Where to Eat in Istanbul: 12 Iconic Veg-Friendly Spots
Heading to Istanbul and hoping you’ll be able to find some good, tasty, local, vegetarian food?
Well, it’s not actually going to be as difficult as you may think.
When I picture what I consider to be Turkish food, it’s all kebabs and fish sandwiches. And while that definitely is the case here in Istanbul, it’s not all like that. There are loads of naturally vegetarian options including main meals, snacks, breakfast, drinks, desserts. A little bit of everything.
So on our last visit to Istanbul (we have been three times now), we decided that we weren’t going to do all the tourist stuff; we weren’t going to do ‘things’.
In true foodie style, we decided to just eat. We marked a load of uniquely Turkish dishes, iconic restaurants, quirky spots, a friend’s recs, and a couple of (our favourite) Mark Wiens’ finds, and off we trotted.
Where to eat in Istanbul, then? Which spots were actually good?
In no particular order, these ones below👇
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1. Limon Kahvaltı Evi
What to Order: Muhlama and their Limon Mixed Breakfast
Turkish breakfast in many spots in Istanbul has been very much commercialised and touristified (definitely not a word, but you get it). This place feels proper, it feels local, and homely.
Limon Kahvaltı Evi’s Turkish breakfast spread has Van Kurdish regional specialities such as punchy and herby Van cheese, kavut (a walnut, butter, flour, honey paste) and murtaga (a flour and egg paste).
You’ll also find the more common additions such as several other cheeses, tomato, cucumber, olives, eggs, jams, fried dough, muhammara, classic bal-kaymak (honey and clotted cream that is the absolute star of any Turkish breakfast spread).
Oh, and there is unlimited tea which is pretty much a necessity for a big old breakfast spread like this.
But alongside all of the small dishes, I cannot recommend enough that you order yourself the Turkish Black Sea Region classic of muhlama. It’s a big bowl of essentially cheese fondue – cheese, butter and some cornflour. It has the most insane cheese pull you have ever seen. Check out our reel on Instagram (please don’t ask me how you’re meant to eat it. The reel definitely shows you that I have zero idea!)
2. Cihangir Tarihi Simit Fırını
What to Order: Cheesy Simit
This bakery feels like you have quite literally stepped back in time. It really does not feel like it has changed since then, and yes, it has been around since 1920!
It’s a tiny local spot with almost no space inside, except for the huge traditional oven and shelves of breads and pastries and sweets. Outside along the road is seating, but this is only any good if the weather is nice.
I am pretty confident that anything you buy from here will be delicious, but our eyes were drawn straight to the simit. And I hear you – simit is everywhere in Istanbul. BUT not like this one.
The classic simit round bagel-style dough also has a layer dough in the centre, which then has cheese topped to it before baking. Yes, this is a cheesy simit almost pizza, and it’s the perfect snack paired with a cup of çay.
3. Kurufasülyeci Ali Baba
📍Süleymaniye, Prof. Sıddık Sami Onar Cd. No:7
What to Order: Meşhur Kuru Fasülye and Tereyağli Pilav
Now this place did feel a little more touristy than any of our other spots, but it’s placed right by Süleymaniye Mosque so it kind of makes sense. The entire street beside the mosque has restaurants serving up what is actually Türkiye’s national dish and ultimate comfort food (I was shocked it wasn’t some form of meat on a stick too!).
And even more shocking, the beans are actually vegan. Kuru fasülye is essentially spiced Turkish baked beans. Soft and creamy, gently spiced, warming and definitely comforting. Served with the classic buttered rice (or some bread if you are vegan), this really is beautiful and hearty.
4. Vefa Bozacisi
What to Order: Boza
Ok, now this place blew my mind and boza itself blew my mind even further. Like, I was shocked at how unbelievably tasty boza is. So to start with, the boza spot has been around since 1876, it looks beautiful and historical from the outside. And inside has shelves of old brown bottles, a classic wooden bar and plenty of seating.
Apparently the trick is to our order your boza and a bag of crispy chickpeas. Mix them together in the cup and eat with a spoon.
But what is boza? I read up on it beforehand and, I’m not going to lie, I didn’t really have high expectations. It’s a thick drink made from fermented grains. ‘Fermented’ and ‘grains’ didn’t get me too excited and actually made me think we’d be getting the funky and sour taste of Kyrgyz maksym (IYKYK).
