Reid & Robie

It’s an efficient delivery vehicle for ground meat, cheese and onions.

– Anthony Bourdain on Turkish pide

In the bustling historic center of Istanbul, there’s no shortage of places to eat. Anchored by the Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar, Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace, Sultanahmet’s streets aren’t just filled with tourists. They’re lined with cafés, fish houses, kebap restaurants and pidecesi, places offering Türkiye’s variation on pizza called pide.

With menu boards littering the sidewalks and barkers beckoning from doorways, for two roving retirees spending three months in the heart of old Byzantium, the problem wasn’t where to find food in Sultanahmet. It was where to find delicious, authentic and affordable meals in a country with rising inflation.

We had our share of disappointments. There was pizza on a frozen, factory-made crust and a sandwich that was more bread than filling. It didn’t help that restaurants use identical photos to highlight dishes on their menus. After all, professional photography costs money and licensing fees add to overhead making it simpler and more cost effective to download photos online.

With high inflation, most restaurants don’t print prices on their menus. Instead, they leave a blank space and rewrite prices as needed. This means that not only are the pictures on the menu an unlikely representation of dishes coming out of the kitchen, but prices posted at the door are often old, a tidbit we only discovered after sitting down.

In busy, touristy Sultanahmet, restaurants rely on the steady stream of visitors flocking to their city for a few days or perhaps a week. With no locale clientele and few repeat customers, owners push the priciest meals on anyone walking through the door. But once you’ve tasted the lamb baked in a clay pot with vegetables and spices dramatically cracked open tableside, there’s no compelling reason to order it again.

After ignoring hundreds of touts and pounding a lot of pavement, Reid & Robie came up with a list of reliable restaurants in Sultanahmet serving delicious, authentic meals worthy of our hard-earned lira. Whether you’re planning to visit Istanbul for a few days or a couple of months, our recommendations will ensure you have money left over to enjoy the cultural capital of Türkiye. And for anyone willing to go further afield around Istanbul, we have some great suggestions there too.

Head to Şehzade Cağ Kebap for the best kebap in Istanbul

With kebaps available on every street corner, a kebap restaurant highlighted in the New York Times seemed worth investigating. Walking past Şehzade Cağ Kebap, Robie and I found the eatery near Sirkeci Station busy just after opening.

Rows of outdoor tables were packed with hungry patrons while more were seen hunkered over plates inside the small dining room. Walking slowly past to take in the food, the menu and the vibe, the most extraordinary thing happened—no one attempted to lure us inside. Passing the restaurant a second time, we were shocked when staff ignored us again.

In the bustling Sultanahmet neighborhood where 1,500 restaurants compete for tourist dollars, it’s nearly impossible to pass a café, restaurant or stand without being hailed by hawkers. On Şehzade Cağ’s busy pedestrian-only street, greeters at nearby restaurants called to us, waved their menus, offered free drinks and pointed to stacks of meat spinning on rotisseries in the windows. Yet all we saw were empty restaurants and vacant tables, a stark contrast to the lively activity at the unassuming restaurant near the corner. After eating at Şehzade Cağ, we understood the restaurant’s popularity.

Using lamb raised on wildflowers and mountain thyme, Şehzade Cağ Kebap offers only one dish on the menu. Besides two succulent strips of thinly sliced grilled meat, they serve pillowy-soft sheets of lavash for a deconstructed kebap or rolled up for a handy carrying package. The wrap made a convenient meal for a tourist towing her suitcase while looking for something delicious to enjoy on the long ride to the airport. Knowing she didn’t have much time, the server expedited her order and handed her a take-away bag just as the woman’s taxi pulled up.

To pair with the perfectly grilled lamb, the menu at Şehzade Cağ offered sides that allowed us to customize our kebaps. There was creamy buffalo yogurt, a spicy tomato salsa and raw onions bathed in lemon and olive oil sprinkled with sumac. To round out the meal we could opt for rice, lentil soup, salad or dessert, but Robie and I only had eyes for kebaps.

