Eating in Karaköy & Galata: our best restaurant tips

If someone asks me which neighbourhood I find especially varied when it comes to food, Karaköy is right near the top. Because within a few streets here you can have completely different Istanbul experiences.

Where to eat in Karaköy and Galata? Our personally tested restaurants, cafés, soup shops, kebap spots, rooftops and the famous Galata cheesecake.

Lunch: pilav. Afternoon: coffee and cheesecake. Evening: çiğköfte or kebap. And after that, theoretically, still a rooftop. Although at that point my stomach probably hands in its resignation. 😂

Here are the places we've actually been to ourselves. If you'd rather see the whole Istanbul food guide first: back to the Eating in Istanbul overview.

OSES Gurme — even my kids became çiğköfte fans here

At OSES, I honestly first thought: okay, çiğköfte, we know it. What could possibly be that special about this? And then we were there. The place was really busy in the evening, people were sitting everywhere, and yet it didn't feel like some hectic snack bar.

And then came the different variations. Different çiğköfte. Different combinations. Vegetarian. With meat. Beautifully arranged. And suddenly çiğköfte wasn't just "quick bite on the go" for me anymore, but a proper dinner.

And my personal stress test came right along with it: my kids don't actually like çiğköfte. Usually. That evening, apparently they did. 😂

Later I read just how much thought actually went into this place. The Gurme concept opened in 2023, and even the design references Nemrut and Antiochus. That's exactly the kind of background info I like: I don't need to know it beforehand at all. But afterwards, I suddenly understand even better why a place affected me differently.

Our impression: we'd definitely go back.

Galata Rooftop Ocakbaşı — I want to see MY Galata Tower

By now I've really visited a lot of rooftops in Istanbul. And at some point you notice: Bosphorus, mosque, roof, another roof, another mosque. 😂 Beautiful, of course. But when I'm in Galata, I want to see my Galata Tower. And that's exactly why I like this rooftop.

Modern, beautiful, Turkish grilled dishes, evening atmosphere, Galata. The restaurant focuses among other things on ocakbaşı, kebap, lamb skewers, aubergine kebap, mezze and grilled dishes. But the real reason it stuck with me is the overall feeling. This isn't a place I'd go to get full as fast as possible in 20 minutes. Here I want to sit, talk, look around and enjoy Istanbul.

Karaköy Sarıhan Kebap & İşkembe — uncomplicated and good

There's no epic love story here. 😂 We were hungry. We wanted to eat something quickly. And then move on. It was perfect for exactly that. Kebap, soups and typical Turkish dishes — uncomplicated and good. This restaurant is also a good fit if you want to try işkembe, kelle paça, or other traditional soups.

Memos Kebab & Lahmacun — because of the lahmacun

Sometimes exactly one dish sticks with you from a restaurant. Here: lahmacun. We tried a few different things, but the lahmacun was really, genuinely good for us. This is a restaurant for: go in, order, eat, move on happily. And I mean that in a completely positive way.

Tarihi Karaköy Pilavcısı — my Türkiye meal

This dish looks about as unspectacular as it's possible to be. White rice. Chickpeas. Shredded chicken. Done. And I love it. 😂 This is exactly my favourite combination. My husband, on the other hand, likes to order chicken liver. Of course, he always has to pick the thing I wouldn't pick.

On one of our visits, my portion came to around 180 TL. But prices in Istanbul are changing fast right now — so definitely check the current menu. Either way, pilav has become one of the dishes I need at least once on every trip to Türkiye.

Karaköy Çorba Evi — 21 soups and I still order mercimek

I love mercimek çorbası. I can cook it at home. My father can cook it. But at home, somehow, it interests me a lot less. 😂 In Istanbul? Straight away.

In 2025 we were there during the semester break. We had convinced ourselves: "February will be fine." It wasn't. Snow, rain, wind. Luckily our hotel was nearby, and in the evenings my husband would sometimes quickly go get soup. For me, of course: mercimek, bread, lemon, straight back to the hotel room. Perfect.

The crazy thing: according to its own description, Karaköy Çorba Evi offers around 21 different soups every day. And I still order the same one.

Viyana Kahvesi Galata — the famous cheesecake

Of course I know the videos. Probably everyone knows the videos. San Sebastian cheesecake, chocolate, Galata Tower. And normally I get sceptical about things that social media hypes up this much. But unfortunately: it's actually really good. 😂

My younger son doesn't even like cheesecake at home. In Istanbul he suddenly turns into an expert. On one of our visits, a slice cost around ten euros. That's not cheap. But this thing isn't a small dessert either. Once, we only ate a simit in the morning, cheesecake at lunch — and only had dinner again around half past six. It sits heavy. 😂

Barnathan — when we deliberately say: today we treat ourselves to exactly THIS

Barnathan is the perfect example of what I mean by mindful travel. We don't go there just because we happen to be hungry. We say: Barnathan today. Because it's beautiful. Because the view is right. Because the building is right. Because the whole feeling is right.

The Barnathan Roof sits on the historic Barnathan Apartment from 1892 and combines the Galata Tower, the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus, partly in a single panorama. And that's exactly where I'm happy to spend money. Because I'm not just buying "breakfast." I'm buying myself a piece of this Istanbul moment.

You'll find more on exactly these kinds of deliberately planned restaurant visits in our guide to special restaurants in Istanbul.

• Good for: a deliberately planned, special occasion
• Price feel: €€€
• Our tip: reserve, especially at weekends

You'll find more about exactly such deliberately planned restaurant visits in our guide to special restaurants in Istanbul.

Helvacı Ali Galata — something sweet again?

At some point Istanbul should really put up a sign: "Warning. You are entering a city where you will be eating dessert constantly." 😂 Helvacı Ali is, for me, a nice little stop. Warm helva, different toppings, and something that's genuinely different again from baklava or cheesecake.

Park Büfe — when you simply want döner

Park Büfe is not Barnathan. It's not meant to be. 😂 You're in Galata. You're hungry. You want to keep moving. Döner. Done. And for that I find it completely fine. Because of the location, you naturally don't pay the same prices as somewhere far from the touristy areas. But you can pretty easily choose your bread, portion and amount of meat.

Our verdict on eating in Karaköy & Galata

That mix is exactly what I love there. Pilav, soup, kebap, cheesecake, rooftop, Barnathan. Within a single neighbourhood, you can experience completely different sides of Istanbul. And that's exactly why I would never say: "this one is the best restaurant." It depends on what you feel like right now. And sometimes the answer is simply: cheesecake with the Galata Tower.

Frequently asked questions

Where can you eat well in Karaköy?

For quick, honest food, we'd recommend OSES Gurme, Karaköy Çorba Evi and Tarihi Karaköy Pilavcısı. For a special evening, Barnathan or Galata Rooftop Ocakbaşı.

Which rooftops in Galata are worth it?

Galata Rooftop Ocakbaşı won us over, mainly because of the direct view of the Galata Tower. What matters is that the view, the food and the atmosphere all fit together for you — not every rooftop is automatically the right one.

Do you need to reserve at Barnathan?

We'd recommend it, especially on weekends. Barnathan is popular with travellers and locals alike.

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