Found this gem of a place on Happy Cow after spending a few days in Istanbul. Turkey is a pretty…read moremeat heavy culture, but you can seek out some good veggies places. This is one of them. It is a little hole in the wall place, but they serve up a traditional flavorful dish a bit like seitan basically. You can get it in a wrap and if you are staying somewhere can take a box home for fairly cheap. Also be sure to check out nearby Parsifal. This is a simple sit down affordable place that is 100 percent vegetarian and has many vegan options. The menu labels what is vegetarian and what is vegan making ordering easy.

Zencefil which means "ginger" in English is located Istiklal street area and it is one of the few…read morevegetarian restaurants in Istanbul. I have been going to Zencefil for years but last time I was there was about 4-5 years ago. The restaurants has been keeping its style, quality for many years. Even the menu looks like the same except for a few new dishes depending on the season. There are several kinds of vegetable quiches such as eggplant, spinach, etc. The nice think is that before the meal they serve butter mixed with herbs accompanied with bread. There were two kinds of bread; with corn flour and whole wheat. However, the bread could be better, I didn't like the whole wheat bread. I can make batter breads and I am wondering why they do not make their own bread adding different kinds of herbs and vegetables. Although it is a vegetarian restaurant, there one or two chicken dishes on the menu. Since there wasn't so much change on the menu for years, I have already tried most dishes which were OK. I mean the tastes are nice, not heavenly but you know that all of them are healthy. This time I had warm served Aegean stew made of artichokes, faba beans and black-eyed beans. It was so light and tasty, I really like it. I had homemade ginger ale for a drink but frankly saying I didn't like it maybe because I am used to Canadian dry or other brands. But I recommend its lemonade with ginger. I hope they add more experimental vegetable recipes on the menu next time. At the end of the meal they always serve coriander and some dry herb to refreshen the breath which I really like. Lastly, the ambiance is nice, bright, colorful and the place is mostly full of young people and tourists during lunch hours. The service is not bad but I wish they smile more...

This is a tiny shop that prepares all vegan food! The dining area is upstairs, and I believe they…read moremostly deliver food. I went two days in a row, and there was nobody there, but it seems like many orders were coming in on the phone. The first day I ordered the Turkish pizza, lahmacun, and I thought I was eating the real thing. Second time I went with my husband who is not vegan, and he ordered the kokorec rand I ordered the narcissist burger. Everything was very tasty, not too salty, may be a little bit heavy, but all in all it was very good. I was really happy with everything. I was a bit confused about the menu because on the breakfast they have eggs, and I thought maybe they had regular eggs, but the whole place is all dairy free! No eggs no dairy! No meat! Everything is vegan! Very friendly staff!

This isn't your standard vegan restaurant. There is a wide variety of Turkish vegan food which is…read moreall home made. I absolutely love the lahmacun and the manti. It's a tiny place so I hope they get a bigger location soon. Home delivery service is very fast.

Loved this place! Concept that I always dreamt of did not know exists…read more There is no menu! Every day is a surprise! Just like how your mom surprised you at every dinner. The food served is fresh, homemade and it is mostly vegetarian food. The owner mentioned the food they serve is what Turkish women cook daily at home. I tried 4-5 starters and 2 mains. Everything was totally awesome. So light n delicious. Had a satisfactory dinner while travelling. The service was very good. It is a family owned and run restaurant. The most amazing thing that impressed me the most was , the family of four who own and also work at the restaurant set their dinner table ate the same food they served to customers, which means the food is totally perfect, and free of harmful chemicals, stale or synthetic food or processed material. If you are vegetarian and looking for great food near Istiklal, this is your place to go.

Nice restaurant, very nice views. The main dishes were very tasty. The hummus lack a lot, but it…read morewas still pretty good.

Everything I ate here was utterly delicious and unique. The staff was lovely and so helpful. Their…read morerecommendation of what to order was spot on. I'm already craving a second visit.

Galata Kitchen is not a doner grill and it doesn't open onto a busy street with a big outdoor…read morepatio. After two days having some great meals in Istanbul of that type, we looked for something different. Not far from Galata Tower, GK is on a side street with little foot traffic. It has a big modern sign back off the street and one of the operators saw us hesitating where to enter and waved us in from the front entrance. Inside it has whimsical and funny decorations and serious books mounted on the wall, but is not atmospheric, more like a diner. BUT the food is displayed in a case, hot and cold entrees separated, so you can see what you are ordering. You pick what you want and they assemble your choices on a plate and bring it to the table. Hot entrees included chicken bites in a tomato sauce and chicken with onions, lamb stew and beef and plenty of salad and vegetable choices in the cold display case. The group of men running the place that night were low key but personable, answering our questions about food items and Turkish literature. Service was prompt but understated and helpful. Our group of four had a great time and the menu is diverse enough that everyone found choices that pleased them. But remember, we came in expecting something very good other than doner kebap and were not disappointed!

Really fresh, easy falafel right in the heart of Taksim square. As a tourist, it is easy to feel a…read morelittle slowed down with the abundance of Turkish food, meat, more meat, and delicious desserts. This place is a great reprieve for the night! I forgot to take photos, but it looks exactly as the menu looks. The falafel is amazing!!!! Hummus is a little nutty for my taste, but paired with the generous (and free!) pita bread, and the veggies, it is pretty good!! Servers were all nice and helpful despite our only knowledge of Turkish being "hello" and "thank you" To sum it up: quick, easy, and fresh!

This is quite affordable and yet it's one of the best places I've been in Istanbul. The atmosphere…read moreis authentic. They give you pickled cucumbers and 2 sauces alongside a busket of bread for free as starters. Regarding the actual food, the hummus was very moist and flavorsome and falafels were crunchy and freshly made.