After the first visit, this delightful gem quickly became our favorite restaurant in Istanbul. Delicious as well as affordable, two servings with all the fixings set us back just $35, or $45 when we were hungry enough to split a third helping!

Şehzade Cağ Kebap

Address: Hocapaşa Camii Sok. No:6 D:4, 34110 Fatih İstanbul

Hours: Open Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. – 10:30 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Try Balkan Lokantasi Sirkeci for traditional dishes with lots of choices

Located around the corner from Şehzade Cağ Kebap on busy Ankara Street, Balkan Lokantasi Sirkeci offers something for everyone. Plus, what this cafeteria-style restaurant lacks in ambiance, it more than makes up for in delicious, traditional cuisine that’s easy on the wallet.

Streetside windows showcased eggplant casseroles, chicken with fries, beef skewers, lamb topped with a fluffy bechamel sauce, sauteed greens, baked fish, roasted vegetables and spicy chicken in tomato sauce. Sides included salads, rice, macaroni and cheese as well as sheet pan desserts that tasted better than they looked. Best of all, like the Luby’s and Furr’s cafeterias we grew up with, a full meal here was affordable, costing less than $20 for two.

Balkan Lokantasi Sirkeci

Address: Hobyar, Ankara Cd. 35/A, 34112 Fatih İstanbul

Hours: Open daily 6 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.

Go to Doy-Doy Restaurant for delicious food and a great view

“Rooftop” is such a common term in Istanbul that our landlord used it to describe our 4^th floor, top level apartment. For travelers visiting the city, the word is often heard outside restaurants to promote their al fresco dining. But having a great view doesn’t mean the food coming out of the kitchen will match it.

When we sought out Doy-Doy Restaurant, Robie and I were initially skeptical since rooftop seating often denotes a tourist trap charging elevated prices. But since the place was recommended by a local food tour guide, we took a chance and were glad we did!

Located a block from the Blue Mosque, Doy-Doy’s tasty haydari (a creamy yogurt dip similar to tzatziki), delicious cheese pide and lamb platter piled with meat, vegetables and barley came to just $30. And the view from Doy-Doy? Priceless.

Doy-Doy Restaurant

Address: Küçük Ayasofya, Şifa Hamamı Sk. No:13, 34400 Fatih İstanbul

Hours: Open daily 9 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Enjoy different kinds of pide in Istanbul

Like the battles between New York thin crust, California style or Chicago deep dish, Türkiye has its own food fight brewing over pizza.

Resembling a football or boat, traditional pide is made from a thick, leavened dough that’s folded along the edges. It can be filled with pastrami and spinach or chopped beef, peppers and onions, made vegetarian-style with tomatoes and peppers or topped simply with cheese and a cracked egg. Often served with a side of pickles or spicy grilled pepper, traditional pides allow diners to adjust the heat or add a briny jolt.

In contrast, lahmucan is a paper-thin flatbread shaped into an oval with a filling so sheer the whole thing is typically rolled and eaten like a wrap. Then there’s Konyali-style pide. Like lahmucan, Konyali pide features a flat crust made from unleavened or minimally yeasted dough rolled very thin to remain flat while baking. Unlike lahmucan’s rounder shape, Konyali pide is rectangular and elongated (sometimes up to 1 ½ meters), topped with minced meat, diced tomatoes, spices and vegetables before getting cut into pieces and served with a squeeze of lemon.

Regardless of your preference in Turkish pies, Reid & Robie have you covered. During our three months in Istanbul, we swapped our Friday night pizza for pide and learned to love the mix of dried pul biber peppers and sumac that gave each bite a touch of heat as well as fragrant sweetness, perfect on any kind of pide. 

For traditional pide, we made the trek to Fatih Karadeniz Pidecisi Ibrahmin Usta where Ibrahmin, the pide master (called an usta), rolled out stunning pies baked to perfection. Located in a residential neighborhood off the tourist path, getting there meant taking a tram from Sultanahmet to Aksaray followed by a 15-minute walk. But for the best pide in Istanbul, Ibrahmin was worth the effort.

