Casius Antioch Kitchen Restaurant — Restaurant in Beyoğlu

Visited in July 2025. Turkey 🇹🇷 Istanbul.

Tucked just off the bustling Istiklal Street, Casius Antioch Kitchen offers a welcome retreat with its charming terrace and a sleek interior styled like a trendy bar.

FOOD:

The menu reimagines classic Turkish dishes with a contemporary flair, focusing on vibrant flavors. We started with two meze appetizers: a pepper-based spread with walnuts and herbs. The creamy version, perfect for slathering on bread, was our favorite, though the chopped rendition held its own with bright, fresh notes. Served alongside was freshly baked Turkish bread, warm from the oven, which elevated the experience. The standout, however, was a creatively presented kebab, shaped like a pie with tender minced meat encased in a crisp pastry cap—a novel twist that intrigued and satisfied. Our meal concluded with a complimentary treat: candied pumpkin drizzled with a sesame tahini sauce, a delightful nod to local flavors.

SERVICE:

The service was impressive, with attentive staff who made us feel right at home. We suspect the owner himself stopped by our table, adding a personal touch that enhanced the warm, inviting atmosphere.

VERDICT:

Casius Antioch Kitchen is a gem worth seeking out, especially if you’re craving a taste of Turkish tradition in a quieter corner of Istanbul’s tourist hub. The food is flavorful and thoughtfully presented, and the ambiance strikes a perfect balance of modern and cozy. For a satisfying meal without the clamor of the main drag, this...

This is an overrated restaurant that claims to focus on Antakya cuisine. We went with high expectations, but unfortunately, the experience didn’t quite live up to their reputation.

We tried their special “güveç”, which was decent in flavor but the beef turned out quite chewy. They promote this dish as their flagship offering but I’m not sure whether it is really a part of traditional Antakya cuisine. Their “sarma” was also disappointing. It was dry and the taste was unusual, we didn’t like it at all.

But the biggest let down was their humus. It lacked the brightness and acidity that really bring a good hummus to life. Its surface texture suggested it had been plated well in advance and stored in the fridge, which gave it a dry and unappetizing finish. Their “kabak tatlısı” however, was very good, I have to hand it to them for that…

That said, they use a natural gas-flamed oven instead of traditional wood-fired one that Antakya specialties usually require. I believe this affects the authenticity and flavor of the dishes significantly.

Overall, I found this restaurant to be overrated and very pricey considering the quality of the food. There are many better-value options in the area where both freshness and execution are given...

This restaurant was the best place we went during our 8 days in Istanbul!! We went first for dinner - 2 of our group were vegetarian and 3 meat eaters - delicious options for everyone! Zucchini fritters, eggplant dip, pepper walnut dip, falafels, and beef (sausage?) were favorites, but everything was excellent. The bread, oil, and spices were mouthwatering, we even bought some of the spice mix to take home.

But I'm burying the lead - the hosts here are so amazingly kind and wonderful! Seems like a family/team business, and they are so welcoming, even to foreigners (US and Russia in our group), though I think locals come here, too.

We were invited back and didn't have to be asked twice - their brunch spread was as good as dinner - homemade peanut butter, honey, and breakfast pizza, all of which was vegetarian except for meat on the side. We were also celebrating a birthday and they made sure it was special for them :)

I can't recommend this place highly enough and would strongly recommend staying nearby so that you can come easily multiple times during your stay. They could probably charge lots more than they do - prices were extremely reasonable.

Thank you so much Casius team for helping to make our stay in Istanbul so...