You’re in Turkey for a few days. You know Turkish people love meat, and you’re craving a good steak. Do not worry, Istanbul is home to some of the finest steakhouses in the world. Here, you can unleash your inner caveperson and enjoy a delicious piece of meat cooked over an open flame. From traditional steakhouses to more contemporary options, there’s something for everyone when it comes to steak in Istanbul.
Overall, Turkey’s red meat cuisine is quite high-quality, but not every restaurant in Istanbul has excellent beef and lamb. That is why we have listed the 12 of the best steak restaurants in Istanbul that use the highest quality ingredients.
So fire up the grill and get ready to sink your teeth into some of the best steaks you’ve ever tasted!
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List of best steakhouses in Istanbul:
1. Nusr-et Steakhouse Etiler
Ever since he was nicknamed Salt Bae, the chef who delights carnivores worldwide has never stopped going viral. It’s worth visiting any one of the Nusr-et steakhouses just for the Dallas steak alone. If the excellent steaks don’t bowl you over, perhaps the great service will. There are international branches, but it would be weird to visit Istanbul without visiting the original home of the Salt Bae. Make your reservation here.
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2. Elbet Steakhouse
Elbet Steakhouse is within walking distance of both the Levent Metro Station mall and the Kanyon shopping malls. If you’re in the area, this spot is worth visiting. If the excellent steaks aren’t your style, this steakhouse offers scrumptious salads like the Tulum Cheese avocado salad.
They also have other meat dishes such as meatballs (köfte), burgers, and spaghetti. The Turkish sausage burger (sucuk burger) and the cheesy meatballs (kaşarlı köfte) are to die for. By the way, the cheddar fume as a starter will have you drooling before you’ve even tried it. Careful: you might turn into an addict.
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3. Beeves Steakhouse Ataşehir
This restaurant is more of a meat restaurant than a steak house. Don’t get us wrong, they have amazing steaks. However, they also have a whole host of other delicious food such as hotdogs, nachos, onion rings, and an ‘Oreo lokma’ that’ll drive you crazy. They have breakfast options, but this classy spot is better during dinner. If you want to load up on protein pizza or a tasty steak, do visit. Their attention to quality is probably reflected in their three different types of meats: Kobe, Angus, and dry-aged.
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4. Günaydın Kasap Steak House
Whoever came up with the ingenious idea of combining a butcher shop with one of the most amazing steak restaurants is a genius. You’ll find a few of these scattered around the Anatolian side of Istanbul. You absolutely must visit to try the delicious delight that is the nutty, cheesy sujuk (fıstık, ceviz & hellim peynirli sucuk). They do have a delicious chocolate souffle if that’s your thing.
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5. Beş Bıçak Steakhouse
If you want to go where the locals go, the best place that you’ll be recommended is this steak house. Though the restaurant is quite far from the touristic Old City, everything is cooked perfectly. Order the oyster mushroom special (Beş Bıçak Spesiyal İstiridye Mantarı) as a starter if you want to set the expectations high.
The lamb chops are out of this world, but the lamb ‘lokum’ is the real highlight. It comes with roast potatoes and bechamel sauced spinach. The burgers come with Cajun seasoned fries, so we’re not exaggerating when we say that everything is cooked perfectly. The service is pretty awesome too.
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6. Beyti Restaurant
This spot is expensive, but it would have to be for the quality offered. This place is more of a restaurant that specializes in meat dishes rather than a steakhouse. However, this is a favorite of not just Turkish people but the international community. When you dine there, you’ll be eating amongst both locals and historic guests such as Nixon. That’s how you know you’re getting excellent service.
They have a wide range of delicious options, but the T-bone steak is grilled to perfection. Apart from a few steaks on the menu, their signature dish “Beyti kebab” should be on everyone’s bucket list. For those that can’t choose, the mixed special kebab (karışık) with the creamy quince pudding (Ayva tatlısı) is an excellent place to start. It’s a little far from the city, but it’s worth it.
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7. Şazeli Florya
This exquisite steakhouse is within walking distance of the Istanbul Aquarium, a beautiful park, and two shopping malls. Doubling up as a butcher shop, a delicatessen, and a restaurant, this may be one of the best steak restaurants to visit if you have kids. They have their own special playpen, and the breathtaking views of the pond are incomparable with other spots.