Fatih Karadeniz Pidecisi Ibrahmin Usta

Address: Zeyrek, Büyük Karaman Cd. No. 40, 34083 Fatih İstanbul

Hours: Open Tuesday to Sunday 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.; closed Monday

When we didn’t want to go far, Robie and I headed to Hocapasa Pidecisi near Sirkaci Station for the second-best pies in the city. This place was so popular, they were only in the afternoon so be sure to get there before 6:30 p.m. to enjoy their delicious pides.

Hocapasa Pidecisi

Address: Hoca Paşa, Ankara Caddesi & Hoca Paşa Sokak No:11, 34110 Fatih İstanbul

Hours: Open daily 12 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

If you can’t make it to Hocapasa before closing, right around the corner is Güvenç Konyali and the best Konayli-style pide in Istanbul. Go there and discover why chef/owner Hüseyin Güvenç is celebrated across the city for popularizing the cuisine from south-central Anatolia with his signature etli ekmek (“meat bread” pide).

Güvenç Konyali

Address: Ankara Cad, Hocapaşa Hamamı Sk. No: 4, 34110 Fatih Istanbul

Hours: Open daily 11:30 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Head to Tarihi Çemberlitaş Börekçisi for delicious and easy take-away

When Robie and I didn’t want to cook or go out, we ran to Tarihi Çemberlitaş Börekçisi for tasty fare to enjoy at home.

Packed for breakfast and lunch, the bakery featured traditional flat pastries, soft rolls, olive breads and simit, a bagel-like treat covered in sesame seeds often eaten with a schmear of soft cheese. There was also a broad selection of sweet, syrup-soaked pastries and traditional cold rice pudding. But the bakery’s signature dish is bӧrek made with flaky, oven-baked phyllo filled with minced beef, spinach or cheese. Served alongside a homemade salad, they made a delicious and substantial meal. Best of all, the price for three boreks was about $10, a great deal anywhere.

Pro tip: Be sure to get there early when the bakery has the best selection.

Tarihi Çemberlitaş Börekçisi

Address: Binbirdirek, Peykhane Sok. 23a, 34122 Fatih İstanbul

Hours: Open daily 6 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Visit My Terrace Café for delicious breakfast with stunning views

For Robie’s birthday we opted for breakfast with a view. At My Terrace Café we enjoyed menemen, a dish of scrambled eggs with tomatoes and the traditional breakfast plate that came with egg, yogurt, honey, jam, olives, three kinds of cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, sausage, bananas and orange slices. At $34 My Terrace Café wasn’t the cheapest breakfast in Istanbul, but for this celebratory meal, it came with a great view.

My Terrace Café

Address: Küçük Ayasofya, Şht. Mehmetpaşa Sok. No: 9, 34122 Fatih İstanbul

Hours: Open daily 8:30 a.m. – 1 a.m.

Another interesting find

Despite not getting a chance to try Bahar Restaurant, we’re including it in this list since any place that caters daily to the thousands of shopkeepers in the Grand Bazaar has to be cheap as well as delicious. The only problem was the eatery closed at 4 p.m., so get there early if you want to experience it.

Bahar Restaurant

Address: Beyazıt, Nuri Osmaniye Cad. Yağcı Han D:4, 34126 Fatih İstanbul

Hours: Open Monday to Saturday 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.; closed Sunday

When you want to get away from the crowd

It can be hard to find a quiet place to rest among the hordes of tourists crowding Sultanahmet Square. For a refreshing drink with views of the Blue Mosque head to Optimist Café. Or for a soothing place to rest during a long day of sightseeing, sit under shade trees and listen to relaxing music at Dervis Café & Restaurant between the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia. Neither place is particularly cheap but by sticking with Turkish tea or water, the calming ambiance is well worth the price.

Optimist Café

Address: Binbirdirek, At Meydanı Cd No:14 D:70, 34122 Fatih İstanbul

Hours: Open daily 10 a.m. – 11:30 p.m.

