Karaköy Lokantası

Karaköy Lokantası is a family-run restaurant on Kemankeş Caddesi, behind the Karaköy ferry terminal, that has been in business since 2000. It has two distinct personalities. At lunchtime it works in the esnaf lokantası tradition, the tradesmen's restaurants that feed local workers with home-style dishes, and in the evening it becomes a meyhane, a tavern where meze and rakı are the focus. It is listed as a Bib Gourmand in the Michelin Guide Türkiye 2026.

The dining room is a big part of the appeal, with turquoise tiles, a gallery level and a busy, cheerful atmosphere. At lunch, choose from traditional recipes and casserole dishes, such as stews, olive-oil vegetables and pilafs, which are quick to arrive and good value. In the evening the menu shifts to cold and hot meze designed for sharing, such as smoked aubergine, cheeses, seafood and fried dishes, followed by grilled fish or meat for those who want a main course.

Lunch is served Monday to Saturday from 12:00 to 16:00 and there is no lunch service on Sundays. Dinner runs Monday to Saturday from 17:30 to midnight, and on Sundays from 16:00 to midnight. Reservations can be made through the restaurant's website, and they are worth making for dinner, especially at weekends, when the dining room fills with groups of friends settling in for a long evening.

The evening meyhane experience is about pace: order a few meze, then more as the night goes on, and let rakı, diluted with water and ice, accompany the food. If you do not drink alcohol, ayran or soft drinks are fine. Ask the waiters which meze are best that day, as the selection follows the seasons and the fish market. Lunch is quicker and more casual, and a good choice after a morning at Istanbul Modern or the Karaköy galleries.

The restaurant suits couples, groups of friends and anyone wanting to experience a meyhane evening in a lively but relaxed setting. Karaköy tram stop on the T1 line and the Karaköy ferry piers are a few minutes' walk away. The Galata Tower is uphill, Karaköy Güllüoğlu is a few doors along the same street for baklava, and Istanbul Modern is a short walk along the waterfront.