The Istanbul Kitchen in Cheltenham

We get takeaway from here regularly, it’s great - fresh, delicious and quick

Everything is really delicious, all the dishes are very good.

Amazing experience! Food was superb- portions are huge and delicious. Staff are extremely professional and so friendly and helpful. Highly recommend...you won't be disappointed

Food stunning, service excellent, very good price wise. First experience of the restaurant and am 100% taken with it. The staff were friendly and welcoming.

Food was lovely and service excellent.

Good location, staff attentive and friendly and food is good. Somehow it feels like something is lacking in being authentic turkish flavours. Overall l, i would change the pitta bread with fresh one made on site which would definitely enhace flavours and bring crowds back.

First time ordering from The Istanbul Kitchen, The variety on the menu was amazing. I ordered a medley of dishes, and was very pleasantly surprised. The food was delivery 20 minutes earlier than expected time. Very nice delivery driver. Food was hot, great tasting, really unique. Thank you.

Reasonable lentil soup, terrible calamari , chicken livers dreadful according to the meat eaters , lamackun not great. Shish ‘ ok’ . Would not come back especially at these prices.

The food is delicious, but the price is ridiculous. The place is very ordinary and the service is fast

Spacious restaurant, ideal for large groups. Good atmosphere and service. Food was tasty with a balanced plate of meat and vegetables. Approx. 6 vegetarian options. It was a bit expensive, but most of us had good portions for the price. Bit disappointed that the Turkish apple tea was essentially hot apple juice!

Good atmosphere and service. Spacious restaurant, ideal for large groups. Food was tasty with a balanced plate of meat and vegetables. Approx. 6 vegetarian options. It was a bit expensive, but most of us had good portions for the price. Bit disappointed that the Turkish apple tea was essentially hot apple juice!

Really lovely service, nice wine, buzzy atmosphere but very bland food & overpriced. Disappointed. Chicken dry & little flavour. Bread good.

Friendly service and good atmosphere but food completely bland. Lamb and chicken overcooked, dry and flavourless.

The soups were very good. The hummus kavurma, there were things missing from the hummus's taste. The kavurma on top was also cold. It was missing garlic, tahini and lemon. The lahmacun was very bad, it was obviously not prepared there. It came to the table cold. When we wanted to send it back, we were met with surprise, it is impossible for the lahmacun to cool down in 1 minute. The main course mixed kebab had a blood taste in the meat, which means that it was not preserved well enough and was not cooked enough. The most dangerous thing was that the rice in the main course plate came cold. The guest greeting was very good, the atmosphere was very good. Insufficient in terms of price performance. I think it was a bit expensive.

As a Turkish I must say the food this guys serve is just like home.

Went for a family meal. Great atmosphere, attentive staff and delicious food. Highly recommend.

Fantastic place excellent food and friendly service great Turkish cuisine really aromatic and memorable

Quality and quantity doesn’t worth the money. The quality is gradually going down since last year.

Great service and amazing food. We received a small treat with our order.

Nice food and vibe. Great Customer services. Portion sizes were decent, could be improved. Little pricey with bread being charged too which is normally complimentary at Turkish places and same for Turkish tea too.

Lovely meal to celebrate my son's birthday. Really nice place will be back

Delicious and such good quality! So good to have barbecued meat, fresh salad and fresh Turkish bread!

I always enjoyed my meals from Istanbul Kitchen; the food is consistently delicious. However, I was surprised and disappointed today when the regular delivery driver made a comment about my address being an inconvenience for him. I'm disappointed.

Gorgeous food!! Lovely big portions and extremely tasty! X

Average food with a hefty price tag. Unfortunately the most disappointing falafel I ever had, and the Baba Ganoush was also poor. The houmous was nice though. Service was good, but then the service charge was automatically added to the bill.

Very small portions and so expensive. SERVICE AWFUL.They DONT CARE ABOUT CUSTUMER.THEY DONT GIVE ME ALL ITEMS WHICH I PAID ALREADY.AVOID THIS PLACE.