Dervis Café & Restaurant

Address: Sultan Ahmet, Kabasakal Cd. No:1 D:2, 34122 Fatih İstanbul

Hours: Open daily 8 a.m. – 2 a.m.

Splurge on coffee splurge at daRoute Coffee

While not the least expensive coffee in town, hidden down a staircase next to the Celine Hotel is a tranquil garden with a glass roof creating a calm oasis from the frenzy on the streets. daRoute offers a full buffet breakfast, dessert, fresh fruit juices, milkshakes plus a stunning array of teas and coffees.

daRoute Coffee

Address: Celine Hotel, Binbirdirek, Peykhane Sok. No:28, 34122 Fatih İstanbul

Hours: Open daily 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Enjoy the casseroles at Ozi Pizza ve Pasta

Around the corner from deRoute is Ozi Pizza ve Pasta. Despite including pizza in the name, we recommend forgoing the ubiquitous fare and opting for a delicious casserole instead. Each generous helping comes piping hot and bubbly with a thick layer of melted cheese.

Ozi Pizza ve Pasta

Address: Binbirdirek, Suterazisi Sok. No:9, 34122 Fatih İstanbul

Hours: Open daily 9:30 a.m. – 12 a.m.

Head to Karadeniz Fish House Pide Kebap for a tall, cold one

Just off Divan-Yolu Street behind the Sultanahmet tram stop, Karadeniz Fish House Pide Kebap has it all: mezzes, pides, kebaps, fish, burgers, steaks, pastas and more. More importantly, they offer the cheapest beer in the neighborhood. With comfortable, colorful tables, it was the perfect place to spend a quiet afternoon with the restaurant’s delightful owner, C.O.

Karadeniz Fish House Pide Kebap

Address: Alemdar, Dr. Eminpaşa Sk. No:3, 34110 Fatih İstanbul

Hours: Open daily 9 a.m. – 12 a.m.

Further afield

For those willing to go beyond Sultanahmet, we recommend Yanyalı Fehmi Lokantası in Kadakӧy, the Asian side of the city. This small cafeteria-style restaurant offers amazing food that changes daily. Then across the Golden Horn in Karakӧy, nothing beats the fish bread at Derya Café & Kafeterya. Beneath a red awning behind the ferry terminal, their tasty grilled fish sandwich with tomatoes and onions came to 250 lira, about $5 at the time of our visit.

Yanyalı Fehmi Lokantası

Address: Osmanağa, Yağlıkçı İsmail Sok. No:1, 34714 Kadıköy İstanbul

Hours: Open daily 9 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Derya Café

Address: 21, Kemankeş Karamustafa Paşa, Rıhtım Cd. No:21 D:11, 34425 Beyoğlu Istanbul

Hours: Open daily 7 a.m. – 12 a.m.

For anyone taking the ferry up the Bosphorus to hike to the castle overlooking the Black Sea, we suggest cooling off afterward at Çapari Restaurant Anadolu Kavağı and enjoying their calamari. It might be the freshest squid we’ve had since a Greek fisherman cleaned and fried his catch in front of us at tiny table on Santorini.

Çapari Restaurant Anadolu Kavağı

Address: Anadolu Kavağı, Eğri Boyun Cd. No.8/A, 34825 Beykoz İstanbul

Hours: Open daily 10 a.m. – 12 a.m.

Finally, after traveling an hour from Sultanahmet to the suburb of Bakirkӧy we can recommend the nachos and quesadillas at Ranchero Fişekhane. While not strictly authentic, it still brightened the day of two former Texans on a quest to eat Mexican food anytime they can.

Ranchero Fişekhane

Address: Kazlıçeşme Mahallesi Kennedy Caddesi Büyükyalı İstanbul Sitesi, No:52FA FİŞEKHANE, F Blok, 34025 Zeytinburnu İstanbul

Hours: Open daily 12 p.m. – 12 a.m.

That’s our list of the best restaurants in Istanbul. We hope you try these tasty places when visiting the city. Your stomach—and your wallet—with thank you!