Need help navigating Istanbul’s dizzying array of kebab spots? Culinary Backstreets has you covered. Known for our engaging reads and intimate food tours, CB's Istanbul team has handpicked a list of the best kebab in Istanbul – so you can make the most of every bite.
Our Top Picks:
Tarihi Paşahan Konağı
The area of Kadınlar Pazarı in Fatih is our go-to spot for büryan kebabı – lamb slow-cooked in an underground oven until its pull-apart tender. At Tarihi Paşahan Konağı, the lamb is served hot out of the oven, cut into thick slices and placed on fresh flatbread. The fat from the meat soaks into the bread. Büryan is a dish that leaves fingers slick with oil and bellies filled to contentment. To whet your appetite, order a steaming bowl of avşar, a spicy stew made with büryan and drippings.
Kimyon
The buffer zone between too many drinks and a brutal hangover, Kadıköy’s Kimyon doesn’t judge those who are still up at 6 a.m… because it’s still open. Start with a bowl of their legendary mercimek çorbası, a buttery, rich lentil soup. The mixed grill platter teems with charred chicken wings, köfte (Turkish meatballs) and lahmacun (mincemeat-topped flatbread.) Solo diners will appreciate the dürüm (kebab wraps). Pair the hearty food with ayran, Turkey’s tart, salty yogurt drink, served on tap.
Hizmet Kardeşler
It’s worth the trip to Güngören to taste a specialty from the southern province of Gaziantep. Hizmet Kardeşler’s fırınlı kasap (literally, butcher’s oven) is fresh beef sliced and layered with peppers and tomatoes. Customers to this butchery choose their dish before it’s plunged into the depths of a cavernous oven. We like the antikrot tava, rib-eye steak and köfte (Turkish meatballs). Start off with one of Istanbul’s best lahmacun, mincemeat-topped flatbread, served hot out of the oven.
Yildirim Usta
Look for the white van at the busy intersection of Kurtuluş Son Durak. Here, Yıldırım, a 75+ veteran of the kebab trade, grills dürüm on his makeshift grill. The menu is short and concise. Adana (spicy lamb kebab), urfa (the same but not so spicy) and çöp şiş, a skewer of grilled beef morsels intertwined with bits of fat. You can take Yıldırım’s word that the meat is super fresh – there’s no room to store it in the tiny van, a puny Renault that dishes up dürüm of Mercedes caliber.
Kenan Usta Ocakbaşı
At this seminal Beyoğlu grill joint, Kenan usta is as much a draw as his lamb chops. 46 years in the kebab biz, the usta (“master”) is friendly and humble to a fault. Start with mezzes like roasted eggplant mashed with garlic and tangy cacık, an herbed cucumber and yogurt dish. Then the meat rolls out, all made fresh to order. Chicken wings bathed in red pepper. Grilled ribs. Sweetbreads. Kenan will keep sending out more until you beg him not to.
Aynen Kebap
Nicknamed the “Motherland of Kebab” this Grand Bazaar kebab shack is a mecca for fantastic dürüm (wraps.) The outdoor counter has a competitive eating contest-like setup. It’s double-sided with containers of pickles, grilled peppers and parsley in a central trough. Grab a seat and place your order. We’re fans of the kuzu (lamb shish kebab) or Adana, tender lamb morsels flavored with fat and spice. Choose from the classic thin or thick, chewy lavaş (flatbread). Or let grill-master Ismail decide.
Şehzade Erzurum Cağ Kebabı
Cağ is a kebab for serious meat lovers. This is one of the rare Istanbul shops to get your fix. Every table is within whiffing distance of the spit. Watch lamb cuts slowly cook over a wood fire then threaded onto a skewer. Pair the tender, crispy bites with ezme (tomato, onion parsley salad) and hearty lentil soup. Save room for the state-fair-worthy kadayıf dolma, a deep-fried shredded wheat and nut torpedo doused in sweet syrup. FYI, Sirkeci’s Hacapaşa Sokak is a one-street foodie’s fantasy.
Zubeyir
A lively grill house on two cozy floors of a historic building, which offers not just some of the best kebab in Istanbul but some of the best atmosphere in town. Try for a seat at the hot, smoky ocakbaşı to watch the chef grill. Start with standout mezes like pumpkin and yogurt spread or warm grilled eggplant, tomato and onion salad. For kebabs, the Adana (spicy minced lamb) has just the right mix of meat, fat and red pepper. Chicken wings and lamb chops are also superb. Rare cuts include tarak (lamb spareribs) and koç yumurtası (ram’s testicles) for the adventurous.
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