Beautiful Turkish restaurant in the centre of Cheltenham. We went for a late lunch when it wasn't very busy and received excellent service from the moment we arrived. We opted for the Turkish Breakfast Sharing Platter which came with an amazing variety of foods, tastes and textures at a very reasonable price. For a spontaneous first visit it was a great experience and we certainly recommend The Istanbul Kitchen to anyone looking for for a special dining experience in Cheltenham.

Good food, nice staff. We were a large group and enjoyed the experience.

Beautiful Turkish restaurant in the centre of Cheltenham. We went for a late lunch when it wasn't very busy and received excellent service from the moment we arrived. We opted for the Turkish Breakfast Sharing Platter which came with an amazing variety of foods, tastes and textures at a very reasonable price. For a spontaneous first visit it was a great experience and we certainly recommend The Istanbul Kitchen to anyone looking for for a special dining experience in Cheltenham.

I ordered Shish the pieces of meat where far far from authentic flat and chewey hardly melt in the mouth as they describe, plus small portion size to go with the tiny side salad. I would not recommend to anyone tbh it was a total let down as I'd been looking forward to it after they cancelled my booking on my birthday in march due to double booking. And at £29 that's with the £5 service charge they added a total rip off six tiny pieces of meat and a tiny bowl of rice and salad.

We arrived on spec hoping for a table and the lovely staff accommodated us despite being busy even at 6.30pm which shows how popular this place is. The food was excellent! Having had a home in a small village in Turkey I was hoping the food was as close to as authentic as possible. I wasn’t disappointed at all. This place has all the traditional dishes that you’d find away from tourist traps in Turkish restaurants. I opted for the Baba Ganoush which was a lovely way to start. Then I had lamb chops which were cooked perfectly with good seasoning. My friend has salmon and she was delighted to receive two fillets along with a lovely salad and seasoned potatoes. I really can’t fault this place at all, my only slight and I mean slight disappointment was that Turkish music which I love wasn’t played and that would have been fabulous. However there was still a great atmosphere, can’t wait to return.

Faultless service and one of the tastiest and best presented mixed grills I've ever had. Top marks!

Ok, vegetarian moussaka was cold, maybe reheated? Flavour was nice.

I’d like to give the restaurant a 5 star but was disappointed with the burnt salmon skin. This was later compensated with on-the-house mint teas but it’s no excuse in my view. Likewise, I felt that salad accompanying the grilled-salmon was average at best. Other than that, food was of a generous portion and their mojitos were definitely worthwhile. A busy night, as you’d expect on a Saturday, yet staff were hovering around.

Food ordinary, portions too small, service ok.overall far too expensive for you get. I do not recommend and will not be back.

We ordered shish and the meat cubes were flat smsll pieces beyond being authentic as described. Too too expensive for value. Service was ok, the grill team unfriendly. Complete Rip off. Do not waste your money. Next time to Anatolian Palace in Gloucester was so nice but 30 min to travel..

Great little Turkish restaurant in slightly unprepossessing street. Lovely food and friendly staff. Would recommend trying.

Gone downhill. Been in the past and the food has always been good. This time houmous starter was nice with warm pitta bread. Staff friendly and the place half full. What was disappointing was the price and quality of the Sultans Delight. Went for the chicken option and previously this has always been nice . It’s now overpriced at £24.50 I think used to be £18ish. Tasted microwaved warmed up. Some chicken was not warm, thin fries were soggy and not much else apart from some yoghurt and 1 pepper . Disappointed with this meal this time . Didn’t taste fresh … won’t be going back unfortunately as a result

Unfortunately, the worst dining experience I've had in a long time. The flavour is bad, the portions are too small, the waiters are very grumpy, the prices are expensive and my stomach hurt after the meal, which was a bonus😰 Never again, sorry

Went for a birthday treat, we decided to go for a mixture of lovely delights and we were not disappointed. Everything was so fresh, tasty and cooked to perfection. Staff were lovely and very attentive

