Cafe Istanbul

Cafe Istanbul can quite rightly claim to be one of Manchester’s longest-standing, high-calibre Turkish restaurants in the city centre. It’s premises down Bridge Street, close to Deansgate, are hard to miss – warm, inviting, and with a definite touch of class, Cafe Istanbul offers proper Turkish fine dining. A huge selection of dishes are on offer, all made according to Turkish traditions and presented peerlessly. This is matched by one of Manchester’s longest wine lists. Perhaps Cafe Istanbul’s best kept secret, though, is its elegant private dining area.

It’s a huge relief to find a Manchester Turkish restaurant that really knows how to present its cuisine, and itself. Cafe Istanbul, down Bridge Street in the heart of the city centre, could certainly teach Manchester’s other Turkish eateries a thing or two – after all, they’ve been on the block for over thirty years, and have Turkish fine dining down pat. The menu, from the hot and cold starters through to the opulent seafood, grills, and vegetarian mains, is meticulously put together and annotated, and moreover exceedingly true to its Anatolian roots.

To accompany the beautiful food that Cafe Istanbul’s Bridge Street kitchen produces, the inspired proprietors of what is undeniably one of Manchester’s most renowned Turkish restaurants have corralled a small army of old and new world wines to accompany what is bound to be a superlative feast – it’s one of the longest in the city. The ace in the hole at Cafe Istanbul is undoubtedly their capabilities when it comes to hosting luxurious city centre private dining. Downstairs from the main restaurant is a club and private dining area designed by Bernard Carroll (of Panacea, San Carlo, and Cicchetti fame) that can accommodate up to 60 guests, complete with a feature bar and live music and DJs should your party need some dancefloor action.