Vegan-friendly
Lacto
Ovo
International
Beer/Wine
Turkish
Features a varied vegetarian and vegan-friendly menu with changing specials on some days: soups, salads, and mains. Waiter takes in consideration if you are vegan and so ask before ordering. Relocated from Kurabiye Sokak No 9/A. Reported closed, Jul 2021.
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Last update on 05 Jul 2021 by Guest
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52 Reviews
First Review by sarahsvati
alehdzq
Points +38
Cozy neighborhood place - Edit
A nice cozy neighborhood restaurant, very friendly staff and good food. Good option if you are craving a vegan burger. Still in the same location and open late!! Will go back again for sure
Read morePros: Good vegan options
Guest
MarkPeters
Points +20
Apparently closed - Edit
A few friends and I went here tonight and it has either moved or is shut down. A neighboring restaurant owner confirmed that Parsifal is no longer at the location listed.
Read moreSG213
It's now re-opened at the new address in the listing Nov 2019
Read moreGuest
d_christiansen
Points +36
Very good food, friendly staff - Edit
We had a very good dinner at Parsifal. They have many vegan menu items, and the service was good. The Parsifal Special with basically a little of everything is worth getting to try it all. You can choose between three patties - the mushroom one is best!
Read moreGuest
edwardbc
Points +1035
Delicious - Edit
Not sure why the bad reviews, but the place and the service were great to me.
Read moreThe quantity of food options is very good and the quality of the good is amazing (even the tea is great). The portions might not be as big, but still fair.
Guest
Basak
Points +79
central and delicious - Edit
Parsifal has very central location. you can find easily if you are in taksim.
Read morestuff are not much friendly and warmblood but menu has a lot of vegan chooses.
not so much cheap but vegan desserts really tasty
Guest
sightsoul
Points +32
Vegan-friendly, delicious food - Edit
I enjoyed a wonderful meal here with friends. Menu had lots of choices for vegans even though it is a vegetarian restaurant, and the staff was very pleasant. Definitely recommend if you are in the area.
Read morePros: vegan-friendly, affordable, delicious food
Guest
feministtraveller
Points +114
Never again - Edit
I went to Parsifal with modest expectations.
Read moreThe restauarnt is located very central from Taksim, and I really liked the decoration, which is cosy.
Still, I find the food overpriced for Istanbul. A Falafel Dürum with a small side salad and French fries cost approx. 16 Lira. This is too much for the low quality of the dishes.
The salad came without any dressing, so I used the mustard they served with my fries (I still wonder who eats fries with mustard). The Dürüm came without the Hummus it was described with on the menu. When I asked for it, I got a portion of Hummus - the most tasteless hummus I have ever eaten.
But most disappointing was the service. Normally, you would expect people in veg* places to be welcoming and relaxed.
The waiters were sitting outside the restaurant when I approached, and did not respond my greeting. In fact, they did not talk at all - I have never felt so uncomfortable in a restaurant before. They gave me the feeling that I was a burden which disrupted them from their break. The waiter who served me almost did not say anything at all - only wwhen I asked him for some more hummus, he said "OK".
Plus: Before I almost finished, I found the famous "Hair in the soup".
I would not recommend visiting this overpriced, bland and unfriendly restaurant.
Pros: nice decoration, central location, easy to find
Cons: not hygienic, unfriendly staff, bland taste
Guest
orange_blossom
Points +135
Good food - Edit
Has an extensive choice of turkish dishes. I had the stuffed spinach with bulgur which was lovely. I would definitely come there again for the food, although I found the atmosphere a bit lacking. It is in a great neighbourhood though, so the location is great.
Read moreGuest
smalak
Points +138
meh - Edit
I don't like to give negative reviews for vegan restaurants, especially in a city where they are a minority, but I wasn't crazy about this place. The staff will ask you if you are vegan or have allergies. The cafe itself is pleasant. I had a mushroom soup that was decent and the chard dolmas, which were not something I enjoyed. They had a sour taste. The menu has a lot of fried foods, burgers, fries, etc. Though I am glad this place exists in the hectic Taksim area, I didn't feel compelled to return. But if you're in that area and hungry, give it a try, maybe you'll have a better experience.
Read morePros: good location, staff sensitive to vegans/allergies
Guest
twinkle
Points +61
Really awful customer service experience - Edit
I've been eating at Parsifal since I moved to Istanbul in 2007. I can say in that time that the quality of the food has varied. Probably they have changed cooks every now and then over the years.
Read moreI recently developed some food allergies, so was happy to see that they mark their gluten-free options on the menu. I ordered the Parsifal Izgara, or grilled vegetables with cheese, which is listed as coming with sade pilav, or plain rice.
When I placed my order, I told the waiter that I am allergic to mushrooms, and asked if they could prepare the dish without mushrooms. He acted strangely when I asked him, so I asked if it was a problem and he said it wasn't.
When my food came, the cook had left mushrooms out of the grilled vegetables. But as I started to eat the rice, I realized that there were five or ten pieces of cooked mushrooms mixed in with the rice, which I picked out and ate around. While it is common to find orzo cooked in rice in Turkey, in my 8 years here, I have never found rice cooked with mushrooms. If, for some strange reason, they prepare their rice with mushrooms, they could have told me, and I would have changed my order.