There's a building in Winchcombe Street that has hosted a number of hospitality businesses over the years. Originally a pub, then a series of restaurants offering different cuisines. The latest incumbent is the Istanbul Kitchen, offering authentic Turkish cuisine, according to their website. The layout of the restaurant is fresh and modern, with an open kitchen at one end. If you're familiar with Turkish food, all the old favourites are there, together with some unusual dishes that call out to be sampled. Despite it being midweek, the place was almost full and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. The staff are polite and helpful, offering advice if you're not sure what to try. We went for a starter (lahmacun) and a main (mixed grill and Sultan's delight) and these were both freshly prepared and delicious. The only downside (if it is a downside!) was that we were extremely full after eating these. Evidently, they have reduced the size of their portions following similar customer "difficulties". A most enjoyable place to discover or reacquaint yourself with good quality Turkish cuisine.

Not often we buy Turkish food, so we tried something new. The barbecue skewers were very good and they gave us good service. They helped us find food that was free of milk and egg allergies.

Ikke ofte vi kjøper tyrkisk mat, så vi prøvde noe nytt. Grillspydene var veldig gode og de ga oss god service. De hjalp oss med å finne mat som var fri for melk og eggallergi.

Took over 70 minutes from ordering before the food arrived and even then one dish was missing. No explanation, no apologies, no complimentary drinks while you wait. And they still added a service charge (removed after complaint) We were a group of 10 but we had booked and the restaurant was not full when we arrived. Vegetarian dish was uninspiring and overpriced.

Absolutely fantastic. The food was surprising and very very very good. The service was friendly and welcoming and it was very busy but it didn't feel overcrowded!

A little gem, the staff were very friendly and the food was lovely, well balanced and very tasty.

The restaurant was lovely, staff were warm and welcoming and the food was incredible! We will definitely be back as a couple or with friends and family!

Fantastic food with really attentive and kind staff. I know little of Turkish food (other than kebabs) but the advice and tips given were spot on. Thank you very much.

Wonderful place with really attentive and friendly waitress. The Mixed Grill for two was phenomenal. I am Mr Fussy but no complaints. Get all over this place. Top notch.

The food taste is awesome, and the staff is very polite and friendly. Inside atmosphere reminded me hotels in Istanbul. And most of it the Istanbul tea in the end helped for digestion. 😁

Absolutely beautiful food, very nice staff, great experience, would highly recommend. We went on a Saturday lunchtime and it was quiet, but the service and surroundings are superb.

Great food and lovely people. I'm now full!

Fantastic food and attentive service. Mixed grill for 2 was superb and everything on it cooked to perfection. Our three children also enjoyed trying something new. We will definitely return.

Good quality and well-cooked variety of dishes with a warm service. I wasn’t sure what to expect but this was a far cry from kebab houses! The portions were very generous and beautifully presented.

This is a very excellent restaurant food is well cooked and delicious, the staff are friendly and welcoming well worth a visit

Great food and staff who were able to look after a big group without any hiccups. Not my first time bringing friends here and it won't be my last.

Amazing find - flawless service, great design/atmosphere even though it was a Wednesday night, amazing food and generous portions. Can't fault it!

Lovely food and staff. Highly recommended.

A great night, impromptu get together for my birthday Buzzing atmosphere, great attentive service, food was wonderful and SO much of it! Thank you for making my birthday special

Not sure what I was expecting, but my expectations were exceeded, food was lovely, well cooked and well priced.

Great welcoming space ! Wonderful food and friendly staff!

Friendly staff and stunning authentic Turkish food. Little gem in the heart of Cheltenham!

Some of the best Lamb Shish I've had!

It was my second time dining there during my business trip to Cheltenham in April 2024. The menu was a bit pricey but worth it as the food was really delicious. The staff were very polite and friendly.

Amazing place, very nice staff, very good food, for sure we will back there

This spot is an amazing place for authentic Turkish food, good value and wonderful service. I can’t recommend enough. Good wine list as well

So delicious, I loved shakshuka and chicken shish

Fantastic food and service, my favourite restaurant!

