Café Istanbul

4.2 (36)

£26 to £40

Turkish

79/81 Bridge Street, Manchester, M3 2RH

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Café Istanbul

4.2

£26 to £40

Turkish

Manchester

Make a booking

2 people

8 Nov 2026

7:00 pm

Booked 3 times today

About this restaurant

Good for groups
Neighbourhood gem
Lively

Café Istanbul is Manchester’s longest established quality Turkish restaurant. Whether you’re a familiar face or a new guest, we’re positive you’ll find something different and exciting on our menu.

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
£26 to £40
Cuisines
Turkish, Mediterranean
Hours of Operation
Mon–Thu, Sun 12:00–22:30 Fri, Sat 12:00–23:00
Phone number
0161 833 9942
Website
http://www.cafeistanbul.co.uk/
Payment Options
JCB, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual
Executive Chef
Ibrahim

Location
79/81 Bridge Street, Manchester, M3 2RH
Area
Manchester
Parking Details
NCP car park down the Bridge Street 100 yards from the restaurant. House of Fraser car park round the corner.
Public transport
Salford Central train station is a 7 minute walk away
Additional
Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Wheelchair Access

Concierge
AI Beta

Our AI assistant, Concierge, is here to answer your questions about this restaurant.

Reviews

OpenTable reviews from verified diners

Reviews from people who have dined at Café Istanbul.

4.2

(36)

4.5Food
4.5Service
4.0Ambience
4.1Value

Noise • Energetic

36 Reviews

J
Jackie
London10 reviews
5.0
Dined on 30 October 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Lovely fresh food cooked to order Friendly helpful staff Great ambience Will return
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B
Bruce
Devon3 reviews
5.0
Dined on 27 October 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
This is our go to place in Manchester for special occasions
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A
Andy
London1 review
3.0
Dined on 2 October 2026
1. Overall 3
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 1
Very loud live music inside the restaurant. We tried to leave after 10 minutes of not being able to hear each other, but they did offer to lower the volume. We ended up staying and had a lovely meal.
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J
Jaxie
London2 reviews
2.0
Dined on 8 August 2026
1. Overall 2
2. Food 2
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 2
More a greasy spoon cafe than a restaurant. Dirty floor, tired walls and basic tables & chairs. Some of the staff were lovely whilst the main greeter seemed quite unhappy that we didn't order overpriced alcohol. The food was bland and the portions were small. The rice was little more that a serving spoon in size. It was quite hectic and noisy being a Saturday night and there was a live singer who could only sing one song before taking a break. I can't recommend going here as there are many restaurants in the area and certainly will never return.
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D
Dolores
Las Vegas4 reviews
5.0
Dined on 20 June 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Had the sharing meat platter, excellent food! Plenty to enjoy for 2 people.
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N
Nathan
Lancashire1 review
5.0
Dined on 19 June 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Visited for a date night and was not disappointed, expected the food to be enjoyable but was genuinely blown away by how good it was. If you want some quality Turkish food in Manchester then look no further. It was more on the expensive side but the portions are big and I do think you get what you pay for. Lastly, the service was attentive and friendly, was never difficult to get a hold of anyone for another drink or the bill etc.
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S
Simon
Manchester/Greater Manchester2 reviews
5.0
Dined on 17 May 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
It was a Sunday evening so a bit quiet in the restaurant, food was excellent and service spot on, overall a good experience will be calling again.
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T
Tracy
Manchester/Greater Manchester1 review
2.0
Dined on 4 April 2026
1. Overall 2
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 1
We have been coming to this establishment for a number of years and never had a problem, on this occasion there was base vibe music playing to the point the floor was jumping we asked the waitress what was going on and she said a nightclub had opened up downstairs! It really spoilt our evening we couldn’t hear ourselves speak so a conversation was out of the question! The menu’s are worn out and tatty and there was a lot of food on the floor that wasn’t being swept up after each person had finished with their table ! The food is OUTSTANDING please go back to how you used to be nice clean and tidy but it’s a no from us with all the speaker noise. And on top of all this they add a service charge ! Service charge in England should be optional as we work on minimum wage for everyone.
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C
Colette
Manchester/Greater Manchester3 reviews
5.0
Dined on 15 March 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Stunning food always to a high standard highly recommended
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C
Chi
London1 review
5.0
Dined on 12 February 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We have visited Cafe Istanbul before and it’s our go to for Mediterranean food in Manchester. The service, quality and value for money is excellent.
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Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
£26 to £40
Cuisines
Turkish, Mediterranean
Hours of Operation
Mon–Thu, Sun 12:00–22:30 Fri, Sat 12:00–23:00
Phone number
0161 833 9942
Website
http://www.cafeistanbul.co.uk/
Payment Options
JCB, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual
Executive Chef
Ibrahim

Location
79/81 Bridge Street, Manchester, M3 2RH
Area
Manchester
Parking Details
NCP car park down the Bridge Street 100 yards from the restaurant. House of Fraser car park round the corner.
Public transport
Salford Central train station is a 7 minute walk away
Additional
Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Wheelchair Access

FAQs

Portions at Café Istanbul are often generous, guests praise the sharing meat platter as plenty for two, and several reviewers comment that portions are big or easily shared.

Café Istanbul feels bright, warm and welcoming, guests praise its lovely décor, comfortable spacing between tables, and an inviting, well-kept interior.

For a quieter visit, head to Café Istanbul on a Sunday evening, a guest specifically noted it was “a bit quiet” then; if you want the value of the set menu, guests praise the Monday–Saturday fix menu at lunchtime.

Sunday evenings are a lovely choice for a quieter visit, one guest reports the restaurant was a bit quiet on a Sunday evening while food and service were excellent.

Yes, Café Istanbul is a popular date-night pick: guests report successful date visits, praising the food, attentive service and a pleasant interior ambience.

Yes, Café Istanbul is family‑friendly: one guest described "a lovely family meal" and praised the staff as "so helpful and friendly, " indicating a welcoming setup for families.

Smart casual is the guide at Café Istanbul, think polished but relaxed: neat, comfortable clothing rather than formalwear.

How FAQ content is generated

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Café Istanbul

4.2

£26 to £40

Turkish

Manchester

Make a booking

2 people

8 Nov 2026

7:00 pm

Booked 3 times today

Café Istanbul

Make a booking

Café Istanbul

Make a booking

About this restaurant

Additional information

Concierge
AI Beta

Menu

Reviews

Additional information

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Café Istanbul

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