Seafood & Meyhane
Seafood restaurants and meyhanes: 61 addresses we have tried, from İstanbul to Assos, from Çeşme to Bodrum.
Tsukiji Balık Pazarı
Tokyo's fish market has been at Tsukiji since 1935. Before that it was at Nihonbashi; when the Great Kantō earthquake of 1923 destroyed it, the city m…
Taverna 37
South of Athens, in Vouliagmeni, in the Four Seasons Astir Palace's own cove: Taverna 37. It is nothing like the classic hotel restaurant; right on At…
UMA III — Adega da Mó
A small marisqueira on Rua dos Sapateiros, in Lisbon's Baixa: UMA III — Adega da Mó. The sign says 1940; they have been doing the same thing for more …
7 Mehmet
One of the oldest and most important names in Antalya’s food scene, 7 Mehmet is now in Istanbul too, right on the water at Tersane İstanbul. The story…
Cervejaria Ramiro
Cervejaria Ramiro is one of the first names that comes up when you talk about seafood in Lisbon. The story starts in 1956, as a small casa de pasto. T…
Palamud
A lovely find for anyone looking for a new fish address in Assos. In the kitchen is Yusuf Usta, who worked for years at Çanakkale's legendary Yalova R…
Balat Sahil Restoran
On the waterfront in Balat, one of Istanbul's most characterful and timeless places to eat: Sahil Lokantası. 🐟🌊 Welcoming regulars since the 1980s, Ba…
Papaioannou
Athens has become a favourite destination for Turkish travellers lately, and the interest has started to show up in both local and international press…
Giritli
Giritli, which we've known in Istanbul for more than twenty years, has started serving this summer inside Manici Beach on the Kaz Dağları coast as wel…
Yalova Restaurant
Yalova Restaurant has been welcoming customers in central Çanakkale since 1940. It's no accident that Yalova is spoken of as one of the best fish rest…
Sexy Fish
After its popular London location, Sexy Fish has opened its second UK branch in Manchester. The brand also has sites in Dubai and Miami. The menu lean…
Atlas Mühürdar 78
Atlas Mühürdar 78 had been on our list for a long time. It's on Mühürdar Caddesi in Kadıköy, in a charming two-storey building squeezed between apartm…
Balıkçı Kahraman
Balıkçı Kahraman in Rumeli Kavağı is perhaps the most talked-about fish restaurant in Istanbul, for a quality it has never let slip. It's the first na…
Therapia
Therapia is one of those Bosphorus places we were once regulars at but haven't been able to visit for a long time. We took bonito season as an excuse …
Sunset Taverna
Santorini's most popular area is Oia, in the north of the island. Built on the clifftop like the whole western side, Oia is the island's most popular …
Manzara Söğüt
As the name suggests, Manzara Söğüt promises a magnificent view and sunset. But the level of the cooking has climbed far above the view. Manzara serve…
Artemis Fish Tavern
Artemis Tavern is a wonderful fish restaurant east of Athens, out beyond the airport. You reach it by turning off the main road onto a dirt track that…
Marcel
Meyhane by Marcel has opened in Yeniköy on the site of the old Marcel patisserie. It's the second place the owners of Azur have opened in the area. Th…
Revma Balık
Silverside season has started. You can find it fresh at Revma, caught in the nets set at Akıntıburnu. Don't miss silverside — you'll only find it in t…
Balıkçı Rıza
Balıkçı Rıza is in Kurşunlu, Bursa's summer retreat on the Sea of Marmara, an hour and a half from Istanbul. Right on the water, Balıkçı Rıza is a rea…
Balıkçı Soner
Balıkçı Soner in Etiler is a place we'd been hearing about from several different people. Ambitious about turbot, Soner shows real mastery there. The …
Sade Beş Denizler
Sade Beş Denizler is one of those Nişantaşı places we've been hearing a lot about lately. It serves home-style dishes during the day, while the evenin…
Balıkçı Yılmaz
There are plenty of fish restaurants in Rumeli Kavağı, but Balıkçı Yılmaz was a name we'd been hearing a lot lately. We had a faultless meal at Yılmaz…
Orkide Beach
September and October are the months when we remember the old Bodrum. The weather is a little risky, but the sea is warm, everywhere is calm, and at t…
Yakamoz
Among the fish restaurants in central Bozcaada, our choice was Yakamoz, recommended by locals. With a wonderful view of the castle, we had a high-qual…
Hikotakis
Hikotakis is one of Bozcaada's classics. With fresh meze, it's a place where you can sit out on the street and have a lovely evening. We left the tabl…
Vahit'in Yeri
Vahit'in Yeri is one of the oldest and most famous places on Bozcaada, with a wonderful position on the small hill beside Ayazma beach. The room and t…
Galatasaray Adası
Galatasaray Adası started serving food again this summer after a long break. Open only to Galatasaray club members and their guests, the island is in …
Rakı-Meze Favorilerimiz
Our favourites for rakı and meze are in this reel. Any new places you'd recommend to us?…
Trattoria da Gemma
Da Gemma is a tratoria dating back to 1872 in the narrow streets of Amalfi. Seafood is dominant in the menu, but you should definitely try the La Geno…
Da Adolfo
Da Adolfo is a simple looking beachside restaurant in Positano. It is almost impossible to find a table though. Da Alfonso, which can be reached by a …
Estimar
Estimar is a great restaurant for seafood lovers, serving its clients in two locations in both Barcelona and Madrid. The restaurant in Barcelona is lo…
Xiringuito Escribà
When I asked the locals of Barcelona where to eat the best Paella, they suggested Escriba. Escriba is in a great spot on the beach of Barcelona, in …
L'Isola del Tesoro
