DILEK’S PICKS: PLANT-BASED IN ISTANBUL
For a while, the our conversations around plant based dining has centred on cities like New York, London, and Toronto. We’ve highlighted them for their innovation, diversity, and ever evolving vegan food cultures. These cities have earned their reputations through reinventions of cuisine. Today, the moment has come for us to expand the map, look beyond our usual locations and consider places whose stories are just as rich. Istanbul is one of those cities, and its plant based food culture deserves a place in the spotlight.
We’re looking at Istanbul through the eyes of Dilek Uysalar. A vegan for the past four years, specializing in plant-based nutrition and health coaching. She’s taking us to a few of her favourite spots in Istanbul, Turkey. Let's take a look.Bi Nevi Deli
Dilek Uysalar
"Bi Nevi Deli was the very first plant-based kitchen I intentionally chose when I became vegan four years ago. Since then, it has remained a place I leave feeling genuinely enchanted after every visit.
Tucked away in Etiler, the space features a small, hidden garden beneath the trees. Its atmosphere feels even more special thanks to the resident cats you’ll often spot at the entrance and wandering through the garden. What impresses me most is how every visit brings a new discovery. The menu constantly evolves, offering seasonal creations and unexpected flavour combinations that keep the experience exciting and fresh."
Why eat here?
"For its seasonal menu and creative dishes that manage to surprise you every single time."Ethique Plant Based
Dilek Uysalar
Vegan macarons? Not just any — the best macarons I’ve ever had.
Ethique Plant Based is one of those places where, the moment you step inside, you’re not quite sure where to look first. Quite simply, you want to taste everything you see.
From its breads and pastries to its desserts — and especially the macarons. Picture a display filled with every color imaginable, coming together in one irresistible showcase.
One of my favorite things about Ethique is bringing my non-vegan friends here and watching their genuine surprise at just how impressive plant-based baking can be.
Why eat here?
Because it takes the plant-based bakery concept to an entirely new level in Istanbul.More About Dilek:
Dilek is someone who has long been drawn to the quiet connections between care, food, and ethical living. She has been vegan for four years, approaching plant-based life not simply as a nutritional choice but as a more conscious way of relating to other beings and the natural world. She shares her life with her dog, whose presence continues to shape her understanding of attention, empathy, and inter-species companionship.Originally trained as a nurse, Dilek’s relationship with health has always extended beyond symptoms and protocols to include emotional, mental, and ethical dimensions of well-being. She later completed a UK-based certification in plant-based nutrition and health coaching, deepening her interest in how nourishment, responsibility, and care intersect.Outside of writing, she finds grounding in bird watching and nature-based activities that invite observation rather than control. These quiet practices influence her work, which reflects on compassion, responsibility, and the softer forms of awareness needed in a more-than-human world.