One of my friends is going to Istanbul soon and asked for some tips. I can tip her on anything, but I´m having trouble with pointing towards a good restaurant. She´s a vegetarian (so also no fish) and I LOVE meat and fish. All the best restaurants I know either envolve great meat dishes or fish dishes. So does anybody know a place with the best vegetarian dishes? Other tips for Istanbul are also welcome. I love finding out about new hidden places.

At any good restaurant, she should be able to find vegetarian dishes for her taste. She can even survive at the shopping malls as there should be found some.

If you ask for names,

hacı abdullah and saray near taksim area

kanaat restoran at üsküdar area

çiya restoran at kadıköy area

gelik at bakırköy area

fasuli near karaköy area

etc.

Knowing what to order is a big help.

Mercimek köftesi is a nice vegan dish. Tarhana corbasi is another. Perhaps some Turks or others who are familiar with vegan foods will chime in. 

You would normally find lentil soup (mercimek çorbası or "ezogelin çorbası" or "domates çorbası". Tarhana soup, I rarely find it in a restaurant.

Kuru fasulye + pilav + cacık (beans + pilav + "cacık") is a nice vegan combo. Artichoke is one of my favorite dishes, when I eat out.

You can always ask what your options are when at a restaurant, and you would see them at many restaurants before sitting at a table.

Yeay vegetable-arian!

I have just spent a month in Turkey and I am a vegetarian and I have not had any problems finding food for myself.  The Turkish Green Beans (Zeytinyağlı Taze Fasulye) are really good and you can fınd colliflower, aubergines, tomatoes, cucumber and so many other dishes with vegetables.  The only thing I hope is that your friend isnot allergic to tomatoes and olives like me... limits the choices of food a little.

So vegetarians will not starve in Turkey

"Zeytinyağlı Taze Fasulye" - oh yes. one of my favorites, I like it better with "cacık".

Also should be mentined, "dolma" (stuffed peppers).

you should post your photos of your journey and write about it . Tell us what you thought of your adventure as a tourist in Turkey . It may help others who wish to visit.

what about diet restourants in Istanbul?