Offers vegan food with dishes like iskender and balls, Beytikebab, seitan döner wrap, mantı, ravioli style dumplings with sweet potatoes, lahmacun, Bosnian cevapi kofte, seitan stuffed grape leaves pockets with lemon sauce, burger, ravioli, lasagna and baklava, seasonal menu with Turkish rice, stuffed peppers and eggplant, olive oil cold plates, and cookies. Sunday is brunch and wild mushroom day as well as a Turkish tasting menu. Sat by reservation only. Special vegan tasting menü every Sunday. Vegan Turkish food cooking class on Tuesdays by reservation. WhatsApp 00905385032736. Relocated from Tomtom mh kumbaracı Yokuşu No 18. Open Mon 4:00pm-10:30pm, Wed-Sun 4:00pm-10:30pm.
226 Reviews
First Review by Sacha
PauliusSliaupa
Points +13
Excellent food and friendly people! - Edit
Their food is the tastiest I ever tried! Such a welcoming atmosphere there. I totally loved the pies, they were so original and different. But the best thing was that after I ate there I was very energetic for the rest of the day and I felt relaxed, calm and so light. The chef of the place is very friendly. I loved this cafe so much that I was coming there every day almost for a week. The last day they made a farewell party for me! I will miss this cafe, really.
Read moreGuest
SG213
Points +859
Could be good, but has some difficulties - Edit
Although price inflation is a problem everywhere in Istanbul, it seems that Community Kitchen got a lot more expensive after they moved to their new premises.
Read moreMost of the dishes were 18TL, but there was no menu and just the 2 or 3 things they had available at the time.
This place is clearly a labour of love for the person running it and presumably their regular contributors - there were people making some desserts at the table beside us when we entered - but it just feels disjointed for outsiders.
18TL isn't actually an outrageous price compared to other places in Istanbul like Parsifal etc., but those other places don't have the DIY ethic - instead, they have proper menus, more fully considered portions, table service, no trays of food left lying around in the open etc.
Currently, this place feels more like a community or social centre for aspiring vegan cooks, and while that's not a bad thing at all, it just doesn't seem to be that compatible with the concept of a commercial cafe or restaurant.
I hope they can improve some of these aspects but it's not somewhere I would return to that quickly until they do.
Pros: Good potential with interesting dishes
Cons: Unsure if it's commercial or community
Guest
Joa
Points +159
delicious homemade seitan but a bit expensive for the servings - Edit
I must say I had here the best seitan of my life and I live in Berlin which is one of the vegan friendly cities there is. Besides that, at the time of my visit, the place was not crowded so I had the opportunity for s friendly chat with the owner. I had the seitan served with almond cheese and pieces of bread within the sauce, a couple of vegan dolma and a slice of cake as a dessert. I was served also a delicious ibiscus cold tea drink. The Food was amazing but I found the portions a bit small and the cake was very average for the price (6,5 TL). In total I paid 24 TL which I considered expensive regarding the portions and the average for the city. Nevertheless it is worth a go. Note: there was no open buffet at the time of my visit and the directions link here is not updated. Use the address in the description.
Read morePros: delicious homemade food , nice interiors/decor , vegan Turkish cuisine
Cons: a bit on the expensive side, small portions
Guest
AnnaLeonieM
Points +53
Didn't let us in - Edit
After a rainy day we finally reached this place. We came in as hungry, vegan and wet foreigners looking forward to vegan food. There were many tablets with food and a group of people were already sitting there, when a female staff came and told us we can't stay because they have a closed birthday party today. We told her we were thought it is open regular. She said she posted on Facebook ONE DAY BEFORE THAT TONIGHT IT'S A CLOSED PARTY. We asked her where else to go to find a place with food that is truly vegan. She told us about a place near Galata tower we already knew that it was a bad place and another one at the asian side, where we could only get by ferry (it was about 21 pm and strong rain). She told us she's sorry but we can't stay and handed us two small baked balls and we left. I know she tried to act friendly, but in the end we were forced to cooke something at our place.
Read moreUsually i feel really connected with vegan people, even in new cities, just because every vegan know how hard it is to find vegan food as a tourist and how thankful you are for anything. But here WE WEREN'T ALLOWED TO STAY.
IT'S NOT KIND TO SEND TWO VEGAN, HUNGRY TOURISTS BACK IN THE RAINY NIGHT, BECAUSE YOU POSTED ONE DAY BEFORE THAT YOU HAVE A CLOSED PARTY TONIGHT, EVEN IF THERE IS PLENTY OF FOOD! If possible i would give ONE COW at most because she tried to be friendly.
