03-04-2023 -
Food & Drink
The Best Vegan and Vegetarian Cafes and Restaurants in Istanbul 2023
If you are a vegan or vegetarian traveling, finding good vegan and vegetarian food can be a difficult task in places you visit. But don’t worry because especially during the past few years, Istanbul has become a great place to find various vegan and vegetarian options. Like in many metropolises in the world also in Istanbul, every day, more people make a choice not to eat meat or dairy products for moral or health-related reasons. As a result, more vegan and vegetarian eateries are being opened to accommodate them. Several vegan and vegetarian restaurants can be found in Istanbul's well-known neighborhoods such as Taksim, Beyolu, Beşiktaş, and Şişli on the European Side and Kadköy on the Anatolian Side. The eateries that have recently drawn Istanbul residents with their delectable vegan vegetarian flavor choices are featured here. In this article, we are going to look at the vegan and vegetarian restaurants and cafes in Istanbul.
But first, let’s have a look at the best option to save time and money while you are discovering new tastes: Istanbul Tourist Pass®. This is the first sightseeing pass in Istanbul and still the most inclusive one! There are 100+ amazing attractions, museum entrances, guided tours, and services included in Istanbul Tourist Pass®. For you to save time and money, we have gathered the best of the best and put a single price on them! Here you can compare and plan, and then buy your pass right away. Let’s have a look at the best vegan and vegetarian eateries in Istanbul in 2023.
Limonita
Picture a vegan restaurant that always makes its customers feel happy and stay positive while they are eating, this is Limonita! The decor of Limonita is stunning and colorful, mixing the colors of the rainbow with delectable vegan cuisine. One of the few vegan restaurants in Istanbul with multiple locations is Limonata. The first restaurant is at Kozyatagi, while the second is at Caferaga both on the Anatolian Side. Moreover, Limonita Butcher should be mentioned. Vegan butcher Limonita serves well-known regional flavors including sucuk, kebap, and tantuni close to the Caferaga branch. All the food they serve is plant-based and they use their recipes. Don’t forget to visit their Vegan Shop while you are there!
Address: Caferağa Mh. Rıza Paşa Sk. 27/A Moda
Vegan Community Kitchen
The home-cooked food at this amazing vegan cafe will astound you! Every day, food is freshly cooked, and the flavors are genuinely exceptional. The proprietor is very welcoming, passionate about cooking, and eager to suggest the best vegan dishes. You will undoubtedly adore the atmosphere in this Istanbul location. Offers vegan plates including iskender and meatballs, beytikebab, seitan döner wrap, mant, spinach and seitan ravioli, lahmacun, Bosnian cevapi kofte, seitan-stuffed grape leaf pockets with lemon sauce, burger, lasagna, and baklava. The seasonal menu also includes Turkish rice, stuffed peppers, and eggplant, cold plates with olive oil, as well as smoothies and cookies. Brunch and wild mushroom day are both on Sunday.
Address: Lavanta Sk 14, Balat, Fatih
Avokado Bar
The majority of the items on Avokado Bar Sisli’s menu feature avocados. Breakfast, entrées, desserts, and beverages are all available here. They provide sugar-free delights as well as vegan and vegetarian selections. Try the avocado green curry, which includes black rice with raisins, chickpeas, tofu, micro potatoes, green curry, coconut cream, ginger, coriander, tomato paste, turmeric, and black cumin. Each element they provide has been hand-picked by skilled hands, from the carefully chosen coffee options to the organic and sustainably sourced vegetables. A great place in Sisli, here is the address:
Address: Teşvikiye, Ahmet Fetgari Sk. No:29 B, Şişli
Inkase Fenerbahce
With its creative bowls, Inkase, which uses the healthiest cooking techniques and delivers food in the most natural and tasty form, offers a visual feast. Inkase cuisine always uses the freshest, most meticulously grown ingredients since it embraces natural food and healthy nutrition as a life philosophy. Bowls are meticulously packed with foods that have not lost any of their nutritional content, flavor, form, or color during cooking. Red and black Mexican beans, "guacamole," avocado puree, tomato salsa, and basmati rice cooked with fresh onion, milk, maize, and coconut milk... We advise you to sample the Jamaica Inkase, which is made with roasted pepper sauce and jalapenos before you leave the restaurant.
Address: Fenerbahçe, Fenerbahçe mah, Dr. Faruk Ayanoğlu Cd. no:31, Kadıköy
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Galata Kitchen
Due to the ingredients and cooking techniques employed, Galata Kitchen, which serves vegan and vegetarian homestyle food, is one of the most admired and favored places. Located in Galata as its name shows, it is a well-liked vegetarian home-cooked food! There are always various foods you can select from. The place is appealing due to its location as well as the personnel's enthusiasm. There are also non-vegetarian options so keep in mind if you don’t want chicken or beef served while you eat. We urge you to sample the numerous appetizers.
Address: Müeyyedzade, Tatar Beyi Sk. 9 B, Beyoğlu
Mahatma Cafe
One of the most well-known and prominent vegan restaurants on the Anatolian side is Mahatma Cafe. With treats from breakfast and lunches made entirely with olive oil, it is one of Kadköy's favorites. In addition to these, we advise you to try hummus, lentil soup, falafel, and artichokes with olive oil. It is a location that any vegan or vegetarian must visit because of its bright chairs and simple design. A vibrant vegan cafe first appeared in the Kadikoy neighborhood of Yeldegirmeni in the middle of 2014, open to the street and offering inside and outdoor eating. serves Turkish and Middle Eastern/Mediterranean cuisine, including pilaf, bulghur, mashed potatoes, dolma, lentil soup, and stews with eggplant. uses vegetables that are in season and extra virgin olive oil.
