Restaurants in Sultanahmet & Eminönü: our honest tips

Sultanahmet is probably exactly the area where most people get hungry at some point on their first Istanbul trip. Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapı Palace, Basilica Cistern — it's all here. And of course the restaurants know that there are tourists here too. 😂

Where to eat around Sultanahmet, Sirkeci and Eminönü? Our personally tested restaurants — from köfte and balık ekmek to Orient Express history.

So the rule is: check the menu, check the prices, check the service charge. And don't automatically assume that everything right next to a landmark has to be bad. For the full overview, go back here.

Loti Restaurant — our very first Istanbul restaurant

This is a story I'll probably always tell. Our first Istanbul trip. Hotel in Aksaray. The lady at the hotel says: "Just walk down the street. You'll be at Hagia Sophia in 15 minutes." Yeah. No. 😂 After about 35 minutes we were still walking. Hungry kids. Hungry us. And at some point: Loti.

Our first restaurant meal in Istanbul. What do we order? Kebap? Mantı? Pide? No. Lasagna and schnitzel. 😂 To this day, this restaurant is tied to our very first time in Istanbul because of that. The food was really good. And sometimes a memory is just as important as any restaurant review.

Tarihi Sultanahmet Köftecisi Selim Usta — köfte without theatrics

Köfte, piyaz, maybe pilav. Done. And that's exactly why I like classics like this. Not everything always has to be reinvented. No edible flowers. No foam. No 14 components. 😂 If you want to eat classic köfte in Sultanahmet, this is one of the well-known historic addresses.

The Han — food and watching traditional preparation

The Han is more touristy. But touristy doesn't automatically mean bad. What I found interesting: you can sometimes watch women rolling out dough, or preparing food in the traditional way. Especially with kids, I find that lovely. Suddenly food becomes more than just: "here's your plate."

Orient Express Restaurant — here the food was almost only half the story

This place hit me completely, emotionally. The station. The history. Novels. Arrivals. Farewells. People who came to Istanbul by train. People who perhaps started a new chapter here. I sat there and simply thought: Wow.

Of course, we also ate. And the menu was completely fine on our visit. You don't have to order some extremely expensive dish there just to be allowed to experience the place. The historic Sirkeci station opened in the late 19th century and is closely tied to the myth of the Orient Express.

You'll find more on places where history matters just as much as the food in our guide to special restaurants in Istanbul.

You'll find more about places where history counts as much as the food in our guide to special restaurants in Istanbul.

Tarihi Eminönü Derya Balıkçısı 1945 — balık ekmek belongs on the list at some point

Fish, bread, seagulls, ferries, the Galata Bridge, people. For me, this isn't a dish you need to compare to fine dining. It's simply: Istanbul. And that's exactly why balık ekmek eventually belongs to a trip, for me. According to its own history, Derya Balıkçısı looks back on decades of tradition and sits right in the Eminönü area on the Galata Bridge.

My tip for restaurants in Sultanahmet & Eminönü

Don't automatically be afraid of touristy restaurants. But: check beforehand. What does it cost? Is service included? How big are the portions? What do other people order? And does it really have to be the most expensive dish? Often not.

Frequently asked questions

Should you expect tourist prices in Sultanahmet?

Yes, prices are often higher near the major landmarks. I'd always check the menu, prices, and any possible service charge beforehand.

Where's the best place to eat balık ekmek in Eminönü?

At Tarihi Eminönü Derya Balıkçısı 1945, right on the Galata Bridge — for us, the classic Istanbul experience with fish, bread and seagulls.

Is the Orient Express Restaurant still open?

Online it's currently sometimes listed as temporarily closed. Please check the current status before your visit.

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