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Where to eat and drink in Galata & Beyoğlu: our local picks

Where to eat and drink in Galata & Beyoğlu: our local picks

By the Hancı Stay team — local recommendations from Galata · Updated October 2026
73 placesRestaurantsCafés & coffeeBars & nightlifeBakeries & dessertsBreakfastLocal classics across the cityChef's tables & fine diningJapanese & AsianBosphorus & sunsetRooftops & nightlife

Galata, Karaköy, Cihangir and Asmalımescit are some of the best neighbourhoods in Istanbul to eat and drink — and all of them are within walking distance of our apartments. These are the places we go to ourselves.

Restaurants

Sur Balık Cihangir 📍 Cihangir
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Sur Balık Cihangir

SeafoodMezeGreat view

Cozy spot with fresh seafood, tasty mezes and a great Bosphorus view from the hills of Cihangir.

📍 Directions
Fasuli Kurufasulye 📍 Karaköy★ Our favourite
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Fasuli Kurufasulye

Local classic

Famous for its kuru fasulye, the Turkish white-bean stew. Try the chef's plate, and do not skip the kavurma (slow-cooked meat).

📍 Directions
Antiochia 📍 Asmalımescit
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Antiochia

Kebab & grillLocal classic

Flavours from south-eastern Turkey — simple and delicious.

📍 Directions
Zübeyir Ocakbaşı 📍 Taksim
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Zübeyir Ocakbaşı

Kebab & grill

Grilled meats cooked over charcoal right in front of you.

📍 Directions
Mikla 📍 Asmalımescit★ Our favourite
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Mikla

Fine diningGreat view

Fine dining with an unbeatable Bosphorus view. Modern Anatolian cuisine.

📍 Directions
Yeni Lokanta 📍 Galata
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Yeni Lokanta

Modern Turkish

Innovative Turkish dishes in a cozy atmosphere.

📍 Directions
Karaköy Lokantası 📍 Karaköy★ Our favourite
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Karaköy Lokantası

Local classicMeze

An iconic spot for lunch or dinner — elegant yet traditional.

📍 Directions
Cuma 📍 Çukurcuma
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Cuma

Brunch

A hidden gem with seasonal and organic dishes.

📍 Directions
Aheste 📍 Asmalımescit
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Aheste

MezeWine

Meze culture reinvented, with a great wine list.

📍 Directions
Asmalı Cavit 📍 Asmalımescit★ Our favourite
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Asmalı Cavit

MezeLocal classic

An authentic meyhane experience. Go for rakı and meze.

📍 Directions
Kahve6 📍 Cihangir
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Kahve6

Breakfast

A cozy breakfast spot in the neighbourhood.

📍 Directions
Varuna Gezgin Cafe 📍 Galata
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Varuna Gezgin Cafe

Books

One of our neighbourhood favourites.

📍 Directions

Cafés & coffee

Mandabatmaz 📍 Asmalımescit★ Our favourite
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Mandabatmaz

Turkish coffee

The thickest and creamiest Turkish coffee in town.

📍 Directions
Petra Roasting Co. 📍 Şişhane
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Petra Roasting Co.

Specialty coffee

Modern coffeehouse with quality beans.

📍 Directions
FiLBooks 📍 Reşitpaşa
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FiLBooks

Books

A bookstore that is also a café — great for a relaxed afternoon.

📍 Directions
Federal Galata 📍 Galata
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Federal Galata

BrunchSpecialty coffee

Australian-style café with brunch options.

📍 Directions
Old Java Coffee Roasters 📍 Karaköy
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Old Java Coffee Roasters

Specialty coffee

Minimalist vibe and great espresso.

📍 Directions
Coffee Sapiens 📍 Karaköy
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Coffee Sapiens

Specialty coffee

Artisan coffee in an industrial-chic setting.

📍 Directions
Noir Pit 📍 Asmalımescit
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Noir Pit

Specialty coffeePhoto spot

An aesthetic spot for coffee lovers — and for Instagram.

📍 Directions

Bars & nightlife

Nardis Jazz Club 📍 Galata★ Our favourite
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Nardis Jazz Club

Live jazz

A great place for live jazz.

📍 Directions
Fiba Salon İKSV 📍 Şişhane
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Fiba Salon İKSV

Live music

Concert venue and bar for alternative music lovers.

📍 Directions
Ziba 📍 Beyoğlu
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Ziba

Cocktails

Trendy but relaxed, with a great crowd.

📍 Directions
Sensus Wine Boutique 📍 Galata
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Sensus Wine Boutique

Wine

A lovely boutique wine house.

