Vegan
Western
Mediterranean
Middle Eastern
Turkish
Colorful vegan cafe opened in mid-2014 in the Yeldegirmeni quarter of Kadikoy, reopened in this location Jan 2020. Opens out to the street with indoor/outdoor dining. Serves Turkish, Mediterranean/Middle Eastern foods such as pilaf, baked beans, falafel, bulghur, mashed potatoes, dolma, lentil soup, eggplant stews. Uses extra virgin olive oil and local and seasonal veg. Reported closed February 2024.
115 Reviews
First Review by kmanchester306
MariMartinez
Points +18
Best meal we've had in Istanbul - Edit
We were in Istanbul for a few weeks already and had eaten at a bunch of vegan places before we discovered this place. This was the best meal we had in Istanbul by far. The hot chocolate was thick and creamy, extremely rich in flavor, but not too sweet. The soup was incredibly flavorful and on an overcast day, it really hit the spot. The owner is extremely friendly and super sweet. We had some friendly chit chat in between him serving his other guests and ourselves. If we were staying on the Asian side, we would've definitely frequented this place much more. Regardless of it being a little bit of a trek, we plan to visit again before we leave. I highly recommend!
Read moreGuest
SophieJ.Pavlakis
Points +245
Nice food! - Edit
Extremely tasty hummus recipe. Located in a vegan friendly area in Kadıköy, this little place deserves a visit.
Read moreThe reason it misses a star is because it lacks quantity of choices.
Pros: Best homemade hummus I've ever tried.
Cons: A bit cold and with not many options.
Guest
JojoHerz
Points +54
Healthy Vegan Food - Edit
Very comfortable ambient in a little side street. Great conversation and good food.
Read morePros: Does his own vegan receipes., Turkish cuisine
Guest
HelenWoods
Points +429
Worth it for experience! - Edit
A cosy place with a great chef. The best vegan wrap for miles!
Read morePros: All vegan
Guest
vishnevetskayag
Points +106
Special experience - Edit
Just go there, you will not regret it.
Read moreGuest
asensation
Points +370
Great flavor - Edit
Slow cooked freshly made food. The flavors are excellent. Definitely worth eating at. Chickpea wrap and Mahatma soup are my favorite.
Read moreGuest
whitesiroi
Points +1831
Great place - Edit
Food is great and pretty cheap. the owner is awesome person,very kind and friendly.
Read moreGuest
FurkanErcan
Points +37
Nice and tasty food - Edit
Masterchef with great dishes, the lentil soup and Vöfte (vegan köfte) with Fermented Hummus and Sourdough Bread was very tasteful.
Read morePros: Fermented Hummus, Sourdough Bread
Guest
alehdzq
Points +38
My favorite in Istanbul - Edit
It’s a nice place, where I just felt welcome and at home from the beginning. The staff is super friendly speaks English and always always makes me feel as one more of the neighborhood even though now I live a bit far (5km) it is worth the going all the way. Delicious tea and cakes with amazing good music and ambiance!
Read morePros: All vegan , Organic , Good service
Guest
danielacovaa
Points +24
They have a new menu - Edit
everything you see on the app here I didnt find when i visited the restaurant 3 days ago. Only the cakes but you can find cakes everywhere. Sadly made the trip for nothing and have a hummus with cold bread and 3 slices of vegetables for 15tl
Read moreGuest
bianca_yara
Points +1361
Very cute cafe with delicious food - Edit
Such a cute little cafe! The owners are super nice, a lot of tasty dishes, I had the Mahatma soup, the hot chocolate and the Vöfte Dürüm (wrap). I spent hours in the cafe, getting some studying done and enjoyed the company of the cats
Read moreCons: No wifi
Guest
Ianūla
Points +44
loved it - Edit
Amazing chef, tasty artishoke, lentil soup and potato borek, good price and variety of meals. Loved it !
Read morePros: location, tasty food
Cons: a bit weirdy design
Guest
MariaTiqwah
Points +59
Authentic Turkish food. - Edit
Great place to get a authentic taste of Turkish food. Colorful interior. Kind cat and owner (he does not speak much English). This is the oldest vegan restaurant of Istanbul.
Read moreGuest
LauraCâsu
Points +38
Friendly place and good traditional food - Edit
If you are going on the asian side of Istanbul this is the place to eat, especially as a tourist. We had the mixed plate and the falafel plate, both were really delicious and different from the food you usually find in vegan restaurants. The falafel was different and very delicious. This place serves hearty and healthy food not the junk food kind you usually find in vegan restaurants. The owner is very friendly and the atmosphere is very nice!
