Places in Istanbul

Kyoto-born specialty coffee chain's first Turkish flagship

16th-century masterpiece by Mimar Sinan

Historic 1945 waterfront cafe - the intellectual's haunt

Last great Ottoman hammam, built 1741

Sultan's palace on the Bosphorus

World's Leading City Hotel 2024 with panoramic Bosphorus views

All-day organic breakfast in a historic Erenkoy mansion

Waterfront palace with legendary spa and gardens

Former Ottoman prison transformed into cozy luxury

Nordic-style specialty coffee with cult-status brownie

Five generations of baklava perfection

16th-century gem fully restored in Tophane

World-class spa and dining on the waterfront

Asian side's specialty coffee destination since 2014

Art Deco heritage hotel in Giulio Mongeri's 1922 masterpiece

Orient Express heritage since 1892

Pioneer of Istanbul's third-wave coffee since 2013

Flagship all-inclusive resort on the Golden Horn

Underground pit-roasted lamb since 1892

19th-century Ottoman waterfront mansions reimagined

Creative hub in classic-elegant Palazzo Corpi

19th-century raki distillery on the Asian shore

Former Ottoman bank transformed into boutique luxury

Private yacht arrival at Galataport's newest luxury address

City views, infinity pool, and legendary service

Eastern Turkish breakfast specialties from Van

Morgans Original in a restored warehouse

Traditional Ottoman craftsmanship in the classic-elegant heart

Historic charm meets modern cocktails in Bebekoy

Panoramic rooftop dining between Laleli and Sultanahmet with Bosphorus views

Historic patisserie since the 1800s - now a 400sqm flagship

Premier specialty roaster with garden terrace near Bosphorus Bridge

Bağdat Caddesi's 30-year award-winning institution

Best breakfast near Galata Tower

Modern spa with classic hammam at Soho House

Joyful specialty coffee shop in the heart of Bebek since 2013

Gourmet deli with exceptional burrata and sandwiches

Classic waterfront brasserie with its own private pier

Historic patisserie with legendary chocolates

Authentic New York-style bagels in Moda

Best Turkish delight since 1777

Coffee cocktails and creative brews in Karaköy

Celebrity-founded roastery with house-roasted beans

Legendary brownies and 233K Instagram followers on Bağdat Caddesi

Specialty coffee pioneer with multiple brewing methods

Istanbul's legendary breakfast deli since forever

Contemporary luxury at Zorlu Center

Fresh croissants and surprise cilbir in Moda

1895 neo-classical mansion reborn as Luxury Collection hotel

Asian hospitality excellence with stunning water views

1km of Black Sea beach with concerts and pools

Sea-view luxury residence hotel on the Cadde

19th-century Balyan mansion boutique hotel steps from Ortaköy

1901 former Franciscan nuns' residence transformed into cozy suites

Turkish fashion house's boutique hospitality

Haute couture-inspired French bistro at Turkey's premier fashion house hotel

All-day venue that flips into a cocktail bar with workshops and guest DJs after sunset.

Restored 1924 White-Russian salon where Atatürk had a permanent table

Late-2025 waterfront bar with a beachfront terrace

Hagia Sophia-and-Marmara cocktail terrace at Four Seasons Sultanahmet

1890 Greek-captain meyhane on the Golden Horn shore

Boğaz-narrowest fish house with full bar program since 1967

Over-water fish-meyhane on the Baltalimanı seam.

Nordic-minimalist side-street bar with a seasonal menu and serious cocktail list.

Bosphorus garden classic since 1997, brunch by day, full bar and cocktails after dark

Tower-foot jazz bar in a former mosaic workshop

270° rooftop terrace above Gümüşsuyu, Bosphorus and peninsula at once

Turkish viticulture by the glass at the Tünel mouth, 85 boutique producers, no foreign-name flex

Brasserie-attached cigar room on the Vadistanbul side

Lal Dedeoğlu's French Passage hideout, kitchen counter, candlelight

Beyoğlu's serious 400-cap live room, international bookings (Sextile, Hugo Kant), no tribute bands

Tucked-in Sakız Gülü wine bar with a tight, evolving Turkish-focused list.

Sea-view rooftop meyhane reworking Greek, Sephardic and Turkish meze with a real bar.

Inside Zuma's old Bosphorus mansion, slow-cooked baby octopus, oysters on ice, real cocktail program

Long-running Italian-influenced bar tucked behind Bebek Hamamı

Glass jewel-box of vintage champagne with sommelier service

Cocktail-gastropub from the Joker No:19 crew spilling onto the Avenue, garden, relaxed, serious drinks

Square-side Ortaköy classic since 1988, meze, rakı and a renovated upper terrace under the bridge

Living-room-sized wine bar with charcuterie that punches above the General Yazgan address

Twenty-year-old Asmalı cocktail room with Tuesday Turkish-music nights and a regulars-only feel

40-year-old Etiler villa reborn as cocktail-led comfort kitchen by chef Hüseyin Kılıç

Cafe by day, hi-fi cocktail bar by night on Şakayık

Watergarden havuz katında meyhane-pub melezi; küratörlü şarap, ekspert kokteyl.