It's impossible to know what the intentions of the waiter or the chef were, but I can say that it put me in a very uncomfortable position to either eat something which potentially could make me very sick, or confront them. Not in the mood to argue, I just ate around them.
Needless to say, I will not be eating at Parsifal again. I recommended the restaurant to many friends over the years, took guests from abroad, and had written a positive recommendation here, which I am now revising.
I would not recommend this restaurant at all.
Pros: Variable quality, Convenient location, Vegan options
Cons: Poor service, Don't accommodate food allergies, Overpriced
Guest
SkiNV
Points +37
Tasty, adequate - Edit
We had veggie burgers and really, there was nothing wrong with the food. Nothing amazing, but nothing wrong. It was lunchtime, the place was dark and the staff were not particularly inviting or welcoming. They weren't bad, they just weren't good. And that really sums up the experience. In a city full of amazing dining experiences, I don't see much of a need to return here. If I were hungry and in need of a veggie meal and I happened to be standing in front of this place, sure, I'd go. Otherwise, I'd walk for a bit to one of the other options nearby.
Read morePros: Tasty food, Extensive menu
Cons: Unwelcoming, Dark
Guest
GlennFraser
Points +327
Yummy on a Freezing Night - Edit
Great food, wine and service. Fab salads which are much necessary in a town of meats and breads.
Read morePros: Cosy
Guest
itzjac
Points +255
Not great.. - Edit
I had read quite a few reviews on here before we went to Parsifal and I saw a fair few negative comments, but a few good comments. I thought if a restaurant is always full and it is recommended you book - it must be good.
Read moreMy boyfriend and I went here for dinner - and what some of the other reviews said - you should book - as it was a week night (I think Wednesday) and it was really full! We were lucky that a couple were leaving just after we arrived so we could get a table. I thought this was a sign it would be really good - but I was wrong,
We ordered about 5 dishes between us (we were really hungry and thought we would try a few things) and everything tasted quite oily and bland. Probably one of the worst vegetarian restaurants I have been to.
We were in Istanbul for 8 days and ate at mostly regular restaurants and staff everywhere were very helpful and knowledge about veganism and I never had a problem anywhere eating a vegan meal - all those meals were much better than the meal we shared at Parsifal.
Parisfal was one of two vegetarian restaurants we tried while in Istanbul and the other was not very good either - overall I would say stick to regular good restaurants in Istanbul and leave the veggie places as they are generally not very tasty.
The staff at Parsifal were quite friendly and the best part of our meals were the fresh orange juice they made, it was really good.
Pros: Fresh Orange Juice, Staff were friendly
Cons: Food - Bland & Oily
Guest
EmreOzdemir
Points +23
Veg Friendly - Edit
This is the place that I visited every week for eating vegan food, also drinking beer. Small and very peaceful place.
Read moreGuest
kmanchester306
Points +833
Adorable, Parisian feel - Edit
Great little restaurant in a wonderful, vibrant area of Istanbul. It almost feels like you're in Paris, there is a very French vibe to the decor. I also loved it because they clearly adore cats, you'll notice that from all the photos on the wall! Aside from the feel, the food was delicious, everything vegetarian with a wide range of vegan options. Really a must try for vegans/vegetarians visiting this city.
Read morePros: Neighborhood , Food options
Guest
frads
Points +261
Best Vegan Place in Istanbul - Edit
This was the only great restaurant with many vegan options we found in Istanbul. There are a lot of options, the food is good, the ambiance is very nice. It is a bit annoying that there are no hours so you never know if it's opened or closed- Luckily it was down the street from my hotel so it all worked out.
Read morePros: Vegan Options, Great Ambiance, Nice Staff
Cons: Unknown Business Hours
Guest
Qternocq
Points +68
Great food, lovely staff - Edit
Ate here twice while in Istanbul for a week. Great food, modest prices.
Read moreGuest
Denizka
Points +45
Many vegan options, prices are ok - Edit
I have been there a couple of times. Once, before I was vegan, and once after. Tried a lot of things. I really enjoyed ''Parsifal Spesiyal''. They asked if we want it vegan (we didn't have to ask them to make it vegan). I enjoyed vegetables with soy sauce and a veggie burger (without bread). Also sarma and potato pastries were delicious. I didn't like mashed eggplants but in overal, everything was ok. The atmosphere is good too. We didn't wait for a long time. I enjoyed Parsifal and I suggest it to vegetarians and vegans especciallu.
Read morePros: Many vegan options, Not too expensive, Big portions
Cons: It is dark inside
Guest
GingerheadMan
Points +42
Great Option - Edit
I have been to Istanbul several times and this place has never let me down. The only challenge I have had is the hours and days open are not posted so you have to swing by and check to see if they are open. Also, they will typically ask if you are vegan to ensure your meal is so if they don't be sure to let them know.