However, what really pushes this restaurant to the next level is the quality of the meat dishes. The lamb chops glisten with the perfect amount of fat: not too much but certainly not too little. The meat is one thing, but the vegetarian ‘olive oil’ dishes melt in your mouth. The mini-burger served is perfect for kids. If you search all over Turkey, we think you’ll struggle to find a restaurant that serves meat that’s as soft as cotton with such excellent service.
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8. Virginia Angus Nişantaşı
If you feel hungry, after shopping in the cute boutiques nearby, you’ll quickly understand why the locals favor this restaurant. This is one of the few steakhouses in Istanbul that attempt to create options for vegetarians: the grilled veggies and the numerous starters. Although one can’t recommend the Virginia Angus burger enough, it may be better to try the Fantastik Four. The latter offers four different types of burgers, including the Virginia Angus Burger. If you’re trying to keep it healthy, the dry-aged steaks come with boiled veggies. Whether you’re looking for high-quality meat, brilliant service, or just great food, this may be the spot.
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9. Scarlet Steak House
You know this restaurant has high-quality meat when it offers Steak Tartar. Closer to a restaurant bistro than a through and through steak house, this spot should be on every meat-lovers bucket list. The food has a Portuguese/Latin American vibe with delicious options such as the plain assado: which, after being cooked for 6 hours, pretty much melts in your mouth. If you’re in search of a tasty T-bone or a Rib-Eye Steak with the perfect glass of Turkish red wine, this spot is worth visiting. They also have a tiramisu that may rival Andrea Berton’s famous version.
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10. Uludağ Et Lokantası
Suppose you’re trying to understand both Turkey and the Turkish people. In that case, you may wish to visit the Florya Atatürk Marine Mansion, which was the house of the beloved Atatürk. When you’re done exploring, you may be surprised to know that within walking distance, you’ll find one of the best steak restaurants in the city.
The locals love the tender steaks, but you may wish to try any one of their delicious traditional Turkish meat food such as the Iskender kebab. The “patlıcan salatası” is grilled eggplants crushed in yogurt. The smoky aroma is so good that you might end up eating the plate it’s served upon. If you’re ordering vodka, eat the fried içli köfte (Qibblah – crunchy bulgur on the outside, sweet minced meat on the inside) as a starter and thank us later. The views are breathtaking, too; you may wish to reserve this restaurant for a romantic night out.
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11. Shato Steakhouse
Though it has a welcoming décor, this is not one of those super pretentious places. The menu is a little simple, but if anything, that makes the choice that much easier. Their excellent steaks are usually cooked to perfection. If you eat the lamb ribs (kuzu kafes), your mouth will water when you’re just reminiscing about it in the next few days.
You may be shocked at how juicy the steak spaghetti is. The Shato burger sounds strange, but it’s a cheesy delight served with bread that’ll be softer than the pillow in your hotel room. The meat here is top quality. You’ll probably consider this to be one of the best steak restaurants for dessert when you try their delicious grated pumpkin dessert (rende Kabak tatlısı).
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12. Kasabım Ethane Beyoğlu
Though their history with animal husbandry goes back to the 1900s, their butchery dates to the 50s. Perhaps that’s why everything tastes like a cloud. This is one of those secrets that the locals rarely like to divulge to the tourists, and with good reason.
If you go as a group, you really can’t go wrong with the mixed grill (karışık ızgara) as you get a bit of everything. However, if you do decide to order that, make sure you don’t skip on the starters or the extras. As they say, some like it hot. If you’re one of them, order the spicy sauce (acı sos) with the halloumi cheese (hellim peyniri) to visit gastronomy heaven. Another starter to not miss is the pastırma, the cured beef that all the locals love.
Further, if you’re cool with trying new tastes, the Beğendi burger, with its eggplant sauce, will bowl you over, set you right back up, and then knock you over again. If you’re a little unsure, you owe it to yourself to at least try the beğendi as an extra. The less adventurous of us may wish to order the grilled lamb steak (kuzu küşleme). It comes with roasted baby potatoes, scrumptious caramelized onions, and stir-fried seasonal veggies. Pair that with a boğazkere wine, and you’ll find yourself on cloud nine.
When you’re done, you’ll find the Orange Semolina dessert (portakallı irmik helvası) sealing the deal. You’ll be nodding along when someone describes this Beyoğlu restaurant as the best steakhouse in Istanbul!
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Final words
We hope you enjoyed our list of the 12 best steakhouses in Istanbul. Do we have your stomach growling? Then, join us on one of our food tours and taste some delicious kebabs, Turkish red meat dishes, and other specialties from around this fascinating city! Book your tour online here.
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