Nato Lokantası

Karaköy is already on most Istanbul itineraries, and even if it isn’t, Galata definitely is. The nice part is that the two are basically neighbours: you can walk down from Galata to Karaköy in 10–15 minutes and it’s a genuinely enjoyable route. Nato Lokantası is a classic, long-running tradesmen restaurant in the area, the kind of place that has kept its standards steady for decades. It’s perfect when you want an honest, no-nonsense Turkish lunch picked directly from the daily counter.

One extra tip for this neighbourhood: if you’re into concerts or art events, keep an eye on IKSV. There’s often something interesting going on nearby. And if you want to build a full “Karaköy day”, two spots I personally recommend are Parantez (great value, local wines, local meze and dishes, very clean operation) and Kılavuz Döner (also included in this guide). And yes, you’ve probably already heard of Güllüoğlu Baklava 🙂