📍 Directions

Bakeries & desserts

Karaköy Güllüoğlu 📍 Karaköy★ Our favourite
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Karaköy Güllüoğlu

Baklava

Istanbul's most famous baklava shop.

📍 Directions
Savoy Pastanesi 📍 Cihangir
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Savoy Pastanesi

Sweets

An old-school bakery with a cult following. Try the strawberry cake.

📍 Directions
Ali Muhiddin Hacı Bekir 📍 İstiklal
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Ali Muhiddin Hacı Bekir

SweetsHistory

The best Turkish delight in the city — from the oldest confectioner in Turkey.

📍 Directions
Viyana Kahvesi 📍 Galata
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Viyana Kahvesi

Sweets

European-style desserts.

📍 Directions

Breakfast

Van Kahvaltı Evi 📍 Cihangir
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Van Kahvaltı Evi

BreakfastLocal classic

A Cihangir favourite for a generous Van-style Turkish breakfast. Expect a queue at weekends.

📍 Directions
Kaktüs Cihangir 📍 Cihangir
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Kaktüs Cihangir

BreakfastLocal classic

A cosy corner café in Cihangir, loved for breakfast and people-watching.

📍 Directions
Kardeşler Kebap & Breakfast 📍 Cihangir
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Kardeşler Kebap & Breakfast

BreakfastKebab & grill

A neighbourhood spot in Cihangir for Turkish breakfast in the morning and kebabs later in the day.

📍 Directions
Çeşme Bazlama Kahvaltı 📍 Nişantaşı
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Çeşme Bazlama Kahvaltı

Breakfast

Village-style breakfast built around warm bazlama flatbread.

Espressolab Cihangir 📍 Cihangir
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Espressolab Cihangir

Specialty coffee

Turkish specialty-coffee chain, handy for a quick coffee in Cihangir.

Local classics across the city

Hacı Abdullah Lokantası 📍 Beyoğlu
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Hacı Abdullah Lokantası

Local classicHistory

An Ottoman-style lokanta just off İstiklal, open since 1888. Famous for slow-cooked dishes and fruit compotes.

📍 Directions
Baran Lahmacun 📍 Beyoğlu
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Baran Lahmacun

Kebab & grillLocal classic

Thin, crispy lahmacun and kebabs a short walk from İstiklal.

📍 Directions
Öztürkler Büfe 📍 Taksim
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Öztürkler Büfe

Street food

A classic Taksim büfe for a quick street-food bite.

📍 Directions
Hünkar 📍 Nişantaşı
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Hünkar

Local classic

Classic Turkish home cooking in Nişantaşı: Ottoman dishes and daily stews.

📍 Directions
Tatbak 📍 Nişantaşı
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Tatbak

Kebab & grillLocal classic

A long-running Nişantaşı address for pide and kebab.

📍 Directions
Çiya Sofrası 📍 Kadıköy
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Çiya Sofrası

Local classic

Regional Anatolian dishes by the Kadıköy market. Worth the ferry ride to the Asian side.

📍 Directions
Sıralı Kebap Etiler 📍 Etiler
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Sıralı Kebap Etiler

Kebab & grill

A popular kebab house on Etiler's main street.

📍 Directions
Etiler Kebapçı 📍 Etiler
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Etiler Kebapçı

Kebab & grill

Kebabs in Etiler, a good stop if you are spending the day on the Bosphorus side.

📍 Directions
Dönerci (Etiler) 📍 Etiler
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Dönerci (Etiler)

Kebab & grillStreet food

Döner on Nisbetiye Caddesi in Etiler: quick and filling.

📍 Directions

Chef's tables & fine dining

TURK Fatih Tutak 📍 Şişli
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TURK Fatih Tutak

Fine diningModern Turkish

Chef Fatih Tutak's tasting-menu restaurant, celebrated for modern Turkish cuisine. Book well ahead.

GALLADA by Fatih Tutak 📍 Karaköy
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GALLADA by Fatih Tutak

Fine diningGreat view

Fatih Tutak's restaurant at The Peninsula Istanbul in Karaköy, with Bosphorus views.

📍 Directions
Neolokal 📍 Karaköy
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Neolokal

Fine diningModern TurkishGreat view

Chef Maksut Aşkar's modern Anatolian cuisine inside SALT Galata, with Golden Horn views.

📍 Directions
Nicole 📍 Tomtom
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Nicole

Fine diningGreat view

A tasting-menu restaurant on a Tomtom rooftop, with views over the old city.

📍 Directions
Tuğra Restaurant 📍 Çırağan
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Tuğra Restaurant

Fine diningGreat viewHistory

Ottoman palace cuisine at Çırağan Palace, right on the Bosphorus.

