Meşale Cafe & Restaurant
Turkish flavours, live music and the soul of Istanbul in the heart of Sultanahmet
Your table awaits
Reserve your spot for an unforgettable evening in Sultanahmet
Views from our garden
Discover Meşale's open and spacious garden atmosphere, from daylight to the evening programme.
The Meşale garden in daylight
Breakfast in copper dishes
Charcoal-grilled kebab
Whirling dervishes every evening
The Arasta Bazaar from above
The historic peninsula from above
Spacious seating surrounded by greeneryPhotos and videos
Authentic moments from our kitchen, garden and evening programme.
A few dishes from the table
Our menu has 263 items; the ones below are just a few examples.
Mixed Breakfast
Traditional Turkish breakfast spread for 2 people, with assorted cheeses, olives, honey-clotted cream, jams, sausage & eggs and fresh vegetables; includes 1 pc. double tea.
Mixed Gözleme
Turkish pancake with a mix of cheese, potato and spinach.
Mixed Appetizer
Chef's selection of assorted mezze.
Adana Kebab
180 g. With bulgur pilaf, tomato and green pepper.
Sultanahmet Meatballs
180 g. With pilaf, potato, tomato and green pepper.
Baklava
Traditional Turkish baklava with pistachio.
Tonight at Meşale
Live music with kanun and daf, plus 20-minute sema performances at set times.
Live music begins
Live music every evening from 18:00 to 23:30. Programme times may vary by season.
Sema performance
The evening's first sema (whirling dervish ceremony) performance. Watch it from the garden, right alongside your meal.
Sema performance
The second performance. Dinner's busiest hour — reserve your table in advance.
Sema performance
The third performance.
Sema performance
The day's final 20-minute sema performance.
In the heart of history
Meşale's door opens onto Sultanahmet Square, where 1500 years of history unfold. Here are the masterpieces within walking distance.
SquareFreeSultanahmet Square
From the Byzantine hippodrome to today — the 2,000-year-old historic heart of Istanbul.
MosqueSultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque)
A 17th-century masterpiece with six minarets, its interior lined with more than 21,000 Iznik tiles.
MosqueHagia Sophia
A 1,500-year-old World Heritage site — a masterpiece that has been basilica, mosque and museum.
MuseumTopkapı Palace
The magnificent palace and museum where the Ottoman sultans lived for 400 years.
Historic BuildingBasilica Cistern
An underground reservoir of 336 columns — the mysterious subterranean world of Byzantium.
ParkFreeGülhane Park
The green lungs of the historic peninsula — plane trees, rose gardens and Bosphorus views.
Everything just steps away
Meşale Cafe & Restaurant is within walking distance of all of Sultanahmet's historic landmarks.
Arasta Bazaar
Great Palace Mosaics Museum
Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque)
Sultanahmet Square
Hippodrome / At Meydanı
Egyptian Obelisk
Serpent Column
Hagia Sophia
Basilica Cistern
German Fountain
Walled Obelisk
Caferağa Madrasa
Little Hagia Sophia Mosque
Istanbul Archaeology Museums
Topkapı Palace
Gülhane Park
Grand Bazaar
Voices from around the world
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3,010 Google reviews
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A one-minute walk from Sultanahmet Square — right in the heart of history.
Address
Cankurtaran Mah. Kabasakal Cad. Arasta Çarşısı No:45, Fatih Sultanahmet / İstanbul
Get DirectionsPhone
+90 530 523 73 05Opening Hours
- Every day: 07:00 — 02:00