L'Isola del Tesora in Milan is a great local establishment serving Sardinian cuisine. The island cuisine is predominantly seafood. Both the shell prod…
Beast
Beast is a very chic Surf’n Turf alternative in London offering fine examples of steak and seafood from different regions around the world.…
Filiz Restaurant
In this season, when bonito and bluefish slowly start to grace our tables, Filiz — one of Tarabya's classic names — is a good option. Holding the line…
The Fish Works
Fish and chips is an English classic. Fish Works, in the town of Largs (population 11,000) on Scotland's west coast, served us the best fish and chips…
Horasan Balık
Horasan is, in our view, one of the best fish restaurants in Turkey. Coming from a family of fishermen, the wonderful couple Kezban and Ahmet have bui…
Ondine
Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, is a very lively and enjoyable city. It's ambitious about seafood too. Among the many options, our choice was Ondi…
Alaf2Tek
Alaf2Tek is the meyhane version of our favourite place, Alaf — somewhere to stand and have a couple of drinks. In the same building as Alaf, at tables…
Midyeci Şehmus Usta
Stuffed mussels are an essential flavour of the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts. Midyeci Şehmus in Gündoğan, Bodrum has taken them to another level. F…
Limon
Limon Gümüşlük has probably been the hardest place to get a table in Bodrum for about twenty years. 🍋 Offering, in their own words, 'the most deliciou…
5 Masa
The most entertaining and surprising of Bodrum's new places this year may be 5 Masa. Having begun its journey in Kalamış, Istanbul, 5 Masa is continui…
Barbayani
Reached by a pleasant 45-minute boat ride, Burgazada is our choice among Istanbul's escapes. Relatively less crowded than the other islands, Burgaz is…
Casa José
Being next to the Atlantic, Casablanca offers an excellent choice of seafood. Casa José adds a Spanish perspective to that fresh seafood. Everything w…
Seasalt
Seasalt, inside Ortaköy Feriye, offers guests a wonderful view from its position right on the water. From a menu not greatly different from the Bospho…
La Villa Bleue
Tunisian cooking is a magnificent mix of North African and French. Spiced, sauced and leaning heavily on seafood. La Villa Bleue, in the UNESCO-protec…
Balıkçı Sabahattin
Balıkçı Sabahattin has built a strong following on the historic peninsula over many years, and is one of Istanbul's best fish restaurants. At its site…
İsmet Baba
Staying open since 1951 in a district as special as Kuzguncuk is no easy thing. İsmet Baba is the right address for good fish, quickly. Right on the B…
Cunda Balık
Finding Aegean herbs in Istanbul isn't easy. Cunda Balık stands out above all for its meze. A good option in Istanbul for reaching Aegean greens such …
Körfez Restaurant
At a time when fish restaurants resemble one another more with every passing day, the ones that stand apart deserve to be treasured. Körfez Restaurant…
Karaköy Lokantası
Karaköy Lokantası has moved from the building it occupied for years to a spot just along, beneath the Novotel. At lunch it serves a different menu eac…
Eski Usul Meyhane
A small terrace floor in Moda, seven or eight tables, a meze menu that changes daily and a magnificent view of the sea and the islands — that's Eski U…
Şişko Perihan
Şişko Perihan has been one of Arnavutköy's favourite places for two years. Winning over meyhane regulars with its lovely meze, the tables out on the s…
Mahkeme Lokantası
Mahkeme Lokantası in Perşembe Pazarı has never let us down, with a menu that changes daily. On the lunch menu you can start with işkembe, paça or anot…
Lakerida Deniz Ürünleri
Lakerida in Etiler is a fish market that stands out for both fresh fish and its own meze and lakerda. Offering a cooking service too, it draws attenti…
Filinta Plaj Restoran
The biggest problem with fish restaurants in Turkey is that almost all of them serve the same meze. Filinta in Küçükkuyu stole our hearts with meze we…
Tunç Balık
Tunç Balık is known to anyone interested in refined seafood meze. In a shop serving a range of their own products, my favourites are the lakerda and t…
Restaurant Chez Sleh
A place in Tunis where you can find good seafood. The olives, pepper paste and tuna starter served to begin were wonderful. The red mullet we had as a…
Afitap Meyhane
Ankara is quickly pulling ahead of Istanbul on food quality. Afitap opened about two years ago, serving classic meze with a new approach and flavours …
Paraliaki Bebek
The room that served for years as Poseidon — and perhaps has the finest view in Bebek — is open again after all this time, under the Paraliaki name. A…
Where to start
Two classics in İstanbul: Balat Sahil Restoran, with its regulars since the 1980s on the Balat shore, and Balıkçı Sabahattin in the old city. In Moda, Eski Usul Meyhane is a terrace floor with seven or eight tables, a meze menu that changes daily and a view of the sea and the islands.
On the Bosphorus, Filiz Restaurant, one of Tarabya's classics, is a good bet in bluefish season. In Arnavutköy, Revma Balık serves silverfish caught in the nets off Akıntıburnu in March and April; in the same neighbourhood, Şişko Perihan is a meyhane favourite for its meze.
Outside the city: Palamud in Assos; Horasan Balık in Çeşme, to our minds one of the best fish restaurants in Turkey; 5 Masa in Yalıkavak, Bodrum; and Filinta Plaj Restoran in Küçükkuyu, with meze we have not seen anywhere else.
By city
Our picks: Palamud (Assos), Balat Sahil Restoran (Haliç), 5 Masa (Bodrum). 61 places in total — every one tried by us, every bill paid by us.
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