Address: Rasimpaşa mah. Prof. Dr. Macit Erbudak Sok. No: 50/A - Kadıköy
Vegan Istanbul Cafe
Vegan Istanbul is more than just a restaurant; it adopts and promotes the vegan lifestyle. Also, there is a vegan market where you can purchase goods to use at home. The Cihangir restaurant serves a wide variety of desserts, including cookies, cakes, pies, and rice pudding with vegetable milk, as well as hot soups, hearty breakfast selections, and healthful cuisine that are suitable for any time of the day. The food and service at Vegan Istanbul are both highly praised by the restaurant's patrons. We advise you to try their vegan lahmacun, fellah meatballs, pumpkin mucver, stuffed peppers, or lentil meatballs if you visit Vegan Istanbul.
Address: Firuzağa Mah. Türkgücü Cad. No:51/A Cihangir
Helvetia Istanbul
Helvetia is one of Taksim's pearls when it comes to vegan-vegetarian restaurants because it has been providing its patrons with meals that are both inexpensive and delectable for years. Five different dishes can be made using your choice of salads, olive oil, and other foods. The restaurant is well known for its roasted brisket, chard, olive oil carrots, leek dish, and lentil meatballs. Helvetia is a great option if you're looking for a vegan restaurant in Taksim. Helvetia both serves meat and offers vegan options. Helvetia provides platters that include a variety of items from its buffet. Vegan entrees, soups, and sides like zucchini fritters and stewed vegetables are all on the daily-changing menu. Here you can find free Wi-Fi, an open kitchen, and a relaxed atmosphere.
Address: Asmalımescit Mahallesi, General Yazgan Sk. No:8, Beyoğlu
Govinda Istanbul
Govinda, the only location of the globally renowned chain of vegetarian restaurants and cafes in Turkey, is located in Istanbul Mecidiyeköy. With genuine vegetarian and vegan delights from Indian cuisine, we are with you in a welcoming setting at our brand-new location, Goranga Yoga Center. The first and only completely vegetarian Indian restaurant in Turkey is Govinda Istanbul. Indian food is served at Govinda Istanbul in Mecidiyeköy, and it has the most delicious flavors. At Govinda Istanbul, which is only open during the week, the menus are always changing. Sweets, sabjis, and meatballs made of beetroot are among the most popular foods. If you're looking for a respectable vegan café close to Mecidiyeköy, go to Govinda Istanbul. By the way, if you love yoga, Goranda is a Bhakti Yoga center and they organize kirtan rituals every Thursday and Sunday.
Address: Büyükdere Cad. Naci Kasım Sk. Ayşe Hanım Apt. No:6B Mecidiyeköy
Vegan Masa
This is the ideal location to sample a vegan lahmacun if you want to test the well-known Turkish dish but don't eat meat. You'll remember its delectable lahmacun and other delicacies for a while. Most of the traditional Turkish cuisine served here is prepared in a stone oven, including pide and lahmacun. Pide with vegan meat, cheese, and potatoes, lahmacun, soup, and a regional dessert called kadayif are all served at a 100% vegan restaurant in Turkey. It is great to have a vegan oven to taste amazing vegan foods!
Address: Türkali Mah. Mısırlıbahçe Sok. No: 8/A Beşiktaş
If you are full, let’s have a look at the amazing things to do in Istanbul. What about a guided Dolmabahce Palace Museum tour? Or an amazing zipline experience with an amazing Bosphorus view on Nakkastepe. There are 100+ attractions, experiences, guided tours, and services handpicked for you. Here you can have a full list of things included in the Istanbul Tourist Pass®. If you have any questions in mind, just click the WhatsApp icon on the right side of this page. Until next time, have a great Istanbul trip.
FAQ
Is Istanbul good for vegan?
Istanbul is a good place to see for vegans. There are plenty of vegan cafes and restaurants. Actually, in Turkish cuisine, there are a lot of vegan options but vegans generally prefer restaurants with no meat served. So it is best to check the cafe before you go.
How vegan friendly is Turkey?
A meatless diet in Turkey is practically straightforward thanks to the natural vegan and vegetarian tendencies of many Turkish recipes. You'll dine like a sultan in Turkey thanks to delightful meals like stuffed dolmas, fresh gözleme (a dairy-free stuffed pancake), and readily available fruits and vegetables.
Is it easy to find vegetarian food in Istanbul?
Turkey offers a wide variety of mouthwatering vegan dishes. These include foods like hummus and gözleme, both of which are incredibly popular in their vegan counterparts, even among non-vegans who adore these meatless versions of such exquisite dishes.
Is it easy to be vegan in Turkey?
Turkey offers a wide variety of excellent vegan dishes. They include foods like hummus and gözleme, both of which are highly well-liked in their vegan counterparts, even by those who are not vegans and who adore these meatless versions of such exquisite delicacies.
Does Turkey have good vegan food?
Istanbul has a wide variety of restaurants, as well as businesses and locals who cater to vegans and vegetarians. Contrary to the local delicacies, there aren't many places to find vegan cuisine in Istanbul and Turkey, despite its recent rise in popularity.
Is Simit vegan?
Yes, the famous Turkish street food Simit is vegan if you buy it on street. But don’t forget there are different kinds of simits in bakeries or patisseries before you buy from there, just ask if it is vegan.
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