"Istanbul has gotten so expensive." You hear that sentence everywhere these days. And yes — of course it's true. Anyone who knew Istanbul five or ten years ago notices the difference in restaurants, hotels, admission prices, and honestly almost everywhere.
Where can you really eat well in Istanbul? Our personally tested restaurants, cafés, rooftops and small local spots — from Karaköy to Kadıköy.
But my counter-question by now is: Where exactly hasn't it gotten more expensive? Even back home, a slice of cake can cost six, seven or eight euros these days. Eating out has gotten pricier, hotels too, and let's not even start on regular grocery shopping.
So for me the question isn't: is eating in Istanbul cheap or expensive? It's: how do you decide where to spend your money?
We really love eating well in Istanbul. Really love it. And when a restaurant, a view, the service, or just that certain feeling grabs us, we're happy to spend money on it. We've been to Nusr-Et in Etiler, for example. We love Barnathan. We go up on rooftops. And of course, sooner or later, we're sitting in front of the Galata Tower with that famous San Sebastian cheesecake.
But not five times a day. Our day usually looks more like this: breakfast is breakfast. For lunch there's often something smaller, something that fits easily into our day — pilav, lahmacun, soup, döner or a snack. And either at lunch or in the evening, we go eat properly. Not because we don't want to spend money. But because we want to consciously choose what's actually worth it to us.
Want to quickly find a restaurant by neighbourhood, with price feel at a glance? Check out our interactive food guide. If you'd rather dive straight into all our stories, you're in exactly the right place.
"You only live once."
That, by the way, is my husband's favourite sentence on holiday. 😂 I think I hear it about two million times per trip. "Should we really order that?" — You only live once. "That restaurant looks expensive." — You only live once. "Do we really need this?" — YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE.
It's his official permission slip to spend money without feeling guilty afterwards. And sometimes he's even right. Because a holiday is allowed to be about enjoyment. It just shouldn't automatically turn "you only live once" into "we'll pay any price because we're tourists."
How we choose restaurants in Istanbul
I usually do some research beforehand. Not for hours. But I check: menu, prices, photos, location, reviews, what people are eating there — and above all: who's sitting there? Because at some point you develop your own restaurant radar.
Restaurant empty?
If everything around it is packed and a restaurant stands completely empty during normal mealtimes, I get suspicious. Not automatically bad. But suspicious.
Full of locals?
Completely different story. If a place is bursting at the seams and it's mostly locals sitting there: In you go. 😂 Sure, it's not a scientific method. But it works surprisingly often.
Where should you eat in Istanbul?
That depends much more on the neighbourhood than a lot of people think. That's exactly why I've since split our recommendations by district.
Eating in Karaköy & Galata
Karaköy and Galata are, for me, a perfect mix. You can eat a plate of pilav here, grab a soup, have kebap, and two hours later be sitting on a beautiful rooftop with a view of the Galata Tower. Our favourites there include OSES Gurme, Karaköy Çorba Evi, Tarihi Karaköy Pilavcısı, Viyana Kahvesi and Barnathan.
Read more: Eating in Karaköy & Galata — our best restaurants
Eating on İstiklal & in Beyoğlu
İstiklal is touristy. Of course. But that doesn't mean every meal there has to be bad or completely overpriced. Here you'll find our picks including Clementine Patisserie, the Turkish-German Bookstore & Cafe, Espressolab, Parole, Dürümle, Piknik Köfte & Piyaz and Hafız Mustafa. From a Bosnian home-away-from-home feeling to a baklava shop window, it's really all there.
Read more: Eating on İstiklal & in Beyoğlu
Eating in Kadıköy
Kadıköy is, for me, one of the most exciting neighbourhoods when it comes to food. It's worth it here: look around, compare, walk two more streets. There are an incredible number of places, and sometimes just a few metres separate two menus — with big price differences. Our regular stops include Hacıoğlu, Gaziantepli Çorbacı Hanifi, Şekerci Cafer Erol, Deniz Yıldızı and HD İskender.
Read more: Eating in Kadıköy — our restaurant tips
Eating in Sultanahmet, Sirkeci & Eminönü
This is where almost everyone ends up on their first Istanbul trip: Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapı Palace, Eminönü, the Spice Bazaar. And of course that means: tourist prices exist. But there are places here we like too, for example Tarihi Sultanahmet Köftecisi, Loti Restaurant, The Han, Orient Express Restaurant and Tarihi Eminönü Derya Balıkçısı.
And especially at the Orient Express Restaurant, the food is, for me, almost only half the story. The station. The past. Imagining the people who arrived here or said goodbye here. It completely captured me.
Read more: Restaurants in Sultanahmet, Sirkeci & Eminönü
Special restaurant experiences in Istanbul
And then there are restaurants where it's not about getting full as cheaply as possible. It's about: today we're doing exactly THIS. Barnathan belongs in that category for me. So does Nusr-Et Etiler. Rooftops. Restaurants with history. Special occasions. These aren't our everyday restaurant visits. But that's exactly why they stick in your memory.
Read more: Special restaurants & experiences in Istanbul
And if you want it especially cheap?
Istanbul even has its own municipal project for that: the Kent Lokantaları, with a complete hot menu for 100 TL — for tourists too.
Read more: Cheap eats in Istanbul — the Kent Lokantaları
Do you have to spend a lot of money for good food in Istanbul?
No. But you can. 😂 And that's actually the beauty of it. You can have a simple pilav for lunch and book a special restaurant for dinner. You can eat lahmacun on a little stool and sit at Nusr-Et the next evening. One doesn't make the other any worse. For me, a good Istanbul trip is made up of exactly this mix.
Our Istanbul-ID food principle
We don't recommend restaurants here because some list claims you "have to have been there." We've personally visited every place in our guides ourselves. And if a restaurant is ever featured as part of a collaboration, we'll mark that transparently. Our opinion stays our opinion regardless. Because at the end of the day, I only want to recommend restaurants where I'd honestly say: I'd go back there.
Frequently asked questions
Has eating in Istanbul gotten expensive?
Yes, noticeably — pretty much like everywhere else too. Even so, Istanbul still offers the full range, from very cheap (like the municipal Kent Lokantaları) to deliberately special, pricier restaurants.
Do you have to spend a lot of money for good food in Istanbul?
No. A simple pilav or lahmacun can be just as much of a highlight as a special restaurant. We deliberately mix both.
How do you find good restaurants in Istanbul?
We check the menu, prices, location and reviews beforehand — and above all, who's sitting there. A place full of locals is almost always a good sign for us.
Which neighbourhood is best for eating out?
It depends on the occasion: Karaköy & Galata for variety and rooftops, Kadıköy for choice and local life, Sultanahmet for proximity to the sights, and for special occasions we specifically look for places like Barnathan or Nusr-Et.
We have personally visited every restaurant described in this guide. Any collaborations or paid placements are clearly marked as such. Our personal opinion remains independent of that.
– Amra
