Three ways to eat fish
- The sandwich (balık ekmek): a fillet of grilled fish in half a loaf, with salad and onion, eaten standing or on a stool. It is the simplest and cheapest meal.
- The fish restaurant (balıkçı): you choose your fish at the display or on the menu, it is weighed and then grilled or fried, with salad and mezze.
- The meyhane: a tavern where you share cold and hot mezze, then a fish, often with rakı. You spend the evening there.
Balık ekmek in Eminönü and on the Galata Bridge
The most famous place for balık ekmek is the Eminönü quay, at the foot of the Galata Bridge, where vendors grill fish on moored boats and serve passers-by. The bridge itself, lined with anglers, has many fish restaurants on its lower level with views of the Golden Horn; they are convenient but generally more expensive than the quays.
A few habits: look at the displayed price before ordering, ask what the sandwich contains (mackerel, depending on the season) and be careful if no price is shown. Vendors at a fixed stall are generally more transparent than roaming ones.
Kumkapı: the meyhane tradition
Kumkapı is the old city's historic fish-restaurant district: busy squares, musicians, waiters who invite you in. It is festive and touristy. For the setting and atmosphere it is a good choice; to eat at the best price, look instead at neighbouring Samatya, which is more local. Our guide Kumkapı, Samatya and Yedikule details both districts and tips for avoiding unpleasant surprises.
The Bosphorus villages
Along the strait, several villages have waterside fish restaurants:
- Arnavutköy, known for its wooden houses and fish restaurants;
- Bebek, a chic bay with cafés and restaurants, more expensive;
- Sarıyer, further north, with its fish market and quayside restaurants, much visited by Istanbul residents at weekends;
- Rumeli Kavağı and Anadolu Kavağı, at the gates of the Black Sea: grilled fish, fried calamari and mussels, with a view of the strait, busiest at the time of the cruise stop.
These villages can be reached by public ferry: see our guide to the most beautiful ferry rides in Istanbul. On the Asian side, Kadıköy market also has fishmongers and small restaurants around Serasker street: see our guide to Kadıköy and Moda. The Princes' Islands have their own fish restaurants, to be checked on arrival.
Which fish, in which season?
The menu changes with the catch. Names you will come across:
| Fish | Turkish | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Sea bream | çipura | Farmed or caught, grilled; all year |
| Sea bass | levrek | Same, often grilled; all year |
| Bonito | palamut | An autumn fish, much loved grilled |
| Sardine or mackerel | sardalya, uskumru | Fried or grilled |
| Anchovy | hamsi | A winter fish, fried or in pilaf |
| Horse mackerel | istavrit | Small fried fish |
| Sprat | çaça | Small fried fish, eaten whole |
Ask for the catch of the day ("günün balığı"): it is generally the freshest and the most reasonable. Commercial sea fishing is governed by a biological rest period from 15 April to 1 September: wild fish therefore vary noticeably from month to month, while farmed fish (sea bream, sea bass) remain available all year.
How not to get caught out
- Fish is sold by weight: ask the price per kilo before ordering, have the fish weighed in front of you, and check that the weight billed matches.
- Mezze are paid for: in meyhane, a tray of mezze is often brought without your asking. What stays on the table may be billed: send back what you do not want, and ask the prices.
- The cover charge: some restaurants charge for bread, cover or service. Look at the menu.
- Waiters at the door: read the displayed menu rather than following the first person who calls you.
- Check the bill: see our guide money, payment and tipping in Istanbul for the usual tip, and scams and safety for common traps.
A typical day
A breakfast on the Golden Horn, a balık ekmek on the Eminönü quay at noon, a ferry across to Kadıköy and its market in the afternoon, then a fish dinner in a meyhane in Samatya or Kumkapı. For the rest of the cuisine, see what to eat in Istanbul.
