The Best Rooftop Restaurants in Istanbul: 2024 Guide to Exquisite Dining

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Looking for the best Rooftop Restaurants in Istanbul to enjoy a meal with an amazing view? I got you covered!

I remember going to my first rooftop restaurant in Istanbul in 2007 after we moved to Türkiye. A friend took us into a sketchy teeny elevator, and we popped out into a local place with a beautiful view of the city. Wow!

Since then, when I walk around a new part of town I often look up to see which buildings might have a rooftop restaurant or cafe. I’ve enjoyed many special evenings with a bird’s eye view of Istanbul.

In a bustling metropolis like Istanbul, it’s nice to be up in the air, away from the noise, traffic, and crowds.

Whether you’re looking for a place with some delicious Turkish meatballs or a Scandinavian-inspired sunset food experience, I have a restaurant for you.

Continue reading for a comprehensive breakdown of each restaurant’s highlights and features so you can confidently make your decision on where to enjoy your next meal. Let’s get started!

Price range legend in USD and Turkish Lira, approximate prices for a main dish (not a full meal), as of February 2024. This is a very rough guide, as the exchange rate changes all the time.
$ = $7-16 (200-500 TL)
$$ = $16-40 (500-1200 TL)
$$$ = $25-100 (800-3000 TL)
$$$$ = $100-200 (3000-6000 TL)

1. Seven Hills Restaurant

Location: Sultanahmet | Price Range: $$ | View Website

Let’s start our list of Istanbul rooftop restaurants in Sultanahmet, where most visitors begin their time.

After a day of exploring 1500-year-old historic sites, what better than to see those sites from a different angle?

Seven Hills Restaurant is a two-floor Istanbul rooftop restaurant atop the Seven Hills Hotel, with incredible unobstructed views of the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque.

The top floor is completely open and there is a photo area where you can get a picture of the view with the seagulls flying around.

Seven Hills serves Turkish staples like lamb chops and chicken kebab but also has nice grilled fish options as well.

We recommend getting a reservation online, as this is a popular spot and tends to get busy at peak times.

2. The Terrace Restaurant Cafe

Location: Sultanahmet | Price Range: $$ | View Website

Last year when an old college friend came into town, our families did a whirlwind tour of the old city together.

After hitting the major tourist sites, we were starving and tired. My husband searched a bit and found The Terrace Restaurant Cafe.

The guy who welcomed us in told us that we’d love the food and the view, or our money back!

This Istanbul rooftop restaurant is on the fourth floor, above a shop that sells carpets, colorful glass light fixtures, and leather jackets.

They are a restaurant and bar and also serve shisha (hookah) on the terrace.

The food was a good mix of Turkish and “world cuisine.” We ordered everything from grilled octopus to creamy fettuccine to lamb chops and enjoyed our meal.

The best part of the restaurant experience was the view of the Blue Mosque, the attentiveness of the servers, and its location right by the tram stop.

3. Lotiz Lounge & Hookah

Location: Fatih (West of Sultanahmet) | Price Range: $$$ | View Website

Keep going west of Sultanahmet on the tram line to the Laleli stop, and you’ll find Lotiz Lounge & Hookah on the seventh floor of the Zurich Hotel.

If you’re looking for a vibe with great music and dancing, with an amazing view of the city, Lotiz is the place for you. The DJ starts the music around 10:30 p.m. and you can dance the night away!

There are lots of places that serve hookah (shisha) in the city, but the hookah pipes here are the most creative I’ve ever seen. And the presentation of the hookah includes fire sparklers and dry ice!

This isn’t a place for vegans, but for meat lovers, their steak and kebabs are top-notch.

4. Barnathan – with its Amazing Views

Location: Beyoglu | Price Range: $$ | View Website

Did you know that Galata used to be a Jewish neighborhood?

In the late 1400s, Sephardic Jews were expelled from Spain, and the Ottoman Empire welcomed them.

The Galata area, on the north side of the Golden Horn, is one of the neighborhoods where these Jewish families settled. There are some remaining synagogues in the area, as well as the Museum of Turkish Jews.

Barnathan Apartments (meaning “son of Nathan” in Hebrew) was built in the 1890s and is now the Meroddi Barnathan Hotel. It is a beautiful historic building with photos of the original Barnathan family in the lobby.

Barnathan Istanbul is an Istanbul rooftop restaurant at the top of this hotel, with a breathtaking view of the Galata Tower and the Bosphorus.

5. Balkon Restaurant & Bar

Location: Beyoglu | Price Range: $ | View Website (if you have a hard time opening the website, try with a VPN in Turkey)

Balkon is a little hidden gem in the Asmalimescit neighborhood of Beyoglu. It’s located at the top of the Hotel Fresia, a few blocks back from Istiklal Street. Enter the hotel and go up the elevator to the restaurant.

It’s decently priced for the area, with an international menu that includes salads, burgers, pizzas, and seafood.

The cocktails are decent too, but expect to pay European prices for alcohol.

Balkon boasts a mesmerizing view over the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn and is a wonderful place to catch the sunset.

Pick this spot for a drink after a day of sightseeing, or for a special night out with someone you love!

