Cuma

I am from Istanbul and I saw this place in Michelin guide, service was not enough for this kind of place, he did not know Öküzgözü and Boğazkere are different grapes for our wine. I did not like the attitude also… The most important part, tastes: -Georgian patty/Turkish ravioli: It was okay, tastes were good we liked it. -Grilled octopus: Chewy, hard. The taste was below moderate. -Lamb in Tandori (kuzu tandır): It was a good peace, but to be honest nothing different, no touches. The taste was like we did it in home. -I loved the red wines. Prodom Öküzgözü 2020 and Kuzubağ Merlot 2021. The location is good, near İstiklal Street, if you arrive by car there is a paid carpark just behind of the restaurant. 2 person, We paid 5000 TRY (25.10.2025)

We arrived at the restaurant around 5 ish in the afternoon, when we asked if we can get a table, the server said we only have an hour to eat. We were only looking for a quick bite and we were not expecting to stay any longer than an hour, thank you for setting the time! Server didn’t even bother to explain the menu to us so we had to relied on google to check what’s available. We ordered lentils soup, octopus, and lamb, foods were delicious and we both enjoyed the slow music playing in the background , restaurant was calm and quiet. Expensive price and most certainly not worth it judging by the type of service we were given. Credits to the chefs for making such a good quality foods though.

I had high hopes for this Michelin-recommended restaurant, but the overall experience was very disappointing. Both the service and the food did not meet the standards one would expect from a place with such a prestigious endorsement. Service: 1. We arrived carrying quite a few items and asked a staff member if they could provide an extra chair for our bags. Without even thinking, the answer was a flat no. For a fine dining restaurant, comfort and attentiveness are key – this felt careless and lacking in thoughtfulness. 2. We ordered a bottle of white wine, but it was served completely warm – room temperature. We told the staff not to pour it yet because it wasn’t chilled, but they went ahead and poured it anyway. This was unprofessional and showed a lack of attention to detail. 3. We asked for sparkling water, but the staff only poured for one or two people. Some of us had our glasses ready but were ignored – again, not very attentive. 4. Dishes were served by reaching between guests without any notice. No one was informed beforehand, which felt careless and even risky – someone could have easily turned and knocked the plate over. It’s not the kind of service you’d expect in a fine dining setting. Food: 1. The plating was overly simple and not visually appealing – far from the kind of presentation you’d expect from a Michelin-recommended restaurant. 2. The octopus was possibly the worst I’ve ever had. It didn’t taste fresh, and the texture was oddly mushy. We told the staff, but they simply took the plate away without any comment – very strange. 3. Several dishes were drowned in sauce, which completely overpowered the ingredients. The beef had no real beef flavour, and the fish didn’t taste fresh at all. I’m not sure whether it was due to the ingredients or the way it was cooked, but the result was underwhelming.

we stumbled into cuma after a full day of exploring and it ended up being one of our favorite meals in istanbul so far. the food was SO thoughtful and balanced. everything was cooked beautifully and the meal was perfectly paced. our server, aras, was THE best. i even practiced my turkish at the table and learned the difference between “salak” and what i meant to say “ellerinize sağlık” 😅. overall, such a cozy, delicious, skillfully run spot. HIGHLY recommend making a reservation. this place deserves all the love.

This is one of the best places in Istanbul which is cozy but also chic. It feels like you are eating in your front yard yet the food and cocktails are super admirable. I truly recommend it!

1. The first red flag was that on a cold and rainy October day, we were not allowed to sit inside — they said breakfast is only served outdoors. The waiter said it quite rudely, probably because his English wasn’t very good. It felt extremely unwelcoming and unpleasant. They literally didn’t let us step inside the door. 2. We waited about 30 minutes for two breakfasts. 3. I ordered a toast with Gruyère cheese, tomatoes, and pesto. It was surprisingly bad — the toast was extremely dry, just way too much dry bread. I couldn’t eat it. The waiter offered to replace it with another dish, but I didn’t want to wait another 30 minutes, especially since it was raining and cold outside. I honestly didn’t expect a Michelin restaurant to serve something that many cheap cafés manage to make at least edible.

