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Authentic in Istanbul

43 places to explore

Karaköy Lokantası Restaurant
Karaköy Lokantası - Restaurant in Karaköy, Istanbul
Editor's Pick
Restaurant
Classic Authentic Lively
$$$

The turquoise-tiled Karaköy institution, lokanta by day, meyhane by night, Bib Gourmand 2026.

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Hatay Restaurant 1967 Restaurant
Hatay Restaurant 1967 - Restaurant in Bağdat Caddesi, Istanbul
Editor's Pick
Restaurant
Historic Authentic Local Favorite

Hatay Restaurant 1967

Bağdat Caddesi

$$$

The corridor's literary meyhane, keeping a guest-book tradition since 1967.

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O Maestros Restaurant
O Maestros - Restaurant in Arnavutköy, Istanbul
Editor's Pick
Restaurant
Authentic Romantic Lively

O Maestros

Arnavutköy

$$$

Authentic Greek taverna with Bosphorus views and Thessaloniki flavors

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Maziden Meyhane Restaurant
Maziden Meyhane - Restaurant in Bostancı, Istanbul
Restaurant
Nostalgic Authentic Late Night

Maziden Meyhane

Bostancı

$$

Nostalgic meyhane in Bostancı with honest mezes and late-night raki culture

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Benusen Restaurant
Benusen - Restaurant in Kadıköy, Istanbul
Restaurant
Historic Authentic Local Favorite

Benusen

Kadıköy

$$

The çarşı's oldest working meyhane, pouring since 1974, topik in the case and fasıl kept upstairs.

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Maşuk Devr-i Meyhane Restaurant
Maşuk Devr-i Meyhane - Restaurant in Kadıköy, Istanbul
Restaurant
Authentic Intimate Nostalgic
$$$

A three-storey mansion off Kadıköy's beaten track, meze-first, with a garden of old Turkish records.

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Moshonis Balıkçısı Restaurant
Moshonis Balıkçısı - Restaurant in Bağdat Caddesi, Istanbul
Restaurant
Authentic Kitchen Led Local Favorite

Moshonis Balıkçısı

Bağdat Caddesi

$$$

Chef İsmail's Cunda-Greek fish house at the Kızıltoprak end of the Cadde, the corridor's rakı-balık default.

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Radika Restaurant
Radika - Restaurant in Koşuyolu, Istanbul
Restaurant
Authentic Local Favorite Intimate

Radika

Koşuyolu

$$$

Koşuyolu's Aegean meyhane, a proper meze cabinet and a neighborhood that keeps it to itself.

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Şaşkın Balık Efkan'ın Yeri Restaurant
Şaşkın Balık Efkan'ın Yeri - Restaurant in Bağdat Caddesi, Istanbul
Restaurant
Authentic Local Favorite Casual
$$$

Efkan Kara's Aegean taverna in a Şaşkınbakkal cul-de-sac, meze-first and unbothered by fashion.

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Tarihi Cumhuriyet Meyhanesi Restaurant
Tarihi Cumhuriyet Meyhanesi - Restaurant in Beyoğlu, Istanbul
Restaurant
Historic Authentic Lively

Pouring under the Cumhuriyet name since 1923, a hundred mezes a day in the middle of Balık Pazarı.

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Akin Balik Restaurant
Akin Balik - Restaurant in Karaköy, Istanbul
Restaurant
Authentic Hidden Gem Historic

Akin Balik

Karaköy

$$

No-menu fish market dining by Galata Bridge

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Barbayani Bostancı Restaurant
Barbayani Bostancı - Restaurant in Bostancı, Istanbul
Restaurant
Classic Authentic Traditional Turkish
$$$

Burgazada's Rum meyhane legacy lands in Bostancı

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Çakıl Meyhane Restaurant
Çakıl Meyhane - Restaurant in Bostancı, Istanbul
Restaurant
Classic Authentic Traditional Turkish

Çakıl Meyhane

Bostancı

$$$

Thirty-five years of fasıl evenings by Bostancı station

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Eleni Meyhanesi Restaurant
Eleni Meyhanesi - Restaurant in Beşiktaş, Istanbul
Restaurant
Classic Authentic Traditional Turkish

Eleni Meyhanesi

Beşiktaş

$$

A quiet Aegean-air meyhane behind Beşiktaş fish market

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Fikret Yilmaz Ocakbasi Restaurant
Fikret Yilmaz Ocakbasi - Restaurant in Levent, Istanbul
Restaurant
Authentic Foodie Haven Classic

Authentic Adana kebab with unique lamb maki style

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HaNi Restaurant Restaurant
HaNi Restaurant - Restaurant in Suadiye, Istanbul
Restaurant
Classic Authentic Traditional Turkish

HaNi Restaurant

Suadiye

$$$

Chef Alp Çekici's reinterpretation of meyhane culture

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Hayvore Restaurant
Hayvore - Restaurant in Beyoğlu, Istanbul
Restaurant
Authentic Hidden Gem Foodie Haven

Hayvore

Beyoğlu

$$

Black Sea regional cuisine with Gault Millau recognition

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İnciraltı Meyhanesi Restaurant
İnciraltı Meyhanesi - Restaurant in Beylerbeyi, Istanbul
Restaurant
Classic Authentic Traditional Turkish
$$$

A hidden meyhane under a 70-year fig tree, Vedat Milor's pick

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İsmet Baba Restaurant
İsmet Baba - Restaurant in Kuzguncuk, Istanbul
Restaurant
Classic Authentic Traditional Turkish

İsmet Baba

Kuzguncuk

$$$

1951 iskele-side meyhane, Can Yücel and Nazım Hikmet's haunt

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Kalamış Afitap Meyhane Restaurant
Kalamış Afitap Meyhane - Restaurant in Kalamış, Istanbul
Restaurant
Classic Authentic Traditional Turkish

Compact meze-first meyhane steps from the marina

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Krependeki İmroz Restaurant
Krependeki İmroz - Restaurant in Beyoğlu, Istanbul
Restaurant
Classic Authentic Traditional Turkish
$$$

Nevizade's 1941 original, no singing, just rakı

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Madam Despina Meyhanesi Restaurant
Madam Despina Meyhanesi - Restaurant in Bomonti, Istanbul
Restaurant
Classic Authentic Traditional Turkish

Turkey's first female-run meyhane, Tatavla's living memory since 1946

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Mahal Meze & Meyhane Restaurant
Mahal Meze & Meyhane - Restaurant in Akaretler, Istanbul
Restaurant
Classic Authentic Traditional Turkish
$$$

Old-style neighbourhood meyhane near Akaretler

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Mahkeme Lokantasi Restaurant
Mahkeme Lokantasi - Restaurant in Karaköy, Istanbul
Restaurant
Historic Authentic Intimate
$$$

Historic 200-year-old han with lokanta lunch and meyhane evenings

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Showing 24 of 43 places