The guide
of gay friendly and other cafe restaurants in Istanbul,
popular dining zones, fine dining, vegan, vegetarian and
budget restaurants.
Here are a few
restaurants that are known to be gay-friendly. These are
all fine dining restaurants which people would usually
go to on special occasions.
Demgah
Meyhane & Restaurant
Poyraz Sk. No:5/A,
Harbiye, Şişli
Instagram &
Google &
Online Menu
Demgah is a small,
LGBTQ-friendly meyhane—a traditional Turkish
restaurant—located within walking distance of Taksim
Square, very close to Osmanbey metro station and the
popular gay nightclub called Love. It is especially
famous for its delicious mezes, Turkish-style appetizers
served alongside alcoholic drinks, most notably “raki.”
With a transgender partner involved, this venue offers a
warm and welcoming atmosphere, making it an excellent
spot for LGBTQ tourists looking to experience
traditional Turkish cuisine in a friendly setting. The
menu link with prices are available on their Istagram
page
Le
Cuistot Bistro by Chef Carlos
General Yazgan
Sk. No:13, Asmalimescit, Beyoglu.
Instagram &
Le-cuistot.com.tr
Submitted to our guide
by the owner Carlos, described with his own words as: "Le
Cuistot Bistro is an authentic Franco-Belgian restaurant
located in the heart of Pera, Beyoğlu. For more than 12
years, it has been a welcoming spot for both locals and
international guests, especially well-known and
appreciated within the LGBT+ community.
Our atmosphere is warm, inclusive, and very friendly,
making everyone feel comfortable and respected. We serve
traditional Belgian and French cuisine such as mussels
with fries, pepper steak flambéed with cognac,
blanquette de veal, and homemade desserts. Combining
authenticity, gastronomy, and conviviality, Le Cuistot
Bistro has become a favorite meeting place where
diversity and good taste come together."
(27/09/2025)
360 Restaurant
İstiklal Caddesi, No: 163, Misir Apt, Kat 8,
Beyoglu.
360istanbul.com &
Facebook
The restaurant is named 360, referring to a view 360
degree. Although it is less than that, the sea view is
breathtaking. Located on the top (8th) floor of
historical building (Misir Apartmani) right on Istiklal
Caddesi.
Cok Cok Thai Restaurant
Meşrutiyet Caddesi, No: 51, Beyoglu, Istanbul.
Cokcok.com.tr/
It is a Thai food restaurant located on Mesrutiyet
street parallel to Istiklal avenue. When you walk from
Taksim turn right from Galatasaray square, and take the
first turn to left, and pass British Consulate.
Besinci Kat Restaurant
Soğancı Sok, No:7 Kat 5, Cihangir, Beyoglu, Istanbul
5kat.com &
Instagram
This venue is temporarily closed. Please check their
social media account before visiting to see if it is
reopened.
Perched on the 5th floor of the same building, this
rooftop restaurant-bar boasts a magnificent view of
Istanbul. While prices for an ordinary meal aren’t
exactly cheap, they become reasonable when you consider
the meticulously prepared dishes and the breathtaking
panorama of the Bosphorus Strait and the Asian side of
Istanbul. The establishment also features a cozy bar
that tends to get busy in the evenings, staying open
until around 1:00 am. Interestingly, the drink prices at
the bar are more wallet-friendly than those at most gay
clubs in Istanbul. Imagine savoring your meal or sipping
a glass of wine while perched over Europe, with the
Asian continent unfolding before you—it’s a truly
special experience.
Please let us know if you would like us to
add or remove any venues.
Please
click on the names of the restaurants to find them on
Google Maps
Turk Fatih Tutak,
Bomonti, Sisli (Michelin**)
Mikla Restaurant,
Meşrutiyet Cad. Beyoglu
Nicole, Tomtom Mah, Beyoglu
Octo, Karakoy (Bosphorus view)
Galeyan Restaurant,
Sultanahmet
Lacivert, Anadolu Hisarı, by the Bophorus
Please let us know if you would like us to
add or remove any venues.
Vegan restaurants are clustered around
Kurabiye Sokak, a street that connects to Istiklal
via Zambak Sokak, very close to Taksim Square. On this
street, you’ll find several venues where you can enjoy
vegetarian cuisine. Additionally, there are numerous
other vegetarian restaurants in different parts of
Istanbul. Here are our specific recommendations
Vegan Food Cartel
- Taksim.
Vegan Dükkan - Taksim.
Asian Vegan Kitchen
-
Cihangir
Vegan Istanbul - Firuzaga
Vegan Community Kitchen - Tomtom
Kumin Vegan - Kadikoy
Turp Vegan - Moda, Kadikoy
Please let us know if you would like us to
add or remove any venues.
If you want to experience traditional
Turkish cuisine and Ottoman dishes, we recommend the
following restaurants. Please note that these
establishments do not traditionally serve alcohol.