Aegean meze and charcoal grill on Yeniköy's Köybaşı strip.

Sarıyer Çarşı fish-meyhane known for kalkan and meze depth.

Day-to-night high-fidelity bar and bakery on Hüsrev Gerede

Selectist's harbour-side hi-fi house with Funktion One sound

MediterrAsian club-restaurant with DJ Aksak's nu-jazz program

Microphone-free fasıl ensemble in a restored 20-year house, the real version of what Sultanahmet sells tourists

Quiet Jurnal Sokak şaraphanesi pouring small Anatolian producers and Georgian qvevri

Haydarpaşa-station-themed cafe-bar that turns into a wine and beer hangout after dark.

Two-floor Karaköy bar-lounge with serious wine list

Wide Bosphorus terrace lounge for sundown cigars and the city's best afternoon tea

After-work cocktail room on Büyükdere for the Levent towers

Cognac, cigar and Friday-night jazz inside the Ottoman shipyard

Bosphorus-side live-rock institution out at Burunbahçe

1871 Pera wine house in the Hazzopulo Pasajı arcade, intellectuals' canteen, not a museum

Three-storey 19th-century Greek house turned wine room

Sakız Gülü corner with a hidden garden and rooftop terrace; deep beer pour, neighborhood crowd.

Two-floor bistro-bar a few steps off Ortaköy pier, Bosphorus view, locals over tourists

İskele-side brasserie with proper cocktail list under the bridge

Upper-floor vinyl room above a Bosphorus nikkei kitchen

Neighbourhood listening bar on Ahmet Fetgeri with vinyl-only program

Bohemian backstreet cocktail den off Necatibey

All-day Mediterranean kitchen turning into a cocktail-led night spot

Late-night Kireçburnu fish-meyhane open until 02:00.

Glass-domed rooftop cigar room over the historical peninsula

1980 Sıraselviler wine cellar, Cihangir's reference for natural pours and serious staff advice

Yalı bar literally under the FSM bridge, Med kitchen, serious wine list

Lobby brasserie and terrace at Hilton Bosphorus, all jewel-box finishes and crafted drinks

Hidden 350m² walled garden of lemon and linden trees

Pigalle ve MiniBar ekibinden izakaya esintili Japon tapas barı, vinil geceleri.

Sofyalı Sokak gastropub crossing serious cocktails with a tight Turkish wine list

A park-keeper's hut built over the water, windows on three sides, classic mezes and full rakı/wine bar

Fifth-floor warm dive defending old Beyoğlu's spirit

Gault&Millau Top 500 Bars list, bartender-driven Etiler outpost of the Alaçatı original

Old-guard yalı seafood and rakı bar, salt-baked levrek, Bosphorus directly underfoot

Tiny Karakolhane corner pub run by Koray and Elif; deep beer list, zero pretense.

Tekel-fronted natural wine cellar on a Halaskargazi side street

Bistronomie gastropub from the Küff team: long brass bar, kidney pappardelle, late nights.

Wood-fire rooftop with peninsula view, Michelin-recommended

Sakıp Sabancı Müzesi terrace bar under century-old plane trees

Balyan-brothers building turned bookshop where regulars sip wine after dark

Turkey's only rooftop dedicated to reggae, dub and dancehall

House Cafe stable's tiny day-to-night cocktail room on Atiye Sokak

White-tablecloth modern meyhane on a Kurtuluş back street, run by veteran Bülent Bey

Bodrum-born seafood room with a serious Hi-Fi bar inside

Tiny Tünel wine room famous among regulars for its mulled wine and queer-friendly door

The Nişantaşı 1980s power-lunch institution moved Bosphorus-side, 30-plus crowd, private pier, classic cocktails

Pink yalı next to the fortress with a quiet pier-side bar

St. Regis lobby bar where the Misty Mary is poured under dry ice

Athinagoras Kostakos kitchen, three bars by Alex Kostenyuk, Belenko design

Long-table sidewalk pub on Sakız Gülü with a deep beer menu and weekly events.

Cemil Topuzlu'da 30 yıllık kurumsal-canlı müzik adresi, soliste kadeh kaldırılan yer.

Red-velvet audiophile bar with craft cocktails and vinyl, beneath the Listening Room.

