Eating vegan or vegetarian in Istanbul is easier than most people expect. Our city does not make a big show of it. It simply works.
That surprises first-time visitors. Istanbul is known for kebabs, grills, and long meze tables. Yet underneath that image sits a food culture built on vegetables, olive oil, legumes, grains, and seasonal cooking. Many dishes were plant-based long before anyone needed a label.
What usually causes confusion is not availability. It is confidence. Knowing what to order. Knowing where to look. Knowing when a dish is already vegan without being advertised as such.
Our guide is written for that moment. When you want to eat well without turning every meal into a negotiation. When you want food that feels local, not an afterthought. When you are vegan, vegetarian, or simply plant-forward and curious.
Istanbeautiful Team note: The best plant-based meals here often come from kitchens that never set out to be vegan in the first place.
Inside, you will find our top picks for vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Istanbul, plus traditional dishes that naturally fit a plant-based diet, neighborhoods that make eating easier, and small habits that save time and stress.
Istanbul’s Top Veggie Restaurants
Most of the popular vegan and vegetarian restaurants are situated in Taksim, Beyoglu, Besiktas and Sisli on the European side of Istanbul, Kadikoy in the Asian side of Istanbul.
Pokémate Restaurant – in Nisantasi, Sisli
Pokémate sits slightly outside the usual vegan conversation, and that’s why it works. Fresh poké bowls, build-your-own plates, and plenty of plant-forward options make it easy for vegetarians and vegans to eat well without feeling boxed in.
The space feels modern and relaxed, close enough to Taksim to be practical yet calm enough to linger. Bowls are assembled in front of you, ingredients stay fresh, and portions feel clean rather than heavy. Vegan combinations work naturally here, not as substitutions.
Istanbeautiful Team take: This is a good reset meal. Especially when you want something light but still satisfying.
Address: Teşvikiye Mah., Poyracık Sk. No:10/A, Nişantaşı
Tel: +90 212 225 00 55
Healin Foods – in Tesvikiye, Sisli
Healin Foods attracts people who read menus carefully. Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, protein-focused. Everything is clearly thought through.
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The menu pulls from Mediterranean, Anatolian, and Southeast Asian influences, yet nothing feels forced. Bowls, plates, and desserts all lean balanced rather than preachy. It’s health-forward food that still tastes like food.
The room stays quiet, which makes it a good place to slow down.
Address: Hüsrev Gerede Cd. No:110, Teşvikiye
Tel: +90 212 260 08 08
Bi Nevi Deli – in Etiler, Besiktas
Bi Nevi Deli translates loosely to “a little crazy”, and the name fits in the best way. Fully plant-based, seasonal, and playful without losing discipline.
Plates arrive colorful and layered. Raw dishes, grain bowls, legumes, nuts, and seeds all share the menu. Sustainability is not a slogan here. It’s how the kitchen works.
Desserts deserve time. Especially the raw ones.
Istanbeautiful Team note: Ask the staff what’s best that day. They know the menu deeply.
Address: Etiler Mah., Bahtiyar Sk. 10-1, Beşiktaş
Tel: +90 212 358 60 32
Vegan Istanbul – in Firuzaga, Beyoglu
Vegan Istanbul takes familiar Turkish flavors and gently nudges them sideways. Hummus with fruit. Meze plates that surprise without confusing.
The space feels intimate and warm. Brick walls. Soft lighting. You sit longer than planned. The menu encourages sharing and curiosity.
Istanbeautiful Team take: The strawberry hummus sounds odd. Order it anyway.
Address: Firuzağa, Beyoğlu
Pizza Locale – in Bagdat Avenue, and Moda, Kadikoy
Pizza Locale proves that vegan eating does not need to avoid comfort food. Their vegan pizzas are properly built. Crisp crusts. Good balance. Real flavor.
Whole wheat and gluten-free dough options help if you are picky or careful. Both locations work well for casual meals and shared tables.
Istanbeautiful Team insight: This is where you bring non-vegan friends and nobody complains.
Bağdat Avenue and Moda locations
Mikla Restaurant – in Taksim, Beyoglu
Mikla sits at the top end of the spectrum. Literally and figuratively. Rooftop views, Michelin recognition, and a kitchen that understands restraint.
What matters here is not that they offer vegan options. It’s that those options feel intentional. The vegan tasting menu stands on its own.
This is not everyday dining. It’s a moment.
Istanbeautiful Team note: Go once. Make it count. Sunset helps.
Address: The Marmara Pera, Meşrutiyet Cd. No:15, Beyoğlu
Aheste Restaurant – in Asmalimescit, Beyoglu
Aheste balances tradition and modern technique quietly. Mezze-driven. Seasonal. Thoughtful.
Vegetarian dishes here feel central, not secondary. Grilled vegetables, local spices, and carefully built plates that invite sharing. The room stays intimate and calm, even when full.
