🌱 1. Don’t Just Say “No Meat”
In Turkish, etsiz means “without meat,” but definitions can get fuzzy. Be specific about chicken and fish too.
Say:
“Vejetaryenim. Et, tavuk ve balık yemiyorum.”
I’m vegetarian. I don’t eat meat, chicken or fish.
🍲 2. Always Ask About the Soup
Mercimek and vegetable soups may look vegetarian but can be prepared with meat or chicken stock.
Ask:
“Et suyu veya tavuk suyu var mı?”
Does it contain meat or chicken stock?
🫒 3. Learn the Magic Word: “Zeytinyağlı”
Zeytinyağlı dishes, vegetables, beans and stuffed vegetables cooked with olive oil are a great place to start.
Look for barbunya pilaki, enginar, taze fasulye and zeytinyağlı dolma.
🍚 4. Rice Isn’t Automatically Vegetarian
Pilav may be cooked with chicken or meat stock.
Ask:
“Pilavda et suyu veya tavuk suyu var mı?”
Does the rice contain meat or chicken stock?
🥟 5. Check What’s Inside the Pastry
Börek, gözleme and poğaça come with many fillings.
Useful words:
Peynirli - cheese
Ispanaklı - spinach
Patatesli - potato
Sebzeli - vegetable
Kıymalı - minced meat
🥯 6. Give Simit a Chance
Simit, cheese, tomatoes, cucumber, olives and Turkish tea make an easy local vegetarian breakfast.
Order simply:
“Bir simit ve bir çay lütfen.”
One simit and one tea, please.
🍳 7. Turkish Breakfast Is Vegetarian-Friendly
Cheese, eggs, olives, tomatoes, cucumber, jams, tahin-pekmez, bread and börek provide plenty of choices.
Just watch for sucuk and pastırma.
Say:
“Sucuk ve pastırma olmasın lütfen.”
No sucuk or pastırma, please.
🍆 8. Know Your İmam Bayıldı From Your Karnıyarık
They may look similar, but there’s a crucial difference.
İmam bayıldı eggplant with onion and tomato.
Karnıyarık traditionally stuffed with minced meat.
Remember the names.
🍃 9. Ask for “Zeytinyağlı Sarma”
Sarma doesn’t automatically mean vegetarian. Some versions contain minced meat.
Ask:
“Bu zeytinyağlı mı, etli mi?”
Is this the olive-oil version or does it contain meat?
🧆 10. Don’t Ignore the Meze Counter
Hummus, fava, şakşuka, haydari, eggplant dishes, beans and salads can quickly become a full vegetarian meal.
Point and ask:
“Bunda et var mı?”
Does this contain meat?
🏠 11. Look for “Ev Yemekleri”
Small ev yemekleri restaurants often display the day’s home-style dishes behind glass.
Ask:
“Hangileri vejetaryen?”
Which ones are vegetarian?
👆 12. Pointing Works
At a traditional lokanta, you can see the food before ordering.
Use three simple questions:
“Bu nedir?” What is this?
“İçinde ne var?” What’s in it?
“Bu vejetaryen mi?” Is this vegetarian?
🥙 13. Çiğ Köfte Is an Easy Backup
Modern commercial etsiz çiğ köfte is meatless and widely available around Istanbul.
Ask for:
“Bir etsiz çiğ köfte dürüm lütfen.”
One meatless çiğ köfte wrap, please.
🫘 14. Discover Turkey’s Legume Dishes
Look beyond salads. Try barbunya pilaki, mercimek köftesi, fava, kuru fasulye and börülce.
But ask about stock in hot dishes:
“Et suyu kullanılıyor mu?”
Is meat stock used?
🧀 15. Cheese Opens Up Many Options
Vegetarians have an advantage with Turkish pastries and breakfast dishes.
Look for peynirli börek, peynirli gözleme and menemen.
For menemen:
“Sucuksuz olsun lütfen.”
No sausage, please.
🍬 16. Desserts Are Usually Easier for Vegetarians
Baklava, sütlaç, kazandibi, lokum, helva and many other Turkish sweets can be vegetarian, although ingredients vary.
If needed, ask:
“İçinde jelatin var mı?”
Does it contain gelatin?
🧺 17. Visit a Semt Pazarı
Neighbourhood markets are packed with seasonal fruit, vegetables, olives, cheeses, nuts and dried fruit.
Want to taste something?
“Biraz tadabilir miyim?”
May I taste some?
⛴️ 18. Cross the Bosphorus for Food
Don’t stay around Sultanahmet for every meal. Explore Beyoğlu, Cihangir and the Asian side, particularly Kadıköy.
The ferry ride is part of the experience.
🧾 19. Ask About Ingredients, Not Labels
If “Bu vejetaryen mi?” gets a confused answer, ask specifically:
“Et var mı?” Is there meat?
“Tavuk var mı?” Is there chicken?
“Balık var mı?” Is there fish?
“Et suyu var mı?” Is there meat stock?
Specific questions often work better.
🇹🇷 20. Memorize One Sentence
If you learn only one Turkish sentence, make it this:
“Vejetaryenim. Et, tavuk ve balık yemiyorum.”
I’m vegetarian. I don’t eat meat, chicken or fish.
It removes most of the ambiguity before you order.
📌 Save this for your Istanbul trip. Tag another vegan or vegetarian traveler who needs it.
Last reviewed: August 25, 2026