Cons: posted one day before they are closed, weren't allowed to stay as tourists
textsalat
Sorry, AnnaLeonie, but what would you expect them to do if someone booked the restaurant for a closed party? Let you (and maybe others) in nevertheless? A restaurant owner cannot invite you to his guests birthday party. And honestly - when should they post this on FB? Weeks in advance? Who would scroll through old postings before going to a restaurant? Don't think this is a fair review. You didn't have a reservation and were neglected, so this is 'shit happens' for you, but not at all the restaurant's fault.
Read moreGuest
charlottesometimes
Points +76
Very delicious - Edit
They have very tasty vegan iskender kebap with almond yogurt. But prices are expensive for students.
Read moreLocation is very fine. Staff is very friendly. And I like community kitchen's decoration
Pros: Very good taste, Good location, friendly staff
Cons: expensive
Guest
PaulaSimon
Points +18
delicious traditional turkish vegan dish! - Edit
Having eaten too many Çiğköftes already (one of the few vegan things of traditional turkish cuisine I had found so far), we searched for a vegetarian/vegan place and found Community Kitchen. We had a really delicious vegan iskender döner with almond-yoghurt that, according to my brother (who had eaten a lot of normal iskender döner before), tasted just as good. The hibuskus icetea and the cookie for desert were really tasty. You should relly visit this place if you visit Istanbul - not just for vegans or vegetarians :)
Read moreUpdated from previous review on Saturday September 06, 2014
Pros: friendly, warm atmosphere, delicious food, low-budget prices
Guest
ZazTop
Points +16
Great food served with a smile - Edit
I first heard about this place on Couchsurfing. There was an event posted there regarding a vegan potluck (I think this might be a weekly thing on Tuesdays). I was travelling alone in Istanbul so went along. The place is located in a nice street not far from Galata Tower. Everyone was really welcoming and friendly towards me and I had a nice evening chatting to people about the Istanbul vegan scene etc. From what I gathered from two Dutch girls at the potluck, you can also volunteer in the kitchen, helping to chop veg and bake cookies etc.
Read moreAt the end of the evening, I asked whether they would be open for breakfast in the morning as my hostel was not very vegan-friendly and they said yes. The next morning I went back (they recognised me from the night before)and was greeted with a big genuine warm friendly smile. Breakfast consisted of: a smoothie, oats with homemade almond yoghurt and fruit pureé, a platter containing mini burgers, salad, mini lasagne, homemade almond cheese, jam and nuts, a huge basket full of bread, a cookie, tea and a glass of homemade almond milk! I was stuffed and didn't need to eat for the rest of the day. And all that for 15 TL! Very affordable, tasty creative food served by passionate, friendly and down-to-earth people. I definitely recommend this place!
Pros: very friendly staff, affordable, location
Guest
wmsayce
Points +16
Fantastic find! - Edit
By a magical accident I was staying across the street from this place during my week in Istanbul. I cannot say enough great things about it! I ate there three times, and each time was delicious. It's not a traditional restaurant, but the food and drink is free-flowing and very reasonably priced and everyone is warm and welcoming (the second night I was there, I stumbled in on their weekly potluck, and even though I didn't have anything to contribute, they refused to let it matter). They are also very accommodating to food allergies, which made my life sooo much easier. If I'm ever in Istanbul again, I will seek this place out. I can't recommend it highly enough!
Read morePros: Delicious food, Friendly staff, Extremely reasonably priced
Cons: Not a lot of seating, Hard to spot from the street
Guest
WillHowliston
Points +16
Lovely place, good food - Edit
Visited Community Kitchen this evening, on the last day of my stay in Istanbul. It's off down a side-street, but not far from the main road and easy enough to find if you use the map - but it's not very obvious when you get there (although to be fair, I am very unobservant). Look for the board outside!
Read moreIt's definitely worth finding! Really nice food, very nice, friendly woman who runs it, and a nice ambience. This is my last day here, but if/when I return to Istanbul (I'm here on business) I suspect I might visit it every night!
Pros: Good food, Friendly staff, Nice vibe
Cons: Took me a couple of minutes to spot it
Guest
Sacha
Points +13
An enchanting start-up - Edit
I visited this place August '14 and was truly enchanted. The Community Kitchen only just started when we showed up (group of 8, two families), and its still a work in progress. It is the most wonderful place though, and I fully recommend it. The food is a mix of Turkish and more continental dishes, serving one set daily menu. Don't worry about the lack of choice, though, the owner/chef is a fantastically inventive and skilled cook, as well as a kind and welcoming host. I had dinner here three times now, including an original turkish dish I forgot the name of, vegetarian döner and a seitan lasagne. All were fresh and tasty. Water, tea and hibiscus tea are free to take. In general, make sure to visit this place, it is fantastic, but bear in mind its not a regular restaurant: most of the food is made by volunteers, prices are exceptionally low and the place is amazing mainly because of the energy and enthusiasm of those that continuously contribute to it.
Read morePros: Great food, Fantastic, kind owners, Very low prices
Cons: Interior is still being worked on a bit
Guest
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