📍 Directions
The Lobby 📍 Karaköy
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The Lobby

International

Elegant all-day dining at The Peninsula Istanbul in Karaköy.

📍 Directions
Cecconi's Istanbul 📍 Tepebaşı
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Cecconi's Istanbul

International

Italian brasserie at Soho House Istanbul, in a historic Pera palazzo.

📍 Directions
Spago Istanbul by Wolfgang Puck 📍 Nişantaşı
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Spago Istanbul by Wolfgang Puck

Fine diningInternational

Wolfgang Puck's restaurant at the St. Regis in Nişantaşı.

Da Mario 📍 Etiler
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Da Mario

International

A long-standing Italian in Etiler, known for pizza and pasta.

📍 Directions
Olden 1772 📍 Sirkeci
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Olden 1772

Local classic

A restaurant in Sirkeci, a short walk from the Spice Bazaar.

📍 Directions
Olden 1545 📍 İstanbul
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Olden 1545

Local classic

From our list of favourites. Ask us on WhatsApp for tips and directions.

Olea & Bar 📍 İstanbul
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Olea & Bar

International

From our list of favourites. Ask us on WhatsApp for tips and directions.

Japanese & Asian

Zuma Istanbul 📍 Ortaköy
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Zuma Istanbul

AsianGreat view

Contemporary Japanese izakaya-style dining by the Bosphorus.

Nobu Istanbul 📍 İstanbul
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Nobu Istanbul

Asian

Nobu Matsuhisa's Japanese cuisine with Peruvian touches.

ROKA Istanbul 📍 İstanbul
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ROKA Istanbul

Asian

Contemporary Japanese cooking around a robata grill.

Hakkasan Istanbul 📍 İstanbul
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Hakkasan Istanbul

Asian

Modern Cantonese cuisine in a stylish setting.

inari Omakase Kuruçeşme 📍 Kuruçeşme
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inari Omakase Kuruçeşme

AsianFine dining

Chef's-choice omakase sushi on the Bosphorus side.

inari Piku Etiler 📍 Etiler
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inari Piku Etiler

Asian

A more casual Japanese spot from the inari team in Etiler.

Sankai by Nagaya 📍 İstanbul
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Sankai by Nagaya

AsianFine dining

Japanese dining with chef-led menus.

Sakhalin İstanbul 📍 Levazım
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Sakhalin İstanbul

Seafood

A seafood-focused restaurant on the Beşiktaş side.

📍 Directions
Dragon Restaurant 📍 Bebek
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Dragon Restaurant

Asian

Chinese cuisine, a long-time favourite with Istanbul locals.

Bosphorus & sunset

Sur Balık Arnavutköy 📍 Arnavutköy
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Sur Balık Arnavutköy

SeafoodMezeGreat view

The Bosphorus branch of Sur Balık: fresh fish and meze by the water.

📍 Directions
Arnavutköy Balıkçısı 📍 Yeniköy
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Arnavutköy Balıkçısı

SeafoodGreat view

A classic fish restaurant on the Bosphorus shore.

📍 Directions
Sunset Grill & Bar 📍 Ulus
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Sunset Grill & Bar

Great viewFine dining

A hilltop restaurant in Ulus with sweeping Bosphorus views. Best at sunset, as the name says.

📍 Directions
Lokma 📍 Rumelihisarı
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Lokma

Great view

A relaxed spot by the water in Rumelihisarı.

📍 Directions
Lucca 📍 Bebek
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Lucca

CocktailsNightlife

Bebek's classic bar-restaurant, buzzing in the evenings.

📍 Directions
Azure The Bosphorus 📍 Fındıklı
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Azure The Bosphorus

Great view

From our list of favourites. Ask us on WhatsApp for tips and directions.

📍 Directions

Rooftops & nightlife

360 Istanbul 📍 İstiklal
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360 Istanbul

RooftopGreat viewNightlife

A rooftop bar-restaurant on İstiklal with 360° city views.

📍 Directions
16 Roof 📍 Maçka
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16 Roof

RooftopGreat viewCocktails

A rooftop bar at the Swissôtel with views over the Bosphorus and the old city.

Vogue Restaurant & Bar 📍 Akaretler
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Vogue Restaurant & Bar

RooftopGreat view

A long-running rooftop restaurant and bar in Akaretler with Bosphorus views.

📍 Directions
Pixi Istanbul 📍 İstanbul
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Pixi Istanbul

Nightlife

From our list of favourites. Ask us on WhatsApp for tips and directions.

Lulu Hookah Lounge 📍 İstanbul
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Lulu Hookah Lounge

Nightlife

A hookah lounge for a relaxed evening.

Photo credits appear on each photo. Map pins: © OpenStreetMap contributors.

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