House-music rooftop facing Galata Tower

Summer-only rooftop above Maçka Palas with skyline-and-Bosphorus sweeps

Twenty-four-tap craft beer bar on Ferah Sokağı, the Sarıyer original's central outpost

Late-night jazz bar with live trios and curated vinyl at the renovated Hilton Bosphorus

Modern Anatolian meyhane with a strong drinks program

9th-floor 360° Bosphorus terrace at the JW

Panoramic CVK lounge with live performers and a proper bar program

Bağdat Avenue branch of historic Beyoğlu Pano; fasıl music, straight rakı, serious wine cellar

Faux-supermarket-fronted late room running consistent house and disco edits till 04:00

Cevdet Paşa cafe-bar with Bebek-old-guard regulars

Mexican small plates, mezcal-forward cocktails, late music on Şair Nedim

Ten-tap Somx microbrewery with a vinyl wall and DJ booth on Jurnal Sokak

138 whiskies, six guided malt tours, one chef-curated pairing

Modern Anatolian kitchen with serious cocktail bar and hidden Teşvikiye garden

Water-edge House Café flagship, two terraces, full bar, summer DJ weekends

Tomtom side-street cocktail lab with bartender-led menu

Hi-fi listening room above Michelin-star Arkestra; rotating record collectors, low-lit cocktails.

Seventy-bottle wine bar tucked into Giulio Mongeri's 1922 Art Deco palas

Bosphorus-mouth fish-house where the strait opens to the Black Sea.

Hand-built tiny Şair Nedim cocktail room, speakeasy live music Fridays, smoke inside

Kilyos kite-school beach club, family-leaning, summer only.

Marble columns, Bosphorus terrace, Ottoman cocktails by the sultan's harem hall

Cobblestone Mumhane gastropub, outdoor tables, neighborhood crowd

Dim, music-first Sofyalı cocktail room from the new wave, opens late, closes at 02:00

The cognoscenti's mixology lab, sustainable program, workshops, bottle takeout

Three-floor 1960s gastropub on Bankalar corner

Gault & Millau-listed yalı for marinated lüfer and rakı

Candle-lit meyhane in a stone building beside the Armenian church.

Bosphorus-pier classic since 1949 under century-old plane trees.

Tarabya marina fish-house with a working bar program.

Boutique wine and olive house on Emirgan's prettiest backstreet

Cem Mirap (Lucca) brasserie at İstinye Park, designed by Roman & Williams

Istanbul's first true Italian since 1993, on imported flour and stone-oven pizza

İstinye Bay fish lokantası in the old Süreyya Restaurant building since 2004

D-ream's accessible-quality Italian since 1995, wood-oven pizza and signature pasta

Tea, light plates and salads on the water beside İstinye iskelesi

Wabi-sabi sushi room with chef Rodel Javier off the İstinye coast road

Upper-tier fish house on Operatör Cemil Topuzlu

Boutique hotel at the marina gate with a chef's kitchen

Retro-boutique hotel bar at the marina entrance, seasonal cocktails

Cihangir rooftop institution since 1993 with a real Bosphorus view

Brick-lined snug pub with live blues, rock and jazz seven nights a week

Gile chef's tribute to Marmaris roots, Gault & Millau 2026 Best Street Food

Karaköy's benchmark grill, Suadiye rooftop edition

Three-floor Ottoman waterside mansion, a pre-Reina icon still hosting Istanbul's see-and-be-seen crowd

Café by day, a loose Arnavutköy bar with DJ nights by dark, the most informal room on the strip.

Bar side of Four Seasons' Bosphorus seafood room, terrace to the water, Mediterranean pours

Ex-Periferi chef's own kitchen: bold menu, intimate room

Izmir's cult macaronier on Caddebostan Plaj Yolu

Seasonal kitchen and an opinionated Turkish wine cellar on the quiet Mühürdar slope, adults-only, no menus in seven languages

Istanbul's most prestigious live-music stage, jazz, funk, electronic, indie in an ex-brewery, the Robert-College-kids' institution

Neighborhood şarküteri where you point and they plate

Asmalımescit sixth-floor terrace with Golden Horn sunsets

Top-floor terrace bar with arguably the best Bosphorus Bridge + Ortaköy Mosque view in the city

Compact neighborhood cocktail bar behind the avenue

Burgazada's Rum meyhane legacy lands in Bostancı

Beymen's new fine-dining icon, Roman & Williams design, Michelin-starred consulting chef

Paris-bistro-in-Bomonti, Kojo Hospitality's French-Turkish fusion with a kitchen that gives the bar a reason to exist

A pilot-and-stewardess couple's quiet corner off Bağdat

Fifty-year-old Bebek Hotel bar where dressed-up locals watch the Bosphorus

Neighborhood bistro that turns into a late cocktail room, the kind of address Bebek residents list when asked for 'somewhere normal'.

The Stay's small rooftop above Bebek Hotel, intimate, signature cocktails, fairy-tale Bosphorus straight onto the bay.

Villa dining in the old Tribeca space, homemade-syrup cocktails, open-kitchen ambition

Right across from the Bostancı ferry, where locals wait for the Prens Adaları boat

Cocktails + rakı/meze + live music on the Akaretler row-house strip

German-style beer garden with Weihenstephaner on tap and a real backyard

Gül Sultan mansion, Bosphorus, rakı, fish

Three floors of Anatolian wine in a candlelit Asmalımescit townhouse

Three-story Kadife Sokak townhouse with a garden pool and a stone lion