Istanbul Directory

Roastory Coffee is a multi-story specialty coffee house with a terrace and bakery offerings, occupying a large historic building on İstiklal. Good for sit-down coffee, pastries and working across several floors; the terrace is a popular spot for views in Beyoğlu. Hosting Smileys events since June 2026.

Archeo is an archaeology‑themed cafe and small hostel with a ground‑floor cafe, coworking space and regular workshops. It serves third‑wave coffee and pastries and runs events from its Karaköy/Beyoğlu edge, with a terrace and communal rooms for guests.

A Persian restaurant just off İstiklal Avenue in Beyoğlu, serving traditional Iranian dishes.

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The reading-garden café at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University's Tophane-i Âmire center, set in the restored Ottoman cannon foundry just up from the Tophane waterfront. A glass-walled room opens onto the garden, and it's a calm place to work or read through the afternoon. Hosting Smileys events since July 2026.

Varuna Gezgin is a multi-level cafe-bar with a terrace on Kumbaracı Yokuşu, serving breakfast, international dishes and evening drinks. The Istanbul branch sits on the Istiklal/Kumbaracı slope and attracts friends and travelers looking for relaxed all-day dining in Beyoğlu.

Istanbul's flagship arts center on Taksim Square, reopened in 2021 in a new building that keeps the shape of the original. It holds a 2,040-seat opera hall, a theater, a cinema, a gallery, a library and cafés, with opera, ballet, concerts, theater and exhibitions through the year. Hosting Smileys events since October 2026.

Taksim Konser Karaoke Bar is a small karaoke bar and late-night hangout on the Asmalı Mescit strip, with a stage and shared karaoke setup for groups. It’s the kind of neighborhood spot where people come for singing and drinks in Beyoğlu.

A rooftop bar and restaurant on the top floor of a building on Meşrutiyet Caddesi, above Asmalı Mescit, serving drinks, steaks and bar plates, with screens for watching matches. Hosting Smileys events since May 2026.