About us
Excellent small restaurant opposite the Pera Palace hotel serving beautifully prepared mezez in well - decorated surroundings. Here tradition takes on a new lease of life. Turkish favourites are prepared with real flair; clever taste combinations and well chosen ingredients make this place stand out.
Blue Guide Istanbul
Statistics
TripAdvisor Reviews
556 Excellent
202 Very Good
in 12.378 Istanbul Restaurants according to Trip Advisor
Our menu
Mezes / Cold Starters
Daily prepared 14 different cold starters regarding the sea food and vegetables available in the present season.
Salads
Freshly prepared Shepard's Salad, Seasonal Salad or Rocket Salad
Warm Starters
5 different Sea Food, Meat or Vegetable warm starters
Meat Dishes
Grilled Lamb Sirloin, Grilled Marinated Beef Slices, Pan Roasted Beef Slices, Grilled 'Butcher's' Meatballs.
Sea Food
Monk Fish, Mixed Sea Food Pilaf, Sea Bass Fillet Enveloped in Paper, Whole Octopus Braised with Butter and Soy Sauce.
Desserts
Modern interpretation of the two classical Turkish desserts, Atom with almonds, honey, banana with a touch of red chilli and Turkish pudding with hazelnut, tahini and mulberry molasses.
drivemecrazy
Mill Valley, California
“Best meal in 80 years!”
That's what my mother-in-law said after dining here! She's turning 80, and has lived all over the world (Japan, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Switzerland, California) and is a great chef in her own right. High praise well deserved, since all 5 of us dining loved every morsel! I'd go back in a flash and just graze on the mezes, though my lamb entree was fabulous. Obviously the solution is to just keep going back!
Ghostkamera Oslo, Norway
“If I could give it ten stars I would”
Absolutely phenomenal. As a foodie who has eaten his fair share of michelin stars and streetfood this place came highly recommended and I reserved a table 4 months in advance for 2 friends. We ordered a bunch of meze, and 3 main courses, desert, wine, cocktails, etc and everything was unspeakably perfect, except perhaps the goatcheese stuffed peppers, but thats a tiny detail in an otherwise exemplary meal.Vibrant food, perfectly seasoned, seasonal, expertly prepared with love, absolutely nothing bad to say. Wonderful and would recommend this place to anyone. The dessert was one of the best things I ever ate in my life... clotted cream, toasted nuts, banana and chilli honey.. God.. Go here, you will not regret it!
FlaglerBeach_FlCarol Flagler Beach, Florida
“Memorable”
Our last night in Turkey and the very best most delicious meal of the trip to Turkey! We were fortunate to get into this small understated restaurant, huge in flavors. We tried the degustation and were so glad we did. It allowed us to experience Turkish cuisine! My main was sea bass in parchment and was the best I ever had. The banana dessert was amazing. Why can't we have this food in Miami?? Service was excellent. And FUN!!
News
THE 50 BEST RESTAURANTS
#30 Meze by Lemon Tree
While other restaurants have tried to dress up and gastronomify the classic Turkish meyhane experience, Meze by LemonTree has stayed true to its origins with homely service and a few much-loved rituals.
You select cold starters from the counter while the waiter intones each by name - sea bass ceviche, peppers packed with sweetly seasoned rice, fiery antep ezmesi (diced tomato salad)- to be followed by the restaurant's signature warm humus scattered with slices of sujuk sausage or calamari cooked in a walnut sauce. Be sure to peruse the pared- down but well-chosen Turkish wine list too.- CL
CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE
2012-2013-2014-2015 Winner
10 OF THE BEST HIGH-END RESTAURANTS IN ISTANBUL
Inside the airy single room of Meze, the kitchen crew – often doubling as waiters – look as serious as monks quietly shuffling around in their black chefs' jackets. But in their whimsical presentation of the food and generosity with the raki bottle, it's clear these guys are just food nerds having a great time. Leave the choice of starters to chef Gençay and you'll experience a northern Aegean tour de force featuring sautéed seasonal greens like nettles and dandelions. As the meal progresses toward a grilled whole fish, or the succulent loin of baby lamb, you'll quickly realise there is more to this place than just meze.
A GUIDE TO CHEFS' FAVOURITE RESTAURANTS
Mezze by Lemon Tree 'Small, tasty plates. Based on mezze obviously but with a nod towards modernity. A Small place, very laid back.
Peter Gordon