Kadıköy feels different. Even the ferry crossing somehow changes the whole day. And when it comes to food, what I especially love there is: you have choice. A lot of choice. Fish, soups, grill, kebap, desserts, cafés — all of it.
Where to eat in Kadıköy? Our personally tested restaurants for lahmacun, fish, soup, İskender and sweets — including honest tips.
And that's why my most important Kadıköy rule is: go ahead, walk two more streets. Look at menus. Compare. Because sometimes very similar dishes are just a few minutes apart — at very different prices. You'll find the full food overview here.
Hacıoğlu — lahmacun on tiny stools
This is exactly the kind of Istanbul food I love. Sitting outside, small tables, small stools, lahmacun, watching people, done. No big production. We found the lahmacun really good. And that's exactly why I'd come back.
- Location: Kadıköy Çarşı / Yasa Caddesi
- What we like there: the lahmacun, the relaxed street atmosphere
- Good for: an uncomplicated break in the Çarşı
- Price feel: €
- Website: Hacıoğlu
- Good for: an uncomplicated break in the Çarşı
- Price feel: €
- Our tip: lahmacun with lemon, plus an ayran – eat outside on the little chairs
Gaziantepli Çorbacı Hanifi — soup in winter
We went there in winter. And of course: mercimek. 😂 Cold outside, hot soup inside, with bread. Sometimes a perfect meal really doesn't need a bigger story than that. The place sits right in the Kadıköy Çarşı area and is perfect if you want to try classic Turkish soups.
- Address: Güneşlibahçe Sok. No:18/1, Kadıköy
- What we like there: classic Turkish soups, especially in winter
- Price feel: €
- Address: Güneşlibahçe Sok. No:18/1, Kadıköy
- Good for: classic Turkish soups, especially in winter
- Price feel: €
- Our tip: Mercimek Çorbası with bread, on a cold day
- Year of visit: winter
Şekerci Cafer Erol — my inner child wanted to move in
OH. MY. GOD. 😂 The moment you walk in, you get it instantly. Colours, sweets, lokum, chocolate, akide şekeri, gifts — everything. I honestly didn't want to leave anymore. I could probably have built myself a little home somewhere behind the counter. And no: we are not talking about how much I bought. 😂
The nice thing is: Cafer Erol isn't some newly built Instagram candy shop. According to the company, the brand's history goes back to 1807. And that mix is exactly what I find so strong: tradition + looks + experience.
- What we like there: lokum, chocolate, akide şekeri, the whole look
- Good for: families — though I'm not sure whether the kids or the adults are more dangerous in there
- Price feel: €€
- Website: Şekerci Cafer Erol
- Instagram: @sekercicafererol
- Good for: families – even if I'm not sure whether the children or the adults are more dangerous
- Price feel: €€
- Our tip: try lokum, chocolate and akide şekeri – and bring enough time
Deniz Yıldızı — fish & prawns, and still worth comparing prices
We had fish and prawns there. Really good. And on our visit, we also found the value for money completely fine. What we noticed: a few streets further, some menus had noticeably higher prices. So: don't just accept everything. Kadıköy has plenty of choice. If a menu seems totally over the top: keep walking.
- Address: Serasker Cd. No:6, Kadıköy
- What we like there: fish and prawns, good value for money
- Price feel: €€
- Our tip: compare menus in the area before you decide
- Address: Osmanağa Mah., Serasker Cad. No:6, Kadıköy
- Instagram: @kadikoydenizyildizi
- Good for: fish and prawns, good value for money
- Price feel: €€
- Our tip: prawns or catch of the day, and compare menus in the area before you decide
HD İskender Mühürdar — and then comes the butter
Me and my husband: İskender? Yes. Our kids: 😳😂 If you don't like İskender, the menu there is obviously less exciting for you. We, on the other hand, were happy. Until the waiter came over with hot butter. "Butter on top?" My brain: no, calories, be sensible. My nose: SHUT UP. 😂 Of course, butter. And it was fantastic.
The kids saved themselves with soup and side dishes instead, and later got a döner on top of that. That's just what family holidays sometimes look like.
- Address: Mühürdar Cd. No:54, Kadıköy
- What we like there: İskender with hot butter
- Good for: İskender fans; for kids who don't like İskender there's soup and side dishes
- Price feel: €€
- Good for: İskender fans; for children who don't like İskender there is soup and side dishes
- Price feel: €€
- Our tip: İskender with hot butter – no discussion
Schnitzel Landmann — our memory, but with a current note
We were there and thought the schnitzel and potatoes were really good. Yes. We travel to Istanbul and eat schnitzel. 😂 If you travel for longer or have kids with you, that's just what happens.
- The Kadıköy Çarşı location we visited is currently listed as permanently closed. Please check the current status before visiting.
- Good for: an honest reminder of schnitzel and potatoes – unfortunately no longer usable as a current restaurant tip
- Price feel: €€
Kadıköy: my biggest tip
Don't just look at the famous names. Walk through the Çarşı. Look left and right. Read menus. See where people are sitting. And if a small place is packed with locals: you know my rule by now. In you go.
If you want to eat even cheaper after that, also check out our post on the Kent Lokantaları, or compare with our tips for Karaköy & Galata on the European side.
Frequently asked questions
Which restaurants in Kadıköy are family-friendly?
Şekerci Cafer Erol (even though everyone there, big and small, goes a little wild) and HD İskender Mühürdar, where kids can switch to soup and side dishes.
Where can you get good lahmacun in Kadıköy?
At Hacıoğlu in Kadıköy Çarşı — sitting outside, small tables, really good lahmacun.
Why should you compare prices in Kadıköy?
Because very similar dishes are often just a few streets apart — but at noticeably different prices. It's worth calmly walking two more streets.
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