This was my first night in Istanbul and I eased tired from traveling from cappadocia earlier in the…read moreday. This restaurant was close to my hotel and had great reviews on Yelp. When I arrived there was only one other customer inside. The restaurant decor was cute and I very comfortable. The staff were friendly and welcoming. This spot was a bit pricey just like most of the restaurants in this touristy area. I had certain Turkish entrees i wanted to try during my vacation. I ordered the Iskender kebab which is beef and pita bread covered with tomato sauce with yogurt on the side. I ordered a side salad to go with it. The dish was very delicious as you can tell in one of my pics. I chatted with some of the staff about life in Istanbul. I was offered some complimentary pomegranate tea before I left and it hit the spot. This is definitely a place to check out when you're in the area.

A MUST TRY. As an American, I have been SO impressed with food here in Turkey and if you are in the…read morearea, this restaurant is an absolute MUST-TRY if you're looking for great food. I had some of THEE BEST chicken kebab I've ever had in this country here. The beef kebab was also tender and flavorful. You cannot go wrong with any of these! The service was quick and prompt, and the servers were great at making recommendations. I came here in the winter so we sat indoors which felt a bit cramped however, there is also outdoor seating during the nicer weather months. If I'm ever back here in Istanbul, I would definitely come back. And if you're reading this, you NEED to try the Old Ottoman!

Good healthy options. Fresh rolls with veggies and tofu. Good açaí bowl with hosue made…read moregranola. Plenty of vegan options.

7 days in Istanbul and I've already been to this newly opened cafe 3 times!! No I'm not friends…read morewith the owner nor do I have any affiliation with this establishment! I just can't get enough of their delicious healthy food, kind staff, lovely decor, ideal location, & great prices. They don't have an English menu yet but they do have a few English speaking waiters (ask for Murat) that will be happy to help you! My favorite things that I've tried so far are the trio of hummus appetizer, side order of grilled chicken, "rainbowl" (SO GOOD!), side order of grilled salmon (cooked to perfection! pink in the middle!), raw blueberry cheesecake, calming detox tea, & liver flush shot Love the upstairs seating area the most... chic & more quiet during the late afternoon

Food: We took Bryani it tastes good but Lamb and vegetables curry are lot of mixed yogurt . I don't…read moreknow why are Indian mixed yogurt all foods. Service: Service is very bad . They charged for salad in turkey all restaurants serve free salad , source , tea and baklava. But they always charge for it . Ambiance: It's bad too cool

Really delicious Indian food near Taksim Square…read more Started with the vegetarian Samosas. Came out piping hot and crispy. So delicious served with four sweet and savory dipping sauces. Main vegetarian entrees included palak paneer (spinach with Indian paneer cheese) and chana masala (a chickpea dish). The lamb in the lamb palak was so tender and perfectly cooked in spinach. Nice to mix with the yogurt dipping sauces. The sesame naan and biryani were perfect to soak up the delicious palak entrees. Service was so attentive and a great value at 180 Turkish lira (about $30) for dinner.

This is for ever vegan looking for a place to eat in Istanbul. It's hard to tell from yelp if it's…read morestill open. It is OPEN. I tried every vegan option in Istanbul and I've come to the conclusion of this is the BEST vegan food you can get. Don't waist your time getting lost to find some over priced dish at a tOuriSt trap. This is the spot. It's cheap, cute and the food is so good! The lady who runs it is a sweetheart. It's also in a really cool area. No one's harassing you to ear in their restaurant. It's somewhat quiet. I walked all the way from old city and I'll do the same. Don't sleep on this place. It's so cheap you can order everything they have. Support this place. It's so worth it! Favorite vegan place over seas. :)

A very basic establishment but very good food and vegan food is hard to find Istanbul. Seems like…read moresome very honorable people working very hard. I took home chocolate cake, which was delicious.

Istanbul was love not just because of the history and architecture but most importantly for its…read morefood. The sweets and savory both are on point. You can actually go to a hole in the wall and get the best kababs or baklava or halwas every eatery is a sheer joy. So this is one of the best places for a kababfest all over Yelp, YouTube influencers backing that and also the most recommended place on internet based reviews. We chose a non busy time it wasn't that packed. This restaurant is not compact but definitely crowded in the sense that tables are very close to one another. The staff is extremely polite, helpful and friendly. We ordered a little bit of everything including liver. Each item was bursting of flavor and the meat used was top notch quality. Price point isn't bad. Do google the menu with pricing and these change quite often in places like Turkey which is a tourist hub. We paid with credit card no issues. The food came out piping hot and within reasonable grilling time. Definitely recommend this place it's a haven for meat lovers I can't wait to go back this is a solid 5 on 5 for me.

In Istanbul, Turkey on a food tour with Culinary Backstreet. It was a fabulous trip. Our next to…read morefinal night, we were treated to an interactive dining feast at Zubeyir Ocakbasi. This place is preformance art. We were seating at the pit master's table side. The chef is an amazing cog that makes this restaurant thrive with delicious meats. Tonight, we did not order food but were served by the pit master and his favorite creations. We dined on liver skewers with lamb tail fat, grilled garlic, lamb chops, kebobs, grilled onions, spicy breads, grilled peppers, and grilled tomatoes. It was entertaining, warm and completely interactive. The mezzes were also delicious but one has to be cautious not to load up on the salads. I cannot convey just how much fun it was to sit table side tonight. As engaging as the pit master was, his cooking skills are second to none with respect to his grill. If you are headed to Istanbul and looking for a new adventure with scrumptious grilled food, get reservations at Zubeyir Ocakbasi. The environment is engaging, light and just plain fun. I tip my hat to the restaurant, the pit master and to our tour guide for making this evening memorable.