Istanbul Travel Forum

What is a safe dining place for a single middle aged woman? I do not want to limit myself to the hotel food only but would not like to be harassed too. Is it common for women to eat out alone in IST? When is the normal dining time?
My hotel is in Sultanhamet. Any advice or experience will help me

hello,

you will find variety of options to have a fantastic dinner around your hotel location. There is no common rule for dinner time in Turkey,you can eat at any time you like.Just walk along the Sultahmet region to so called '' Eminonu ''.(you may also take the tram sultanahmet if you dont like to walk,you need to get off at Eminonu section)You will see a bridge that connects two of the sides just near to the port. For example,You may select one of those restaurants under the bridge if you wish.
You do not need to worry about security issues at all,we are very warm,modern and welcoming in general.

I'm in my 50's and go solo too. I was in Istanbul and had no trouble dining out at all.

Was staying in Sultanhamet and often walked around from place to place at night (not down dark alleys!) finding restaurants. I dined at varying times from about 6.00 to 9.00pm.

I also dined down by the river and had no problems walking back to me hostel at night.

Sultanhamet is very safe and you wil be well treated as a lone traveller. There is no more danger in istanbul than in any major city. There are some smashing restaurants in the local area and you will not stand out by eating alone. Enjoy and use usual safety precautions - istanbul is magnificent.

I saw (foreign) women eating out on their own in Sultanahmet - nobody seemed to think it strange and they didn't get any hassle. Whether Turkish women do this, I don't know.

I got the impression that once you're in a place most owners and their staff try to please. There's a much higher level of attention than in the UK even in stalls in the bazaar. So I'm guessing that might extend to not harrassing lone female diners too.

Some of the restaurants in Sultanahmet are cheap and cheerful places and you might have to share a table; we (a couple) shared a table with a woman on her own for one meal. That's the only negative I can think of.

Hi Ieva,

Yes, you can comfortably eat out as a single woman. Once you enter any place, owner and all staff take the responsibility of you, well behave and respect you. They respect you more than they do for a man.

In Sultanahmet you can find cheap and local simple restaurants, but cheap restaurants (lokanta, kebapci, etc) do not serve alcohol in Turkey. Nice restaurants in Sultanahmet are very touristy and do not feel as you are in Turkey.

Me and my friends eat often in Nevizade in Beyoglu, sometimes Galata Bridge and rarely in Kumkapi. Sometimes try different restaurants around Beyoglu/Taksim area, there are thousand.

We start to eat with several cold starters (meze) for the middle of the table around 21:00, accompanying with our national common drink raki (45% grape alcohol with anis) slowly. After around an hour we ask a salad and some hot starters, drink raki, talk a lot, dance if they have live Turkish music inside. Around 23:00 we ask for the main courses and enjoy them. Around midnight we make the final with a mixed season fruits. When we ask the bill, they always offer us free Turkish coffee with no charge.

Then we move to one of our favourite bar or music club for more drinks and fun up to late hours.

Enjoy our city and delicious food :)
Alper Metin

I am a local, single woman and I usually dine alone. Also I frequently visit some places to have a drink. Don't be worried about this.

In Sultanahmet area, you should definitely try "Sultanahmet Koftecisi" which is a famous restaurant for meatballs. Using the tram, you can go down to Eminonu for the restaurants under Galata Bridge which mainly are fish restaurants. Another famous kebab restaurant is "Hamdi" which has a very nice terrace with Golden Horn and Bosphorus view. If you go a bit further by bus or by funicular from Tunel - Karakoy or the other funicular from Kabatas, you can reach Taksim and Istiklal street. There you will have plenty of options for any type of cuisine. If you check my restaurant tips, you will reach more detailed information on places I suggested. Your concern about being harrassed is more of prejudice and lack of information rather than the actual reality. You will be treated as a guest everywhere you go and Turkish people will do the best to show hospitality to tourists regardless of age or gender. As a mid aged lady, you will be respected more than men by the way. Enjoy Istanbul :)

What do you think Istanbul is? Rapists and murderers city? I think people should investigate a bit before they ask so arrogant questions.

Istanbul is the safest metropolitan in the world...

regards,
Tarkan

I don't think that there was any suggestion of rapists and murderers but any woman travelling alone would be wise to ask the locals and other knowledgable people if the behaviour of a single woman out alone is
a) safe
b) acceptable socially

Do you ask the same question when you go to Milan or Paris?

regards,
Tarkan