Restaurant Near the Spice Bazaar: An Eminönü Walk Before Dinner

If you are looking for a restaurant near the Spice Bazaar, Yıldızlar Restaurant is about a 5-minute walk away, under the Galata Bridge at the Eminönü end, facing the Bosphorus. It makes a natural last stop after an afternoon in Eminönü: the bazaar, the New Mosque, Rüstem Pasha’s tiles and a short ferry ride all sit within easy walking distance.

Below is a half-day plan for the area, with conservative walking times from the restaurant, a few historical facts worth knowing and practical tips. Walking times are estimates for an unhurried pace in crowds; Eminönü is busy, especially on weekends.

Where to eat in Eminönü after the Spice Bazaar?

Eminönü is the old commercial waterfront of Istanbul, where the Golden Horn meets the Bosphorus. Street food is everywhere, from simit (sesame bread rings) to the balık ekmek (fish sandwich) boats by the pier. For a sit-down dinner with a view, the fish restaurants on the lower level of the Galata Bridge are the closest option to the bazaar.

Yıldızlar has been here since 1980, first on the old bridge and today under the new one. Tables look across to Üsküdar and Çamlıca hill, with Karaköy and the Galata Tower opposite and the New Mosque right next door.

Eminönü walking times from the restaurant

Place	Walking time from Yıldızlar	Tip
New Mosque (Yeni Cami)	About 3 minutes	Visit between prayer times; best seen again lit up after dark
Spice Bazaar (Mısır Çarşısı)	About 5 minutes	The side streets outside the bazaar are where many locals shop
Eminönü ferry piers	About 3 to 5 minutes	Check timetables with Şehir Hatları
Rüstem Pasha Mosque	About 10 minutes	Entrance is up a staircase from the market street, easy to miss
Sirkeci station	About 10 minutes	The old station building houses the Istanbul Railway Museum
Karaköy (across the bridge)	About 10 minutes	Walk the upper deck to see the anglers
Süleymaniye Mosque	About 20 to 25 minutes, uphill	Go up early, come down to dinner
Galata Tower	About 20 to 25 minutes, steep uphill	Check current hours and tickets before you go

Opening hours change with seasons and holidays, so check current hours for the bazaar, the museum and the tower on the day.

A half-day walking plan around Eminönü

This route starts in the early afternoon and ends at the water in time for sunset and dinner. Shorten it by skipping Süleymaniye, or lengthen it with a ferry ride.

1. Start at the Süleymaniye Mosque (uphill)

Start at the top and walk downhill all afternoon. The Süleymaniye was designed by Mimar Sinan for Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent; an inscription dates its foundation to 1550 and its inauguration to 1557 (Wikipedia: Süleymaniye Mosque). It stands on the Third Hill and is part of UNESCO’s Historic Areas of Istanbul World Heritage Site. The terrace behind the mosque looks down over the Golden Horn and the Galata Bridge.

2. Walk down to the Rüstem Pasha Mosque

Follow the sloping market streets down towards Eminönü. Rüstem Pasha Mosque, another work of Sinan built around 1561 to 1563, stands on a raised terrace above a row of vaulted shops in the Hasırcılar market street (Wikipedia: Rüstem Pasha Mosque). Climb the stairs from the street and you will find walls covered in floral and geometric İznik tiles. It is small, so 15 to 20 minutes is enough.

3. The Spice Bazaar (Mısır Çarşısı)

A few minutes further, the L-shaped Spice Bazaar is full of spices, dried fruit, Turkish delight (lokum), nuts and tea. It was built in the 1660s on the orders of Turhan Sultan, mother of Sultan Mehmed IV, as part of the New Mosque complex, and its shop rents were meant to fund the mosque (Wikipedia: New Mosque). It was first called the New Bazaar or Valide Bazaar; the name “Egyptian Bazaar” is linked to goods that arrived via Egypt.

Tip: taste before you buy, and ask for vacuum packing if you are flying home with spices.

4. The New Mosque (Yeni Cami)

Step out of the bazaar’s main gate and the New Mosque is in front of you. Its long story explains the name: construction began in 1597 under Safiye Sultan, stopped for decades, and was resumed by Turhan Sultan. The mosque was completed in 1663 and inaugurated in 1665 (Wikipedia: New Mosque). The courtyard is a calm spot after the bazaar crowds.

5. Sirkeci station (optional)

If you like railway history, walk east to Sirkeci. The station building opened in 1890, designed by the architect August Jasmund, and served as the eastern terminus of the Orient Express. Today it also houses the Istanbul Railway Museum (Wikipedia: Sirkeci station).

6. A ferry from Eminönü pier, or a walk to Karaköy

You have two good options for the last hour before dinner:

1. Take a ferry. From the Eminönü piers you can cross to Üsküdar or Kadıköy, or join a Bosphorus line. Even a short round trip shows you the skyline from the water. Check times with Şehir Hatları.
2. Walk across the Galata Bridge to Karaköy. On the upper deck, anglers line the railings. If you have energy, climb to the Galata Tower, then walk back across the bridge as the lights come on.

Both options bring you back to the Eminönü end of the bridge, steps from dinner.

Dinner at Yıldızlar on the waterfront

The restaurant is on the lower level of the Galata Bridge, at the Eminönü end, on the side facing the Bosphorus. From the bazaar, walk past the New Mosque towards the water and head down to the lower level of the bridge.

Choose your fish from the display on ice and decide with the waiter how you want it cooked: grilled, on a clay tile (kiremitte) or baked in a salt crust (tuzda). Start with meze (small shared plates) such as haydari, acılı ezme and sea mezes, or hot starters such as butter jumbo shrimp. Fish prices depend on the season and weight, so ask the weight and price of your fish before it is cooked. If you are new to the classic Turkish fish table, our rakı and meze guide explains how it works, and the Galata Bridge history post tells the story of the bridge above your table.

Reserve your table near the Spice Bazaar

Yıldızlar is open every day from 10:00 to 02:00. Window and open-air tables are the first to go at sunset, so book ahead through the reservation form and take a look at the menu before you come. For groups of 10 to 200 people, see our events page.