Istanbul · Türkiye
The Istanbul food cheat sheet
One page from Chef Amazing · November 2026
The dish to eat
Paper-thin flatbread spread with spiced minced lamb, tomato and pepper, baked in a wood oven and rolled up with herbs and lemon.
Best at Halil Lahmacun, Kadıköy. Get: Lahmacun with a cold ayran
Five places, and what to order
- Köfteci Arnavutfamily-run · BalatGet: The square-shaped grilled meatballs, with trileçe if it is on offer
- Vefa Bozacısıinstitution · Vefa, FatihGet: A glass of boza topped with cinnamon and roasted chickpeas
- Dondurmacı Ali Ustacafé · Moda, KadıköyGet: Any of the 50+ ice cream flavors; salep in cooler months
- Karaköy Lokantasıfor meze and rakı table · KaraköyGet: Eggplant salad, muhammara, charred octopus, fish pastrami
- Adana Ocakbaşıfor ocakbaşı kebab · KurtuluşGet: Adana kebab; grilled sweetbreads
The market
Street market district. Fish, meze, pickles, Turkish delicatessen
The line worth it
Karaköy GüllüoğluKaraköy
Get: Pistachio baklava
Expect: Crowds at the counter. Beat it: Go mid-morning.
In season this November
Palamut (bonito) / lakerda · Quince (ayva) with kaymak
How it works here
Tip: Leave 5-10% in cash; round up at kebab and simit stalls.
Book: Book the meyhanes and new-wave places for dinner; lokantas are walk-in at lunch.
When locals eat: Lunch noon-2pm (lokantas run out), dinner from 8pm, meyhane nights run late.