Food & Drink
Where to Eat on the Islands
Seafood and meze by the harbour, thick Turkish ice cream, and the street snacks worth seeking out — what to eat on the Princes' Islands and where.
The Princes' Islands are made for eating slowly — fresh seafood and meze by the harbour, thick Turkish ice cream in the shade, and street snacks between the sights. Here's what to eat, and where.
What the islands are known for
The signature island meal is seafood with meze and rakı — the leisurely rakı-balık ritual by the water. Beyond that, look for Turkish ice cream (dondurma) and street eats like midye dolma (stuffed mussels) and midye tava (fried mussel skewers), kokoreç, gözleme, kumpir (loaded baked potato), tost and börek.
Büyükada — seafood & meyhane
Most restaurants line Büyükada's harbour. Milto is a long-running seafood spot (grilled fish, calamari, octopus); Prinkipo Meyhanesi (a.k.a. Fıstık Ahmet'in Yeri) is the classic meze-and-rakı meyhane with weekend live music; Palya and Secret Garden add sea-view terraces (the latter with veg/vegan options); Eskibağ Terrace is quieter, at the back of the island. Up at the summit by Aya Yorgi, the Yücetepe Kır Gazinosu (since 1978) is famous for its köfte with a panoramic view.
Büyükada — ice cream & casual bites
No visit is complete without thick Turkish ice cream from Roma Dondurma, the island institution — pistachio, mastic (sakız), sour cherry. Tarihi Prinkipo Dondurma & Waffle and Sarıyer Dondurmacısı are other favourites, and in summer Yunus sells fresh-fruit ice cream from a barrow. For a cheap bite, the bazaar has fried mussels and kokoreç (Altın Fıçı), tost (Lale Büfe) and börek.
Heybeliada & Burgazada
Heybeliada is calmer and less touristy: Barba Yani is the well-known seafood-and-meze name, among a string of waterfront cafés and fish restaurants by the pier. On Burgazada, the cliffside Kalpazankaya is the island's sunset seafood spot.
What it costs
As a rough 2026 guide: a casual bite (ice cream, tost, gözleme or midye with a drink) runs about ₺150–350; a mid-range seafood lunch with meze around ₺600–900; a full rakı-balık evening roughly ₺1,500–2,000 per person. Turkish prices change fast — treat these as indicative and confirm on the day.
Eating-out tips
- Carry cash — many small vendors are cash-preferred, and ATMs cluster near the pier.
- Book ahead for a weekend-evening seafood table in summer.
- The harbour is convenient but touristy — walk a street back for better value.
- Vegetarian? Meze spreads are your friend; Secret Garden has veg/vegan dishes.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Seafood with meze and rakı (the classic 'rakı-balık' by the water), thick Turkish ice cream (dondurma), and street snacks like stuffed/fried mussels, gözleme and kumpir.
The harbour meyhanes — Milto and Prinkipo Meyhanesi are long-standing names — or, for köfte with a view, the Yücetepe Kır Gazinosu up by Aya Yorgi.
Roma Dondurma on Büyükada is the institution for thick Turkish ice cream; Prinkipo Dondurma & Waffle and Sarıyer Dondurmacısı are other favourites.
Harbour restaurants are pricier than the mainland, but casual eats are cheap. Roughly: a casual bite ₺150–350, a mid seafood lunch ₺600–900, a full rakı-balık evening ₺1,500–2,000 per person (2026, confirm on the day).
For a weekend-evening seafood dinner in summer, yes — the harbour fills up. For a casual lunch or ice cream, just turn up.
Ready for the islands?
Book a guided day trip with a boat cruise, free time on Büyükada and lunch.