Kefte, pide, kebabs, shish - all this can be tasted in the ancient Turkish city! Find out where to eat deliciously and inexpensively in Istanbul. We have selected cafes and restaurants in the city center that are very popular with tourists. At the end - tips on how to save money.
Velvet Cafe
A small cafe next to the Galata Tower is a real find for anyone looking for an inexpensive place to eat in Istanbul. Tourists are delighted with the low prices, pleasant atmosphere and friendly service. A Turkish breakfast for one costs 57 liras, but the portions are so large that it is enough for two. The coffee is served in different cups and the story is told. Cute and delicious!
Average check... Dishes cost from 9 to 141 liras: omelet - 20 liras, pasta with cheese - 14 liras, and fruit pie - 20 liras. For a lunch for two, you will pay only 95 lira ($ 12).
Address: Bereketzade M Kule Cikmaz 7A Beyoglu.
Website: facebook.com/VelvetCafeGalata
Lotiz Lounge & Hookah
The restaurant in Fatih with panoramic views of the city and a good hookah room is a great place to eat in Istanbul. They prepare steaks, halal food, fish dishes and mouth-watering snacks for children. The menu is in English. To see the ancient city in all its glory, choose a place near the window. The establishment has free parking.
Average check... Caesar salad costs 35 lire, and a salmon steak and a portion of fried shrimp - 60 lire. A hearty lunch for two will cost 200 lira ($ 25).
Address: Vidinli Tevfik Pasa Cad. No: 14 Balabanaga Mahallesi.
Website: Lotiz Lounge & Hookah
Istanbul Kebab Cafe & Restaurant
If you want to eat in the historic Sultanahmet area, come to the Turkish cuisine restaurant, which is located a few steps from Topkapi Palace. The popular institution is almost half a century old. Local chefs prepare excellent kebabs, lamb on the bone and salads.
Average check... Lunch for two costs 160-200 liras ($ 20-25).
Address: Divanyolu Caddesi Bickiyurdu sk. Divan center No: 5.
Website: facebook.com/Istanbul-Kebab
Hanzade Terrace Restaurant
600 meters from the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, there is a restaurant serving wonderful meze, about two dozen types of kebabs, red and white Turkish wine and raki. The highlight of the restaurant is an excellent view of the sea and the historical buildings of the city.
Average check... Lunch for two costs 140-200 liras ($ 18-25).
Address: Emin Sinan Mah. Piyer Loti Cad. No: 35 Sultanahmet.
Website: Hanzade Terrace
Garden 1897 Restaurant
The restaurant in the heart of the old city of Sultanahmet, next to the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus, is popular with seafood lovers. Mouth-watering dishes are prepared according to traditional Turkish and Italian recipes. Enjoy a delicious meal in the small shady garden!
Average check... Lunch of a large fish plate, octopus, a serving of shrimp and two glasses of Turkish wine costs 160 lira ($ 20).
Address: Sehit Mehmet Paşa Sokak No: 5 Inside Of Garden House Hotel.
Website: Garden 1897
Sirin kofte
The café where you can eat inexpensively in Istanbul is located in a side street next to Sirkeci İstasyonu train station. Before meals, guests are treated to freshly baked bread with sauces, and at the end of the meal they receive Turkish tea or coffee from the chef. Enjoy delicate barbecue and grilled fish!
Average check... A hearty lunch for two costs 120 lira ($ 15).
Address: Muradiye Cad. Vezir Cikmazi Sok. No: 5 Fatih Sirkeci.
Website: instagram.com/sirinkoftesirkeci
Istanbul Turkish Restaurant
This restaurant in the center of Istanbul offers an inexpensive fish meal. There is a cozy atmosphere here: quiet, unobtrusive music plays in the hall, and portraits of beautiful Turkish women hang on the walls. Guests sit at low tables on small comfortable sofas. Visitors are offered imported drinks and local wine. A pleasant surprise awaits you after your meal - a free dessert!
Average check... Lunch for two costs 160 liras ($ 20).
Address: Cankurtaran Mahallesi Akbiyik Caddesi No 81 Sultanahmet Fatih.
Website: Istanbul Turkish
Tips on how to save money in Istanbul
- In cafes and restaurants near the Bosphorus, prices are high. For inexpensive food in Istanbul, choose places where locals eat. The cheapest deals are in cafes with Turkish food, they are called lokanta, köfteci and pideci. Soups there cost 12-15 liras, fresh salads - from 15 liras, pide - from 18 liras, kebabs - 28-35 liras, and kefte meat patties with a side dish - 27-30 liras.
- Look for delicious cheap breakfasts in the bakeries of Istanbul.
- Turkish fast food is easy to find on any street in the city, especially along the waterfront and near tourist attractions. Simits bagels cost 1.75-2 lira, and fish in bread balyk ekmek - from 15 liras.
- If you buy food from the bazaars, be sure to bargain. Seeing the friendly attitude, Turkish sellers are always ready to give up in price.