6. Mikla Restaurant – Michelin Star dining experience

Location: Beyoglu | Price Range: $$$$ | View Website

This one is for the foodies! If you’re looking for fine dining in Istanbul, look no further.

Mikla is a 1 Michelin Star restaurant located at the top of the Marmara Pera Hotel. It also boasts a beautiful rooftop cocktail bar that has delicious cocktails and magical views of the Bosphorus.

“Mikla” means “Istanbul” in the Viking language. The cuisine is a fusion of Turkish and Scandinavian food, and it is one of the world’s 50 best restaurants.

This place also has vegan options and can cater to any food allergies and sensitivities, which isn’t always true in other restaurants in Turkey.

7. 360 Istanbul Rooftop Bar and Restaurant

Location: Taksim | Price Range: $$$ | View Website

360 Istanbul is located at the top of Misir Apartmani, one of the beautiful historic buildings on Istiklal Street.

My husband and I spent an enjoyable anniversary dinner on the 360 Istanbul rooftop terrace one year. Taking in that panoramic view over Istanbul was breathtaking!

The menu includes creative spins on Turkish dishes, such as a delicious stuffed zucchini flower appetizer, and international options like New York steak and sushi.

360 Istanbul boasts an extensive cocktail menu, and the outside terrace is reserved for drinks only. So if you want to just enjoy the stunning view you can go for drinks!

8. Spago Istanbul

Location: Şişli | Price Range: $$$ | View Website

Spago Istanbul is one of chef Wolfgang Puck’s creations, and it is located on the rooftop of the St Regis Istanbul Hotel.

It has a great view of Maçka (“Mach-ka”) Park, which is a peaceful breath of fresh green in the bustling city.

A Michelin-recommended restaurant, the extensive menu is a combination of Italian, Californian, and Asian cuisine. Think: handmade tagliolini, smoked salmon pizza, and duck spring rolls with hoisin sauce. Yum!

Spago also boasts incredible cocktails that do not disappoint.

9. Kadim Kahve on the Bosphorus

Location: Üsküdar | Price Range: $ | View Website

Moving over to the Asian side of the city, Kadim Kahve is a little gem right across from the Uskudar ferry stop. If you’re staying on the European side of town, just hop on over with a quick ferry ride.

Kadim (which means “ancient” in Turkish) is located in a renovated hamam, and the atmosphere does feel like you’ve stepped back into the Ottoman Empire.

The view from each of the floors of the cafe (including the rooftop) is stunning and memorable.

Kadim has delicious Turkish meatballs, an amazing breakfast spread for 2, and on-point coffees and desserts. I highly recommend the tiramisu, which comes out in a little ceramic pot.

Uskudar is a more conservative part of the city, and restaurants in this district generally don’t serve alcohol.

You can even try the Turkish art of paper marbling at Kadim (call ahead to find out the hours)!

10. Filizler Köftecisi with a view of the Maiden’s Tower

Location: Uskudar | Price Range: $ | View Website

If you walk about 15 minutes south of the Uskudar Ferry Stop toward the Maiden’s Tower, you’ll find Filizler Koftecisi.

Filizler is a Turkish meatball place (think grilled, not covered in tomato sauce) that has incredible views of the Maiden’s Tower and the skyline of the big historical sites on the European side (like Topkapi Palace and the Hagia Sophia).

They have all sorts of grilled meats, sides, and salads. My favorite combo is to get a piyaz (white bean salad) as a starter and then a classic kofte (grilled meatballs) for a main meal.

They also serve breakfast, but I find their breakfast a bit sub-par. Go to Kadim for a better morning option.

Each floor of their three-floor establishment has great Bosphorus views, but go up to the rooftop to get the best view.

11. Big Chefs Moda Teras

Location: Kadikoy | Price Range: $$ | View Website

When you see the view from the Big Chefs’ terrace, you start to feel your soul unwind and open up.

Big Chefs has an international menu and delicious cocktails, with a view looking south toward the Marmara Sea. You can see sailboats enjoying a breeze as well as a view of the Prince’s Islands. Idyllic!

Everyone in your party will find something they can enjoy at Big Chefs. Their menu is like a magazine and you can point to what you’d like.

They have a great serpme kahvalti (“sprinkling breakfast,” where lots of little bowls of breakfast elements are put in the middle of the table), and everything else from Mediterranean cuisine to burgers to teriyaki chicken.

Big Chefs is located in a cute neighborhood called Moda, which is fun to explore in and of itself.

My final thoughts on the best rooftop restaurants in Istanbul

And that concludes our tour of Istanbul from up high!

If you’re looking for an authentic meal, a yummy cocktail, or a full-fledged fine dining experience, look for the best experiences the city has to offer.

From Sultanahmet to Taksim on the European side to Uskudar and Kadikoy on the Asian side, rooftops all over the city are waiting for you.

As with so much here, there might be elements of any place that are different from your expectations. I’d recommend keeping an open heart and mind, laughing at things that don’t go exactly right (see Google for lots of examples!), and living the moment.

Enjoy the view and the experience. Soak it in, take lots of pictures, and enjoy your rooftop dining adventure!

Read more:

• Discover the desserts worth trying
• What about tipping while you’re here
• These are my favorite Turkish soups
• Looking to venture out of Istanbul? Here is a 7-day itinerary.