But no. I could not have been more wrong. It tastes almost exactly like stewed apple and was even topped with cinnamon. It literally tastes like apple crumble/strudel/pie in a cup even though there is zero apple in it, and it’s actually healthy. Mind blown. Honestly, if you only have time to try one thing on this list, make it this.
5. Buuzecedi Restaurant
📍Akşemsettin, Akşemsettin Cd. No:6A
What to Order: Falafel, Hummus, Tamari
The tastiest falafel and hummus you’ll find in Istanbul. Is that too big and bold a statement? Honestly, no.
The Fatih neighbourhood in Istanbul has a huge Syrian community and they know falafel and hummus. Buuzecedi’s falafel is beautifully crisp without being dry, it’s tasty and herby and perfectly seasoned.
And the hummus is like actual butter. Smooth and creamy, topped with delicious olive oil and whole chickpeas, and served up with chewy flatbreads and a plate of pickles; this was one of our favourite meals in Istanbul.
The restaurant is cute and small and local and just serves up bloody good food. And if you have space for something sweet, get yourself the tamari. We had never heard of it before, but the guys there told us that it is a classic sweet that you get all over Syria.
It is a sweet pancake filled with sour and sticky pomegranate molasses, creamy tahini, and topped with sesame seeds. Stunning.
6. Göreme Muhallebicisi
What to Order: Fırın Sütlaç and Vişneli Ekmek Kadayıfı
Another proper local spot, Göreme Muhallebicisi serves up some delicious desserts and pastries. It’s a little out of the main centre of Istanbul, but it is absolutely worth the walk up to Bomonti, and it’s arguably one of my favourite areas of the capital because it is so non-touristy.
The guys who run this place are so lovely and friendly! Grab yourself the classic Turkish sütlaç – this baked and cooled rice pudding is sweet and creamy and has a chewy charred top. And if you have space (or if not you should make space regardless), try the vişneli ekmek kadayıfı.
We had never heard of it before but our waiter recommended it to us, so of course we went for it. And wow, it’s bloody good. It kind of reminded me of like a syrupy cherry bread and butter pudding (hence the ekmek in the name). But not like artificial candied cherries, we’re talking proper juicy fresh cherries that have been cooked into it. Lovely jubbly.
7. Marul Handmade Çiğ Köfte
📍Caferağa, Dr. İhsan Ünlüer Sk. No:9A
What to Order: Çiğ Köfte and Ayran
This pretty hipster spot in Moda serves up the classic vegan çiğ köfte in many different forms. Even just going for the classic, you’re going to get the good stuff.
Çiğ köfte is a vegan dish of a spiced bulgur wheat paste, often served in a thin bread with salad and pomegranate molasses, but can also be served by itself. It is hefty and filling and again, fully vegan.
If you aren’t vegan and want to go for the full experience, grab yourself a traditional ayran to have with it. This Turkish fermented milk/yoghurt drink is salty and sour and a great combination with the punchy çiğ köfte.
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8. Lades Menemen
📍Mahallesi, Katip Mustafa Çelebi, Sadri Alışık Sk. 11/12
What to Order: Menemen and Çay
The place for menemen. And trust me when I say you can definitely do one portion for two people!
Just off a small side road of the famous Istiklal Avenue, this menemen spot serves up several different varieties of menemen in big old portions alongside a loaf of nice crusty bread.
Menemen is a classic Turkish breakfast dish of eggs scrambled with tomatoes and it’s dead sloppy. If you get the egg ick, be careful with this dish!
The veg options are the standard egg and tomato, or one topped with cheese. And the egg comes unseasoned so you can add your own preference of salt, black pepper and chilli to it.
8. Mandabatmaz
📍Asmalı Mescit, Olivya Gç. 1/A
What to Order: Turkish Coffee
My absolute favourite spot for proper Turkish coffee. Another place hidden down a little side street off of Istiklal Avenue, the coffee is delicious. So much so that we walked back there on our last day in Istanbul to buy some of the coffee to take home with us! It’s a tiny place with a load of tiny tables and stools outside, and that in itself is enough indication that this is proper.
9. Kuveloğlu Han da Tarihi Pide Fırını
📍Kıble Çeşme Caddesi Tesviyeci Sokak Kuveloglu İş Hani No:1
What to Order: Pide and Şalgam
This is somewhere where you are quite literally stepping back into the times of the ancient Silk Road. Set inside an old han (or caravanserai where weary traders and merchants used to park up their horses or camels and rest for the night), this place really is historic, rough around the edges, and has absolute no frills.
