Cafe Istanbul Menu (Update 2025)
Cafe Istanbul offers a Turkish-Mediterranean dining experience with a range of amenities such as reservations, delivery, vegan options, and more. Located in Dublin, OH, the restaurant provides a cozy atmosphere with options for outdoor seating and a full bar. The menu boasts a variety of appetizers like hummus, babaganoush, and stuffed grape leaves, along with hot starters like calamari and zucchini pancakes. Customers praise the quality of the food, especially the shish kebabs and doner kebabs. The ambiance is described as intimate and romantic, making it an ideal spot for a date night or casual lunch. With attentive service and delicious dishes, Cafe Istanbul is a must-try for Turkish cuisine enthusiasts.
Appetizer Sampler
Appetizer Sampler
Combination of hummus, babaganoush, stuffed grape leaves, ezme, tabuli, pinto beans, labne and eggplant with sauce.
Hummus
Pureed chickpeas flavored with a hint of garlic, tahini, fresh lemon juice and olive oil. Vegetarian. Gluten free.
Ezme
Finely chopped tomatoes, onions and hot peppers and walnuts mixed in olive oil and herbs. Vegetarian. Gluten free.
Babaganoush
Smoked eggplant puree flavored with tahini, olive oil and garlic. Vegetarian. Gluten free.
Stuffed Grape Leaves
Grape leaves stuffed with rice, pine nuts, raisins and flavorfull herbs. Vegetarian. Gluten free.
Tabuli
Cracked wheat tossed with tomatoes, sweet onions, fresh peppers and parsley. Dressed with olive with and lemon juice. Vegetarian.
Eggplant with sauce
Cubes of lightly fried eggplant combined with fresh red peppers, onions and garlic in our housemade tomato sauce. Vegetarian. Gluten free.
Pinto Beans
Pinto beans with carrots, green pepper and diced potatoes, seasoned with a light tomato olive oil sauce. Vegetarian. Gluten free.
Cacik
A large side of our freshly made yogurt seasoned with minced cucumbers, dill and a touch of garlic. Vegetarian. Gluten free.
Labne
Thickened housemade yogurt with fresh dill, mint, garlic and walnuts. Vegetarian. Gluten free.
Cold Starters
Hot Starters
Calamari
Fried rings of baby calamari lightly breaded with flour and served with our special taratora sauce.
Falafel
Croquette of chickpeas flavored with garlic, parsley and cilantro. Served with a special tahini sauce and hummus. Vegetarian.
Sigara Borek
Hot flaky phyllo pastries filled with feta cheese, fresh basil, dill and parsley. Vegetarian.
Sauteed Liver Cubes
Cubes of tender calf liver sauteed with assorted herbs and spices. Served with sweet red onions, topped with parsley and sumac.
Zucchini Pancake
Mixture of zucchini, feta dill, flour and eggs seasoned with spices and served with garlic yogurt. Vegetarian.
Lentil Soup
Red lentils combined with pureed garlic, celery, carrots and onions.
Chicken Vegetables Soup
Diced chicken in a broth with carrots, garlic and mushrooms.
Soups
Salads
Shepherd Salad
Diced roma tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, bell peppers and parsley. Tossed with red vinegar and olive oil. Vegetarian. Gluten free.
Mixed Green Salad
Fresh assorted field greens, crumbled feta cheese, tossed with olive oil and fresh lemon juice. Vegetarian. Gluten free.
Greek Salad
Fresh seasonal lettuce with tomatoes, sweet onions, fresh peppers, sliced olives and feta cheese. Dressed with olive oil and fresh lemon juice. Vegetarian. Gluten free.
Arugula Salad
Arugula mixed with field greens, dried cranberries, walnuts and crumbled feta cheese. Dressed with olive oil and fresh orange juice. Vegetarian. Gluten free.
Istanbul Salad
Fresh seasonal lettuce with toasted almonds, dried apricots, dried cranberries, tomatoes and honey mustard dressing. Vegetarian. Gluten free.
Lahmacun
Turkish - style pizza 3 pieces. Thin crust dough topped with ground lamb and chopped garden vegetables.
Cheese Pide
Housemade flat bread topped with feta cheese. Vegetarian.
Turkish Pepperoni Pide
Housemade flat bread topped with mozzarella and Turkish pepperoni.
Blacksea Pide
Housemade flat bread stuffed with mozzarella, onions, tomatoes and ground lamb.
Gyro Pide
Housemade flat bread topped with mozzarella and gyro meat.
Spinach Pide
Housemade flat bread topped with mozzarella, fresh spinach and tomatoes.
Chicken Pide
Housemade flat bread topped with mozzarella, tomatoes, mushrooms and grilled chicken.
Pizza and Pides
Kebabs
Shish Kebab
Tender cubes of lamb marinated in our special house sauce and chargrilled over open flame. Gluten free.
Kofte Kebab
Patties of freshly ground beef and lamb lightly seasoned and chargrilled over open flame.
Chicken Kebab
Cubes of chicken marinated in our special sauce and chargrilled over open flame. Gluten free.
Doner Kebab
Turkish-style gyro. Hand carved marinated ground lamb and beef, grilled on a large vertical rotiskserie. Gluten free.