This is a very honest review of this place. I’m not sure how Michelin stars are given but the food at this place was like an average restaurant meal in the US. Nothing special. In fact the chicken was underseasoned. It is highly overpriced for what it is. I paid $120 usd dollars for a meal for one person and in the US I can find a similar or better restaurant for $20. Not impressed. Service was okay but servers acted like this was the best restaurant ever. Not even close. Very underwhelming. Once again I’m not sure how Michelin stars are assigned but because of this place, that ranking can’t be trusted

The food here is creative and excellent. The service is decent but not nearly at Michelin recommended levels. It is a good Turkish restaurant with a modern twist on Turkish food. The prices are not outrageous though and it is on a cute street.

In Istanbul, Turkey on an amazing food tour with Culinary Backstreets (Gonca, our guide) and Milk Street. On our first night in town, we ascend a walking historical tour through the streets of Upper Beyoglu. We are walking uphill for our meal, meaning our meal will taste even better. In a quiet neighborhood, we arrived at an unassuming building with no sign, named Cuma. This old house is separated into individual dining rooms with exposed concrete walls, small hallways, creaky wood floors and floor to ceiling heavy drapes. The feeling is that this is going to be an amazing night. I under estimated just how great it could be. Ten worldly travels are joining us this culinary adventure. As we are seated for a fixed service, the dishes, start coming out of the kitchen. The description of what we are having is causing me the salivate. The first dish was lightly steamed snow peas with a dusting of hazelnut taratore. Simple and amazing! Our next dish was Turkish pastrami with roasted eggplant, tahini yogurt and crispy onions. I don't like eggplant but there is nothing left on my plate and my senses are on high alert. Simply delicious! Our next dish is minced kibbeh, tahani and fresh herbs. A new dish for me and over the top, again. Georgian dumplings with salted antakya yogurt and porcini mushrooms are up next. What a beautiful dish and packed with a smooth creamy flavor. We finish off the night with baklava, quince paste, pistachios and kaymak. It was light, savory, crispy and delightful. Hands down, one of the best evenings of dining I have experienced. The presentation, flavors, portions and experience were INCREDIBLE. If you are in Istanbul or planning a trip, please place Cuma on your list. To the staff and chefs, thanks for making our first night in Istanbul and great memory.

TLDR: Cuma offers great bistro-style food with Turkish flavors in an intimate indoor/outdoor setting alongside a quiet alleyway. Recommend the signature cocktails, ceviche, friend oysters, and chicken. They accept credit card and speak English. I'd highly recommend Cuma. We booked a reservation via phone for 8pm on a weekday. The restaurant was about half full. Most of the seating is outdoors in their cute garden courtyard. You can smoke out there. If you wanna avoid the smoke, sit indoors which has roughly 6 tables with 2-4 seats per table. The food is best described as French bistro meets Turkish flavors. We had the fried mussels, ceviche, duck, and chicken. All were cooked perfectly. Lots of citrus flavors. We didn't have dessert. You won't find traditional Turkish desserts here if that's your thing. However they have the standards you'd expect from a bistro like apple crumble and carrot cake.

We enjoyed Cuma for a light lunch. We sat outside in the patio which was nice. We had the chicken sandwich and pear salad with goat cheese. Both were excellent! We wanted to go again but we were there at the end of Ramadan and they were closed. So happy we got to enjoy a meal at Cuma.

Best food I've had in Istanbul thus far. Each course was consistently excellent, all the way up to my double espresso accompanying my fantastic strawberry cobbler. Had the meatballs with red peppers as a starter and the chicken with the tabouleh for my meal. They were prompt with the service, and each dish really was full of flavor and perfectly done. The cozy decor and jazz playing in the background were simply a delight.