They exclusively serve pide, which is often referred to as Turkish pizza. It is a flat boat shaped bread topped with cheese and various other toppings.
And if you’re felling adventurous, order yourself a şalgam – it’s unique and I actually really loved it. Chris wasn’t so much of a fan. It is a drink made of pickled carrots/turnips and it’s sour and salty and spicy.
Now, sour, salty and spicy aren’t usually descriptors I would use for my favourite drinks, but it actually really works with the cheesy pide and leaves a warm glow in your mouth after.
10. Kismet Muhallebicisi
📍Demirtaş, Küçük Pazar Cd. No:54
What to Order: Kunafe
This spot was recommended to me by my Instagram bestie who is the biggest fan of Istanbul that you could meet, expert photographer and fellow foodie Prathi Muralidhara.
If you have only left enough space for one dessert, this is the spot. It’s a small and local spot that serves up classic Turkish sweets, and their kunafe is to die for.
It’s cooked up fresh to-order, so you’ll get an individual kunafe instead of a slab out of an already-made tray. Kunafe is a sweet and savoury dessert with a layer of chewy, stringy cheese, topped with crispy crunchy noodle style pastry and drenched in syrup. Cheese, pastry and syrup really works, I promise!
And a couple of curveballs…
11. Galaktion
📍Asmalı Mescit, Şehbender Sk., 34430
What to Order: Cheese Khinkali, Lobio, and Borjomi
Absolutely not Turkish, this is a Georgian restaurant. And if you’re anything like us and you need to get your khinkali fix in, head here. This rooftop restaurant serves up delicious cheese khinkali (Georgian dumplings), lobio (a spiced bean stew), and the classic Borjomi sparkling water.
Interested by Georgian cuisine? It’s actually naturally very vegetarian and vegan friendly, and we’ve written a lot about it!
12. Crumpet London
What to Order: Northcote Road Crumpet
Who would have thought that you could find a proper crumpet joint in Istanbul run by a London lad?
Well, that’s exactly what this place is, and for us Brits who crave crumpets dripping in butter and Marmite, as well as beans on toast, this is THE place (I will not tolerate any Marmite or baked beans bashing. If you don’t appreciate them, well, you’re just wrong 😉).
And if you don’t know about the Great British crumpet, it’s a savoury cake with a spongy chewy texture and signature bubbly holes on top which are absolutely perfect for capturing all the melted butter.
Crumpet London exclusively serves crumpets with various toppings including sweet and savoury. You can order yourself the classic crumpet just with butter, or go for the Northcote Road (our recommendation) which has butter, cheese, baked beans and a poached egg! Wow.
Where to Base Yourself in Istanbul
It depends on what you’re looking for on your visit to Istanbul.
You’re here for a weekend and want to be in a good location for all the classic sights – find your accommodation in Sultanahmet.
You’re looking to be a little further out of the city, slightly less expensive and quieter, stay in Balat. This is where we based ourselves and we loved it!
You want to be in the thick of it all; restaurants, bars, shops, cafes, head to Karakoy.
You’re looking for a more authentic experience living near the locals, head to Kadikoy or Uskudar.
What’s Next?
We’ll definitely be heading back to Istanbul to keep this foodie list growing! Please let us know if there are any of your favourite spots we’re missing.
We’ve also put together a guide on Turkish vegetarian food to keep an eye out for, and unique Turkish drinks.
And if you feel like you’ve got the foodie side sorted, check out our post on unique things to do in Istanbul away from the tourist crowds.
Looking for more tips on Türkiye?
These posts will help you out planning your trip!:
- Travel Tips for Türkiye: 10 Actually Useful Things to Know
- 23 Unique Things to Do in Istanbul
- Istanbul Transport Card | Istanbulkart: Your Complete Guide
- The Ultimate Guide to the Full Turkish Breakfast (plus the best places to eat!)
- Turkish Vegetarian Food: 20 Dishes You Have to Try
- How to Drink Turkish Coffee & Decipher the Coffee Menu!
- 8 Tasty Turkish Drinks You Need to Try
- Things to Do in Türkiye: 12 Best Spots for Your Itinerary
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