Read moreGuest
aps101
Points +341
What A Disapointment - Edit
As one of the only truly vegetarian restaurants in Istanbul, I was super excited to eat here. My first attempt on a Sunday found them closed at dinnertime. There was no sign or hours in the window so I was at a loss. My second attempt was on a Monday for lunch. Again, closed. I am not sure why, but I went for a third. I tried for dinner on Tuesday and found them open. I think the universe had been trying to send me a message. Lesson learned, universe. Lesson learned. I sat down and upon looking at the menu was super excited. The menu clearly marked items that were vegan or could be made vegan. I was already planning my second visit before I had even ordered my food. There were so many great options to choose from. I decided on the special as it was a little bit of everything. It arrived and was huge. But disappointing. It was really salty. In fact, that was kind of all the flavor there was. The fried dough pockets were good, but a bit greasy and in the end, I just could not bring myself to eat much of it. All the items were just overly salted. I don't know if this was an anomaly, but it brought my thoughts of a second meal there to an end. In the end it was one of the worst meals of three weeks of travel. I decided to go for broke and try dessert and I will say the vegan brownie was an absolute delight and I was glad to walk out of there with that as the taste in my mouth. The other thing that was unfortunate is that the clientele and staff seemed to all be chain smokers. While they went outside to do so, it is a small narrow restaurant and the smoke all just wafted in and I could literally taste it in my mouth as I ate. I am not one to really be bothered by smoke so you can imagine that it was pretty bad for me to be affected. I was really disappointed all around.
Read moreCons: Salty, Smokey atmosphere, Hard to determine business hours
Guest
srodriguezch
Points +27
great food in istanbul - Edit
I really enjoyed the food at Parsifal. It's hard to find vegetarian restaurants here and fortunately Parsifal was nearby. Had the falafel and halloumi kebab. Was very tasty and service was great
Read moreGuest
VeronicaStenberg
Points +123
It's ok, nothing special - Edit
I ordered the Parsifal Special (made vegan for me). With a burger, vegetables and some bits to try from their menu. I liked the little filo-dough pirogies the best. The meal would have benefited from some dips, not a huge salad in the middle. If you are a vegetarian it comes with tzatziki, why not just make a vegan version for the vegans?
Read moreThe food is ok, nothing special and the prices are cheapish/ok.
Such a shame that we had to wait 1,5 hours for our food to arrive. They should really invest in more staff around lunchtime!
Guest
SG213
Points +861
New menu is a big improvement - Edit
They've just recently updated their menu in the past week or two and it seems to be much better compared to the old one.
Read moreOne of the main problems before were the very bland veg. burgers, however I ordered the Vegan burger from the new menu and was very happy to see that they had made it much better with an actual burger bun, and mustard/ hummus(?? how about some Veganaise?) garnishes, tomato slices, lettuce etc.
They've also added a new falafel plate and falafel wrap so
the choice is a lot better than before. Looking forward to trying it.
The prices are still reasonable and all of the other good points (location, ambiance) remain the same so it appears to be quite a good option now. Still wish Loving Hut was open again though!
Pros: Location, Only serves vegetarian/vegan food, Good selection
Cons: Food quality can be hit and miss
Guest
ampallang
Points +365
agreed, bland - Edit
the food is bland and not so cheap. Its in a good location, so if you are not having any luck with the "vegetarian turkishfood" filled with meat stock then i guess you could come here, as i did... it will fill you stomach and your tastebuds wont care for it.
Read morePros: location
Cons: not tasty
Guest
mmcgauran
Points +168
Bland vegan/vegetarian food - Edit
I was excited to find a purely vegan/vegetarian restaurant in Istanbul but was disappointed by the food. I told the waiter I was vegan so got given different bread to my husband. The bread was flavourless. My main was the stir-fried veggies, which was full of veggies but once again had no flavour. My husband had the vegetarian burger - the patty fell apart as soon as he tried to eat it and once again very little flavour. Prices reasonably expensive for Istanbul. I would not recommend this restaurant and would not go back.
Read moreGuest
Soybean
Points +126
Not good. - Edit
Had a vegan 'burger', which was TVP encased in a fried potato pattie. The TVP was unseasoned (i.e., totally unflavoured, just rehydrated with hot water) and the potato was cooked without herbs or any flavourings. The 'burger' had no bun, no sides though it did come with fries. There were no sauces offered. Also had a clay pot vegetable dish which was bland and lacked any satisfying flavour. A side salad was bitter, though it was fresh.
Read moreI actually don't understand why anyone would make TVP and not know how to prepare it. It's like they'd never read a recipe for making something with TVP. Bizarre.
Very expensive for such incredibly low quality food. Would never go again, nor recommend it to anyone.
Cons: Expensive., Tasteless.
Guest
alx
Points +98
Good but not fancy - Edit
Good food (we got the grilled vegetables and "burgers" - which is in reality stuffed and fried funny things), but weird staff. Maybe they misunderstood us or something, who knows. The price was really good, and everything seemed fresh. A lot of vegan options, all of them clearly marked on the menu card. I'd go a 2nd time.
Read moreOh, and the location couldn't be better if you want to hit a dive bar after dinner.
Pros: Cheap, Location, Weird cat theme
Cons: No outdoor seating
Guest
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