Istanbul Cafe Overview
Istanbul Café is located in the old Country Women’s Association heritage building in the heart of Darwin City. Owners Nilufer and Nikitas Kavouklis have transformed this building into a Turkish restaurant that serves homemade cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner, all at a reasonable price. It is the more relaxed and inexpensive version of their other restaurant, Alaturka.
Darwin Hub Review of Istanbul Cafe
Ambiance
Istanbul Café is perfect if you are in a hurry for a quick bite or takeaway, but it becomes even more exceptional when you opt to dine in. If you prefer air conditioning for those hot days, you can choose for indoor seating with beautifully carved Eastern looking furniture where you can watch the televisions with Turkish shows/music playing. Personally, I think the outdoor seating is idyllic.
With a full overhead covering, the outdoor seating is on a garden deck looking over the hustle and bustle of the city. With shrubbery, flowers, candles and exotic cushions on the outdoor patio at this Turkish restaurant, the atmosphere is so relaxed and refreshing. This is a great place to go with friends, a nice night out with your partner, and is family friendly.
Service
At Istanbul Café you place your order at the counter and they bring the food out to you. Orders and food preparation are very quick
and I have never had to wait more than 5 minutes for my meal. You also order your drinks at the counter and take them to your table of choosing. If you want a restaurant where you are seated and served your meal I would suggest you try their other restaurant directly across the street, Alaturka. All of the staff members who work at this delicious Turkish restaurant are very friendly and accommodating.
Food
The food at Isantbul Café is to die for and definitely worth trying. They specialise in Turkish kebabs, antipasto platters, dips and tasty treats such as baklava! I tend to always get the lamb kebab or the full meal which comes with salad, dip and pita bread. Servings are very generous and made with fresh ingredients. Mains start at $10 and typically are never more than $20 and you are definitely getting your money’s worth! I have not been in to try the breakfast, but by the looks of the menu it leans more towards an Aussie style breakfast.
Vegetarian’s Note
Istanbul Café definitely is a great place for vegetarians with falafels, vegies platter, pita bread, great dips and more. My vegetarian eater never has a problem when we go here and he usually sticks with the vegetarian kebab!