with corn flour and whole wheat. However, the bread could be better, I didn't like the whole wheat bread. I can make batter breads and I am wondering why they do not make their own bread adding different kinds of herbs and vegetables. Although it is a vegetarian restaurant, there one or two chicken dishes on the menu. Since there wasn't so much change on the menu for years, I have already tried most dishes which were OK. I mean the tastes are nice, not heavenly but you know that all of them are healthy. This time I had warm served Aegean stew made of artichokes, faba beans and black-eyed beans. It was so light and tasty, I really like it. I had homemade ginger ale for a drink but frankly saying I didn't like it maybe because I am used to Canadian dry or other brands. But I recommend its lemonade with ginger. I hope they add more experimental vegetable recipes on the menu next time. At the end of the meal they always serve coriander and some dry herb to refreshen the breath which I really like. Lastly, the ambiance is nice, bright, colorful and the place is mostly full of young people and tourists during lunch hours. The service is not bad but I wish they smile more...

Good place for a meal! Bit touristy, but food is good. They open till late so it's a good place to…read moregrab a meal. We ordered ayran (cold, savory yogurt drink), babel special, and a mixed meze plate so we could try as much food as possible.

It was fine not great. There was a lot of salad with some of the mains which was nice. My issue…read moremight be that I prefer the seasonings in North African or Lebanese versions of similar dishes. Beer list is mediocre and

Walking distance from our hotel and we had to try it. We were seated right away. Tables were really…read moresmall and the place seemed crowded to begin with. Had to pay for our own water. The pizza were a bit salty but it go well with the spicy olive oil! Drinks were not amazing but it was good and cute presentation! Over all, a 6 out of 10.

Trendy restaurant away from the craziness of Istiklal Ave with a welcoming atmosphere…read more I went for the basics and ordered an arugula salad and a Margarita pizza. Both were ok. While the prosciutto, dried tomatoes and walnuts were a great addition to the arugula, the salad was drowned in vinegar and buried under a disproportionate amount of cheese. As for the pizza, it was plain and the sparsely sprinkled fresh basil, barely-there tomato sauce or not-no-spicy olive oil did not really stand a chance against all the cheese. The service was very friendly and I liked the atmosphere sitting in a comfy chair tucked away in a corner upstairs. This place offers breakfast and is a coffee hangout during the day. Prices are very reasonable.

Charming cafe with a very relaxed atmosphere despite it being super close to a busy area. Food is…read morealways great.

Great atmosphere, decor and celebrity status as the local hangout of famous photographer, Ara…read moreGüler. Food is generally ok, coffee (6,5TL) and cake (13TL) are a little mediocre. Service is not very personal.

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.

One of my favorite restaurants of the trip. We split the 8 mezze platter, minced beef kabob, and…read moreminced beef flatbread. The flavors were all outstanding. I wish I had more room to just keep ordering and eating.

It's a 7/10 place and definitely not go out of your way or go the next day again kinda place. It's…read morecute, seemingly family run, tight space but efficient with outdoor seating also. Adana kababs were decent, Urfa didn't have much flavor for me. I just had the most wonderful Adana kababs in Adiyaman and was expecting Istanbul to top or atleast match that but it didn't. Atleast not this spot. And it's $450/kabab. People seem to like this place as 5 star but honestly I wouldn't give it more than 3.5. You decide for yourself.

This is a small family run restaurant with excellent kebabs and durum. The meal begins with a free…read moreplate if warm oily toasted pita and garlicky hummus or vegetables. The Adana durum is made with crunchy pita wrapped around ground meat, spices and vegetables served with a few seared peppers and tomatoes. it's a good value, too. Somewhere I saw someone say it was overpriced. No way.

We are a family of Persian Americans visiting Istanbul and wanted authentic Persian food and this…read morewas the best place! Great food, service and atmosphere! I highly recommended!

So glad we found this restaurant. It serves great Persian food & service in a beautiful and clean…read morerestaurant. This is our third time in Istanbul and we loved this place so much that we came back for 5 meals out of our 8 days here. It reminds me of my families home cooking when I was a kid.

The secret is out! This restaurant used to be a local favorite and it was a hidden gem. Now the…read moresecret is out. Everyone knows how delicious the potato pancakes and the shish kebabs are. Their sample platter is filled with various samples of the local cuisine and a must try for any traveler. I need to mention the potato leek pancakes again. They were my favorite. Come share in the not-so-secret secret!

Amazing food with great atmosphere. I love restaurants where people sit on the streets drink, eat…read moreand have fun in the process. This was a great example. We tired few dishes the best was the egg plant with minced meat and rice. Very similar to middle astern Musaka. There was a Turkish street singer on the next table which med the atmosphere even more enjoyable. Service was great and very friendly staff. I would definitely recommend and would come here again next time I'm in Istanbul

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.

We had an EXCELLENT homemade lunch on our last day in beautiful Istanbul! Wish we had found Privato…read moresooner!! Ate delicious gozleme and a sumptuous platter of tender grilled chicken and and array of sides. Coffee was the best we had, the atmosphere was so cozy and service friendly and aiming to please.

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!