Excited to go based on all the reviews - it was OK. Are you going to have an OK time, yes - will your meal be OK - yes, is the service OK - yes will you wince slightly at the bill (when you think about what you had, and how tasty it actually was) - yes. It's OK - if someone booked here I'd happily go along, but would I choose to go again - no. Plenty of people on here disagree so they must be doing something right, just couldn't really work out what it was.

We had the most wonderful evening - the food was delicious, we feel like it’s the kind of place where you can order anything off the menu and know it will be delicious. The lamb was exceptional, seasoned beautifully and very tender. We barely had room for dessert but we managed and were not disappointed! The staff were very attentive and kind, we felt very welcome especially as we were visiting on holiday.

Just finished a very tasty lunch thank you. Had a kofta wrap, asked for humus to replace the chips, and they substituted it free of charge. The salad was very fresh. All in all a great quality good value lunch. Excellent service too thanks

This was hands down one of the best meals we have had in a very long time! The staff are absolutely wonderful, so attentive, yet give you space to enjoy your meal without interfering. The food was absolutely beautiful, couldn’t fault it at all - we shared the ‘Istanbul Combination’ platter, which was honestly the most delicious food I’ve ever tasted. Music was the right volume, the decorations are spot on and the ambience was perfect, and also really enjoyed the complimentary sours shot at the end! Myself and my mum are only visiting Cheltenham for a couple of days, but we will definitely be back to enjoy more! Thank you!

Fabulous food and great service. Sharing plates are tasty and good value. Also added some main course meat dishes that had great flavours. Staff are always welcoming and helpful

What an amazing experience. Service was spot on and food was exquisite. My husband and I chose to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary with a meal here and we were not disappointed. We were even surprised with a complimentary drink as it was our anniversary. We will definitely be returning.

What they call the breakfast is a sort of all day meze. Very good indeed, fresh crispy veg, delicious olives, several sorts of cheese, the goats cheese is very good. Sausage, bread, honey. We both enjoyred it a lot and were well stuffed at the end. Staff very friendly. Recommended

Great choices. Freshly cooked. First class service. Exceptional. Surprise birthday celebration. Staff very attentive.

Absolutely perfect. We were treated to a first class meal and treated exceptionally well. We felt welcomed and the service was very attentive. No negatives.

Very tasty food and great portion sizes gets busy so must book, food taste amazing quality is fab

The owner of the restaurant is very nice and smiling.. We will come back again for him 👍🏻

This place is one of my favourite places for food. Ive been here multiple times over a range of occasions. And yes some things have changed slightly but the quality has not. The price is a little high. So we usually only go here for special occasions. Not much else to say apart from please visit this place.

Thank you to the team I had invited freinds over and had a good time

I would give this more than 5 stars for food and service if I could. Race-week, pre-booked on a busy Friday night and the food was served quickly with generous and very tasty portions. Fresh, hot bread accompying was delicious. I had a mixed meat grill with very soft meat despite the grill-char outside. Partner had aubergine and chicken dish.

The restaurant was lovely, staff were warm and welcoming and the food was incredible! We will definitely be back as a couple or with friends and family!

This restaurant really does live up to its reviews: delicious food, lovely spice combinations and top notch service. We had the mixed grill to share: very generous portions and the lamb chops were huge! Definitely one to revisit when we’re next in Cheltenham.

This place was recommended to us by the hosts of our accommodation and we were not disappointed. We spend several weeks a year in Turkey and this was authentic Turkish cuisine. Great welcome and service, wide menu and interesting chefs specials. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

Fabulous food, served by courteous and friendly staff. The mixed grill was outstanding and our daughter highly praised her vegetarian choice. We tried the Turkish wine and weren't disappointed. Will definitely be returning.

We were visiting our daughter so booked this after seeing the great reviews and confirming they were dog friendly. The 4 of us and the dog really enjoyed the food! We shared a hot sharing platter, cold sharing platter and a chicken kebab with salad and rice. Absolutely delicious and we will definitely be returning. Our servers were friendly and food arrived promptly. Definitely recommend.