Read morePros: Traditional turkish vegan food, Friendly staff & atmosphere, Nice music & cats
Guest
buseuca
Points +158
Not great food also pricey - Edit
I visited this place because of the good reviews. The food is good but it’s pricey. Many people said it was reasonable price but it wasn’t. Maybe they changed the prices. There are many vegeterian option in Kadikoy now. I don’t think Mahatma will be my first choise.
Read moreAlso owner is a weird guy. I asked if i have some mix plate like meze. He responded me in a very rude way and said “it’s not a tavern, you can’t have meze here”.
Pros: Food is ok but not much. , There are lots of cats around.
Cons: Owner is rude and overreacted person. , Overpriced.
Guest
VersaceSim
Points +419
The first vegan café in Istanbul! Great atmosphere and delicious food! - Edit
Lovely place! Food is super delicious! If you are staying on the European side make sure to plan a trip to Kadikoy and come to this place! I came here in June and returned for one week and have been coming almost everyday! Burek is a must try along with the mixed plate 😍
Read morePros: Big searing area, Turkish style meals, Delicious!
Guest
ClaireScottish
Points +62
The first and best vegan cafe in Turkey! - Edit
I was recommended to stay in Kadikoy as a vegan by Istanbul for Vegans facebook group. We went to Mahatma Cafe every day that it was open (not Mondays) and loved it!
Read moreI had the falafel plate a couple of times and it was great and I also loved the breakfast toasted sandwich.
Said and the other staff members were lovely as were the cats. I can't wait to come back.
Pros: Delcious vegan food., Lovely staff., Cute cats and decor.
Cons: Weak coffee (better doing cups not french press?)
Guest
BurakDemir
Points +612
Cute cafe with great food options - Edit
Everything was fresh and had a feeling of home made food. Mahatma soup was really good, spicy with lots of curry. I had zeytinyagli plate, lentil and aubergine borek, artichokes, spicy breads, all very tasty. Banana cake is a must try. Orange juice is fresh and inexpensive. Reasonable prices overall.
Read morePros: Friendly staff, Fresh and tasty food
Guest
SashaGabrielaTanase
Points +40
Lovely place in the Asian part - Edit
The place has very nice terrace full of kitties. The staff is super friendly and nice and the menu is so good. You can taste some of the Turkish traditional dishes but vegan so you should totally check it out
Read morePros: Super lovely staff, Very tasty food, Dishes full of savor
Guest
CrisFlechsig
Points +18
must try - Edit
It was the best vegan spot in istanbul! Small, very kind people! Everything was fresh and handmade! my favorites are artichoke and mahatma toast and menemen... price was very good ... christian
Read morePros: All Vegan , cheap and fresh, friendly
Cons: no
Guest
MelihKosif
Points +90
Great Food ! Great People ! - Edit
Well what can I say, their “Mahatma” soup is delicious and their mixed plate is amazing ! Recommended for sure, you’ll enjoy i’m sure of it.
Read morePros: Soup, Mixed Plate, Homemade goods that you can buy !
Guest
Wildebeast
Points +127
Loved this cafe - Edit
We visited this cafe regularly during our week stay in Istanbul - for breakfast and dinner a few times. The owner is lovely and the food is delicious.
Read moreGuest
medus
Points +790
Great restaurant - Edit
I visited this place twice during my stay in Istanbul. Each time both the atmosphere and food was excellent. In addition, the menu was full of traditional dishes to try. Prices were pretty normal for Istanbul.
Read morePros: Fully vegan, friendly service, tasty
Guest
Aya
Points +627
My favorite place in Istanbul - Edit
A very cozy place with a nice vibe. Spacious, nice interior. There also are tables to sit outside. Some of the dishes seemed to be very authentic.
Read moreThe cakes were amazing and very affordable. The baklava was the best I have ever had (though it was not cheap, it was worth the price).
Easy to reach from the metro.
Updated from previous review on 2018-02-26
Pros: Best cakes in Istanbul, Nice food, Fair prices that are clearly marked on the menu, Friendly owner, Good atmosphere
Guest
jackowy
Points +85
Good for breakfasts. - Edit
This place is perfect for breakfast. Variety of traditional Turkish dishes like börek. Clean, calm, not that far from the center of Kadıköy.
Read morePros: Close to the center of Kadıköy , Cheap, Vegan Turkish food
Guest
CharityBosua
Points +548
Cozy and cute - Edit
Very nice and cute little restaurant. Owner puts love in the place.
Read moreNice atmosphere and cats hanging around.
Menu is small but good if you like falafel etc.
I was honestly a bit dissapointed by the food: I was SO excited for falafel but our dishes came with lots of oil (very common in Turkey). I had to order new food because I couldn't eat it.
If you prefer a healthier version ask her not to add extra oil on top.
Pros: Cute restaurant
Cons: Oil
Guest
Coconutbaby
Points +365
yum yum - Edit
We had a breakfast plate and it was delicious. Also location is nice.
Read moreGuest
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