Hünkar Lokantasi - Nisantasi
Haci Abdullah - Taksim, Beyoglu
Karakoy Lokantasi - Karaköy
Mahkeme
Lokantasi - Karaköy
Pandeli -
Eminonu (in Spice Bazaar)
Derayeli Ottoman - Sultanahmet
Hidden Garden (Steakhouse) - Sultanahmet
Develi Samatya - Samatya, Fatih
Asithane - Edirnekapi
Kanaaat Lokantası - Uskudar
Yanyalı Fehmi - Kadıköy
Please let us know if you would like us to
add or remove any venues.
In Istanbul, you’ll find numerous
budget-friendly, mostly self-service restaurants,
particularly in the Harbiye, Taksim, and Beyoglu
neighborhoods. These eateries are ideal for enjoying
daily meals at very reasonable prices. A decent-quality
lunch or dinner menu can cost less than $10 in these
self-service establishments, known as “lokantas” in
Turkish. It’s important to note that lokantas do not
serve alcoholic drinks. You’ll encounter several of
these restaurants in nearly every district of Istanbul.
Below, we’ve listed a few with their Google Map links,
scattered throughout the area that can be considered
Istanbul’s city center.
Pehlivan Lokantasi, Harbiye
Damak Lokantasi, Elmadag
Balkan Lokantası, Istiklal Cad.
Piknik Lokantasi, Istiklal Cad.
Ehlitat Lokatasi, Istiklal Cad.
Balkan Lokantasi, Sirkeci
Karadeniz
Lokantasi, Grand Bazaar
Nevizade Street,
Beyoğlu
The famous Nevizade Street, which has rows of historic
pubs and fish restaurants next to each other. It is
located behind Cicek Pasaji close to Galatasaray square
on Istiklal avenue. It is the traditional night -life
area of Beyoglu and always busy, if the weather is fine.
Cicek Pasaji itself is also a famous venue with many
restaurants located next to each other along the
L-shaped passage passing through the historical
building. Cumhuriyet Restaurant is one of the oldest and
most popular restaurant out of many others on Nevizade
street.
Fransiz Sokagi,
Beyoğlu
Some historic neighborhoods around Istiklal Avenue have
recently been recreated, such as
Cezayir Sokak behind Galatasaray Lisesi, which became known as La Rue
Française (French Street) and has rows of francophone
pubs, cafés and restaurants playing live French music.
Artiste Terasse (Artist Teras) on Cezayir Street is a
popular restaurant-bar which offers panoramic views of
the Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, Sultanahmet Mosque and
Galata Tower.
Asmalimescit,
Beyoğlu
The narrow back-streets near Tunel (the other end of the
Istiklal avenue with respect to Taksim square) has rows
of traditional Turkish restaurants and Ocakbasi (grill)
houses. The restaurants are concentrated mainly on
Asmalimescit and connecting
Sofyali streets. Previously the neighborhood had an
a more intellectual atmosphere as a meeting point of
artists, painters etc, but later become more
commercialized with the opening of new restaurants. The
restaurants are average priced, but there are
alternative places dotted around where cheap-bear and
food will be available. It is usually very busy on
weekend evenings.
Vodina Street,
Balat
Vodina Caddesi connects the up-and-coming Balat and
Fener neighborhoods in Fatih, which are roughly 5-6
kilometers driving distance away from Taksim. The street
and its adjacent lanes are lined with numerous cafes and
restaurants, making it a worthy destination. However,
it's important to note that the area has few bars and
pubs, and most of the small, traditional restaurants do
not serve alcoholic beverages
Kumkapi
Quarter, Fatih
Kumkapi is a renowned traditional fish restaurant
district near the coast of the Marmara Sea in the old city. It's popular with
locals and some tourists. The restaurants line several small streets, with
tables set up outside during summer. Local musicians wander from one restaurant
to another, playing traditional music and expecting tips. In the late Ottoman
period, Kumkapi was mainly inhabited by Armenians, who still have a community
school and several churches in the area. You can get there with a short taxi
ride from Sultanahmet square or walk roughly 10 minutes from Beyazit / Grand
Bazaar tram station.
Kadıköy Restaurants
Downtown Kadıköy on Istanbul's Asian side boasts numerous streets brimming with
bars and restaurants. Renowned as one of Istanbul's most liberal areas, Kadıköy
is particularly famous for its vibrant food and drink scene.
Osmancık,
Piri Çavuş, and
Dumlupınar
streets, along with their surrounding areas, come highly recommended for their
traditional restaurants, meyhanes, bars, and pubs.
Are you a gay man visiting Istanbul for the first time?
Are you a stranger to the gay world of this mysterious
mega-city? You surely need somebody to lead you the way
during your first few days.
A private gay guide will accompany your first nights in Istanbul
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