I ate here recently with a large group of ladies. It was middle of the week and all tables were full. We all received a platter of dips and various starter nibbles between 2 people. It was way too much for two we thought it should have been for 4 !!! Main courses were also very filling !!!! I had a mixed grill. I could manage all of it !!! Well worth every penny. Service was impeccable by all the staff. Lovely decor and atmosphere. Will definitely return.

The Istanbul Kitchen is an amazing experience!! Visited for the 1st time to celebrate my wife’s birthday. Superb food served by attentive and helpful staff in a beautiful restaurant. We will definitely return very soon!! 5 stars

Wow, what a culinary journey I just had at this charming Turkish restaurant in Cheltenham! From the moment I stepped inside, I was transported back to Turkey. The atmosphere was alive with the tantalizing aromas of authentic Turkish cuisine, and I couldn't wait to dive into the experience. First off, let me talk about the staff. From the friendly greeting at the door to the attentive service throughout the meal, the staff here truly went above and beyond to make us feel welcome. Their professionalism and genuine smiles added an extra layer of warmth to the dining experience. Now, let's talk about the food. Every dish we ordered was a masterpiece of flavour and presentation. The Humus Kavurma was a delightful starter, with creamy hummus perfectly complemented by tender, flavourful lamb. And don't even get me started on the Mixed Grill! Expertly seasoned to perfection. And last but not least the beverage selection here is top-notch, with a variety of options to suit every taste. As someone who has fond memories of past holidays in Turkey, I can attest that the flavors here are truly authentic. It's like taking a trip down memory lane with every bite. And for those who haven't had the pleasure of visiting Turkey, this restaurant offers a perfect introduction to the country's rich culinary heritage. Overall, dining here was an absolute delight, and I can't wait to come back for another taste of Turkey. If you're looking for a dining experience that's as memorable as it is delicious, do yourself a favor and pay this gem of a restaurant a visit. You won't be disappointed!

Dropped in for lunch and were delighted to get a delicious authentic good value meal served with courtesy. Lovely decor in this large restaurant in central Cheltenham. My husband ordered a half of beer and a lunch wrap and I had two traditional Turkish dishes -both starters. We were given warm bread and dips on the house as we waited and both meals came with fresh tasty salads. Good portion sizes and very fresh delicious food and the whole lot came to £34 with service (included in the bill). We were given Turkish delight and liqueurs after our lunch so it all felt very Turkish! Will definitely recommend and return.

Fantastic food here, highly recommended.

Outstanding food and service, would literally travel to be here, highly recommend. Words are not enough to describe how the flavours and food are. Fantastic

The food, the staff, everything is 100% i definitely recommend it!!! Will be here every week! Prices are much better now! Go and enjoy yourselves, you won't regret it 🎉

Everytime I have been here it is always amazing food!!! First time for collection and it was as great as in the restaurant. Every time I come to Cheltenham I make a point to go here.

Amazing food! Amazing service! The restaurant is beautifully decorated with traditional lights etc.. You get a very decent amount of food! Warning... don't eat too much of the free bread they bring you at the beginning if you want to fit your meal in ! (Even though it's delicious!) Will definitely be going back!

Delicious meal for New Year’s Eve. Starters excellent then we had the sharing grill. Amazing. No room for desserts but lovely coffee. Excellent service. Thank you.

The food was nice and there was a good variety of authentic Turkish dishes. The meals seemed a little unbalanced - mine was a full dish of melt-in-the-mouth lamb in oil with a sprinkle of potato pieces and a couple of slices of carrot, while my daughters was a huge dish of bean stew, enough for two people - so put together we had a much more interesting meal! I would have expected a little more attention to flavours given that this is not a cheap-eats, but each dish was nicely presented, the decor is modern with beautiful Arabian lighting and the staff are great.

The food is good but overpriced in my opinion.

We sought this place out because we were looking for great food, authentic flavours, and a family feeling. It was great. Firstly, the restaurant itself is tastefully decorated, it is comfortable and pleasant to be inside. We felt welcome, and the friendly light touch service was spot on. We were offered the Christmas, lunch and main menu and we're able to mix and match from each. Choice is huge and there is something for even the fussiest eater. A starter and main filled us right up, and everything on all our plates was delicious.