Restaurant
Turk Fatih Tutak
Chef Fatih Tutak's Bomonti tasting-menu restaurant, holding two Michelin stars and a Green Star, reworking Turkish culinary traditions with modern technique.
Tarihi Sultanahmet Köftecisi Selim Usta
A historic Divan Yolu köfte house serving grilled beef meatballs to a 1920 recipe, with bean salad, lentil soup and semolina halva.
At a glance
- Type
- Köfte (Turkish meatballs)
- Area
- Sultanahmet, Istanbul, Türkiye
- Price
- $ · Budget
- Official site
- sultanahmetkoftesi.com
- Last checked
- October 23, 2026
Good to know
- Short menu
- Quick service
Why we recommend it
On Divan Yolu, the main street leading up from Sultanahmet towards the Grand Bazaar, this no-frills dining room has served grilled meatballs to the same recipe since 1920. The köfte is made from beef, bread, onion and salt with no spices, and arrives with simple sides rather than elaborate garnishes.
The menu is deliberately short: grilled köfte or lamb skewers, red lentil soup, piyaz bean salad dressed with onion, rice pilaf and irmik helvası, a warm semolina dessert, to finish. Service is quick, so it suits a fast lunch between sights. Do not confuse it with similarly named places nearby; this is number 12 Divan Yolu, beside the tram line.
Reviewed by Lifestylemetro · Details checked October 23, 2026
Tarihi Sultanahmet Köftecisi Selim Usta FAQs
What is on the menu?
Grilled köfte, lamb şiş, red lentil soup, piyaz bean salad, rice pilaf and irmik helvası semolina dessert.
How old is the recipe?
The köfte recipe dates to 1920, and the business is now in its fourth generation.