Adana Kebab
Seasoned ground lamb flavored with crusted red peppers, chargrilled on flat skewers overs flame. Gluten free.
Chicken Adana Kebab
Seasoned ground chicken flavored with crusted red peppers and chargrilled on flat skewers over open flame. Gluten free.
Steak Kebab
Tender cubes of ribeye marinated in our special house sauce and chargrilled over open flame. Gluten free.
Kebab Combination
Choose any 2 half portions of our kebabs except mixed grill and and lamb chops. Gluten free.
Iskender Kebab
Sliced of doner kebab over garlic toasted bread served with yogurt and tomato sauce.
Mixed Grill Kebab
Half portions of chicken, doner, shish and adana kebas. Gluten free.
Lamb Chops
Delicately marinated and chargrilled baby lamb chops topped with oregano leaves. Gluten free.
Small Family Plate (3-4 people)
Start off with an appetizer samplerMain Dish: Shish, Chicken, Doner, Adana, and Lamb Chops over rice under a dome of bread.
Large Family Plate (6-8 people)
Start off with an appetizer samplerMain Dish: Shish, Chicken, Doner, Adana, and Lamb Chops over rice under a dome of bread.
Lamb Wrap
Doner Wrap
Chicken Wrap
Wraps
Seafood Specialties
Grilled Whole Fish
Bronzini (mediterranean seabass) grilled over an open flame, served with mixed green salad - tossed with olives oil and lemon dressing.
Grilled Shrimp
Succulent jumbo shrimp, skewered and grilled with a garlic sauce. Served with rice pilaf and mixed green salad. Gluten free.
Sauteed Shrimp
Jumbo shrimp sauteed with garlic and mushrooms. The Shrimp is topped with parsley, cream sauce and served with rice pilaf. Gluten free.
Shrimp Spinach Casserole
Jumbo shrimp baked with baby spinach and cream sauce, topped with mozzarella cheese and served with rice pilaf.
Fillet of Atlantic Salmon
Grilled fresh fillet of salmon topped with a feta dill sauce, served with mixed green salad and rice pilaf. Gluten free.
Fillet of Tilapia
Tilapia baked n homemade sauce of mushrooms, zucchini, bell peppers, garlic, onion, parsley and dill. Served with mixed green salad and rice pilaf. Gluten free.
Swordfish Kebab
Marinated cubes of swordfish chargrilled on flat skewers over an open flame, served with mixed green salad and rice pilaf.
Okra Stew
Fresh okra cooked with onions and garlic in a tomato sauce served with rice pilaf.
Vegetable Mousakka
Layer of eggplant potato, carrot, zucchini, red and green pepper and onion, topped with a bechamel sauce and finished with mozzarella cheese and fresh tomato sauce. Served with rice pilaf.
Mixed Vegetable Grill
Grilled sweet peppers, eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes mushrooms and sweet onions. Served with rice pilaf with your choice of tomato sauce or yogurt.
Vegetable Stew
Assorted fresh garden vegetables cooked in a fresh tomato sauce and served with rice pilaf.
Vegetarian Selection
House Specialties
Karniyank
Stuffed eggplant. Oven-roasted eggplant stuffed with seasoned ground beef and lamb with chopped tomatoes, green peppers and herbs. Served with rice pilaf.
Mousakka
Oven baked tender minced beef and lamb layered between slices of eggplant and topped with a bechamel sauce. Finished with mozzarella cheese and fresh tomato sauce. Served with rice pilaf.
Doner Special
Mashed smoked eggplant topped with thinly sliced doner kebab and served with fresh tomato sauce.
Chicken Delight
Mashed smoked eggplant topped with chicken and served with fresh tomato sauce.
Lahana Sarma
Stuffed cabbage. Cabbage leaves stuffed with rice, ground lamb and beef, mixed with herbs, served with fresh tomato sauce and yogurt.
Sultan's Favorite
Mashed smoked eggplant topped with marinated lamb and served with tomato sauce.
Shepherd Casserole
Lamb sauteed with garlic, onions, mushroom, peppers tomatoes and special herbs, served with rice pilaf. Gluten free.
Chicken Saute
Cubes of chicken sauteed with tomatoes, onions, garlic and red and green peppers, served with rice pilaf.
Lamb Saute
Cubes of lamb sauteed with tomatoes, onions, garlic and red and green peppers. Served with ice pilaf.
Steak Saute
Cubes of ribeye sauteed with tomatoes, onions, garlic and red and green peppers. Served with rice pilaf.
Chicken Curry
Cubes of chicken sauteed with mushroom in curry sauce and served with rice pilaf. Gluten free.
French Fries
Rice Pilaf
Fresh Seasonal Vegetables
Sauteed Spinach
Bread
Sides
Desserts
Baklava
A traditional Turkish dessert. Sheets of phyllo dough stuffed with crushed pistachios.
Kazandibi
Milk custard. Our homemade milk custard topped with cream and grape sauce.
Sutlac (Rice Pudding)
Our homemade recipe for a classic rice pudding dessert topped with cinnamon.
Keskul (Almond Pudding)
Our homemade almond pudding topped with almonds and cream.