Istanbeautiful Team take: Order several meze and slow the pace. That’s where Aheste shines.
Address: Asmalı Mescit Mah., Meşrutiyet Cd. No:107/F, Beyoğlu
Govinda – in Mecidiyekoy
Govinda feels different the moment you walk in. Calm. Grounded. Tucked inside the Goranga Yoga Center, this place follows Ayurvedic principles and keeps the focus fully vegetarian. No meat substitutions. No compromises.
It is the first and only fully vegetarian Indian restaurant in Turkey, and it shows in the confidence of the menu. Curries are slow and aromatic. Rice is fragrant. Dal, paneer dishes, and thali plates arrive balanced and filling, not heavy.
The space invites you to slow down. Conversations stay soft. Meals stretch a little longer than planned.
Istanbeautiful Team take: Order a thali if you want the full picture. It gives you range without guessing.
Address: Büyükdere Naci Kasım St. No:6B, Mecidiyeköy
Tel: +90 212 234 36 33
Mahatma – in Kadikoy
Mahatma fits Kadıköy’s rhythm perfectly. Relaxed, slightly bohemian, and unapologetically plant-based. The menu is fully vegan, yet welcoming even if you are just curious.
Bowls, salads, and warm dishes lean generous and comforting. Desserts steal attention. The vegan tiramisu and lemon pie come up often for a reason. Ingredients stay local when possible, and the kitchen feels hands-on rather than polished.
The room fills easily, yet never feels rushed.
Istanbeautiful Team insight: Save space for dessert. That’s where Mahatma surprises people most.
Address: Rasimpaşa Mah., Macit Erbudak Sk. 50/A, Kadıköy
Tel: +90 535 608 32 80
Community Kitchen – in Taksim
Community Kitchen is loud in the best way. Not noisy. Lively. Plates move quickly. Conversations overlap. It feels communal, which matches the name.
The menu covers a wide range of vegan and vegetarian comfort food. Vegan burgers. Plant-based İskender. Soups and salads that feel homemade rather than styled. On Sundays, the open buffet becomes the main event. You try a little of everything without committing.
Sustainability matters here, yet it never feels like a lecture. It just shows in how the place runs.
Istanbeautiful Team note: Come hungry on a Sunday. The buffet is the right way to understand this place.
Address: Kumbaracı Rampası No:35/A, Taksim, Beyoğlu
Each of these spots serves a different reason people choose plant-based food.
Must-Try Vegan Turkish Cuisine
Eating vegan in Istanbul does not mean eating differently. It means eating traditionally.
Turkish cuisine has always leaned heavily on vegetables, olive oil, legumes, and grains. Long before labels existed, many dishes were already plant-based. That is why vegan Turkish food feels natural rather than adapted.
A few dishes come up again and again. İmam bayıldı, eggplant cooked slowly with onions, tomatoes, and olive oil, served cold and meant to be eaten patiently.
Mercimek köftesi, lentil patties mixed with spices and herbs, usually wrapped in lettuce and eaten by hand.
Zeytinyağlı yaprak sarma, grape leaves stuffed with rice, herbs, and pine nuts, light yet filling.
Even çılbır has found its vegan version, often made with tofu and garlic yogurt alternatives.
These are not niche dishes. They sit on everyday tables.
You will find them in neighborhood lokantas, meze-focused restaurants, and increasingly on modern menus with clear vegan labels. Areas like Sultanahmet and Taksim now offer vegan adaptations without turning them into something unfamiliar.
Istanbeautiful Team insight: If a dish is served cold and glossy with olive oil, it is often vegan already. Ask once. Then enjoy.
Best Neighborhoods for Vegan and Vegetarian Dining
Where you eat matters as much as what you order.
Kadıköy on the Asian side is the easiest place to start. Vegan cafés, casual eateries, bakeries, and plant-based dessert spots sit close together. Around the market area, you can eat fully vegan without planning ahead.
Beyoğlu balances tradition and creativity. Between nightlife spots, you will find vegan kitchens, dessert cafés, and modern takes on Turkish dishes. It works well for evenings and late dinners.
Nişantaşı leans polished. Upscale cafés and restaurants here often include well-designed vegetarian and vegan menus. Portions are thoughtful. Presentation matters. It suits slower meals.
Istanbeautiful Team note: These neighborhoods stay active late, which makes vegan dining easier after long sightseeing days.
Vegan and Vegetarian Dining Tips in Istanbul
A few small habits make everything smoother.
Learn simple phrases. Saying “Et yok” helps. Asking if something contains dairy saves time. Most staff understand, even if English is limited.
Walk through local markets. Fresh fruit, nuts, dried figs, olives, and simit stalls make easy vegan snacks between meals.
Watch menus closely. Many places now mark vegan dishes clearly, often with small symbols or notes. When unsure, ask. Curiosity is welcome.
Istanbeautiful Team advice: Istanbul kitchens are flexible. Calm questions usually lead to good food.