We weren't hungry and didn't order that much, but what we did order was phenomenal - the best food I had in my 8 days in Istanbul, and possibly one of the best meals I've had in my life! Grilled fish salad - 5 stars The fish was grilled perfectly - it was soft and juicy on the inside with a light, crisp, flavourful skin. They topped it with fresh homemade mustard, which was surprising for me, and it complemented the fish incredibly well. Georgian dumplings - 4.75 stars These tasted like ravioli to me, and they were cooked perfectly! Unfortunately, or fortunately, this was our last meal in Istanbul. I'd loved to have gone back otherwise! It was pricey compared to most of our other meals in Istanbul but it's reasonable for a fancy dinner. They do brunch too!

Beautiful space, excellent, friendly service and tasty food. The watercress and eggplant salad was delicious as well as the Turkish scrambled eggs.

Charming restaurant on Çukur Cuma Caddesi, in Beyoğlu. Breakfast is best enjoyed as a slow, gentle nurturance to ease you into a day filled with who knows what, and Cuma Café is like an inoculation against the overwhelming sounds and sights, crowds and cars that is İstanbul. The breakfast plate is an assortment of cheeses, olives, tomato/cucumber salad, bread with an assortment of delicious preserves, and eggs served your way. Really, not an uncommon Turkish breakfast, but when served to the best of MoTown with occasional jazz, and a radio DJ right out of the mellowest 70's, in a room with lambent sunlight filtering in and the most pleasant wait staff imaginable, well, you have to smile and think how lucky you are to be alive. One order is plenty for two people and our server was kind enough to tell us this. You might even be lucky enough to get a complimentary Turkish pastry. There is also a lovely patio on this antique collector's dream street on the downhill side of Istiklal Caddesi. Not to be missed if you are in Çukurcuma in the morning. We hope to make it back for lunch on the tail end of our trip. Hours 09:30 - 19:30

A wonderful little restaurant situated inside a house. Great breakfast in a wonderful and quiet setting. Found this through Spotted by Locals app. Could get a balanced meal. Food was great. Nice neighborhood to walk around after breakfast or brunch.

Really nice Raki and amazing sea bass ceviche! Cute little place with great service. There is cozy front patio at this place. The servers are very sweet. I had never tried Raki and my server helped me pick a smooth one from their selection. The sea bass was fresh and wonderfully made. Delicate flavors blended in perfectly.

Very cute small cafe with good service and friendly waiters ) food were on fleek !i think it's the best place for breakfast with friends )

The indoor area, while slightly hidden, is really a great spot to come with a laptop for some coffee, food and work. You have to go up some stairs to get to it. There are long/shared style tables as well as small tables. Lots of outlets. The atmosphere is quiet, so easy to get work done. Staff was excellent. Even though I only spoke very little Turkish, they spoke English and didn't mind a foreigner trying to order. I ordered the omelette which was great - also awesome that you can order it in the afternoon, as I went well after noon time. Cappuccino was good and the chocolate dessert cake was excellent.

I have been here two times now. The first time was a good experience. The cafe is really attractive and thoughtful. The menu has seemingly interesting items on it that update as the season change. The food isn't outstanding by any means. But I give them points for trying. And my husband was insistent that it's way overpriced. But part of that charge is the environment. My issue is the last time we were there we were blatantly ripped off by the waiter. My friends left before we did. And they wanted to pay their share. The waiter wouldn't bring the bill but rather told them to figure out what they should pay by looking at the menu and leave us cash. Later when it came time for me to pay the rest of the tab; there were several extra beverages and dishes that we clearly had not ordered. The waiter played dumb and acted like he had no idea what our friends had ordered and refused to take the extra charges off. Needless to say for over priced food and bad service and being cheated on top of that we won't be back. I gave two stars because the restaurant itself is really nicely decorated.

the food is ok, decoration inside is very cosy and the terrace offers a good spot to eat on a sunny day