Vegetarian at a Meyhane: A Meat-Free Meze Guide
Mention a meyhane, the traditional Turkish tavern, and most people picture fish and rakı, the anise-flavoured spirit. Yet most cold mezes, the small plates everyone shares, contain neither meat nor fish. At Koço, the century-old meyhane across from Moda Pier in Kadıköy, serving since 1928, a vegetarian guest can build a full table from the meze tray alone.
Short answer: A vegetarian can eat very well at a meyhane. Cold mezes such as fava (broad-bean purée), haydari (garlicky strained yoghurt), semizotu (purslane in yoghurt), patlıcan salatası (smoky aubergine), topik, atom and çoban salata contain no meat or fish. Many use yoghurt or cheese, so this guide is vegetarian, not vegan. Koço's current menu is on Finedine; book on +90 216 336 07 95, open daily 12:00–00:00.
Why the Meyhane Table Suits Vegetarians
A meyhane meal runs in two acts. First come the cold mezes, set in the middle for everyone to share; fish or meat follows later, if at all. A vegetarian enjoys the first act in full, then skips the second or swaps in a meat-free hot dish.
Most cold mezes are meat-free by nature, built on broad beans, chickpeas, aubergine, yoghurt, olive oil and lemon. Many classics in the art of Turkish mezes qualify; being vegetarian takes away the fish plate, not the table.
Meat-Free Cold Mezes: What to Pick from the Tray
Safe picks for a vegetarian from Koço's cold meze tray:
• Fava: broad beans cooked in olive oil, puréed and chilled, usually finished with dill and lemon.
• Haydari: thick strained yoghurt with garlic and mint.
• Semizotu: fresh purslane folded into yoghurt; light and refreshing.
• Patlıcan salatası: flame-charred aubergine mashed with olive oil and lemon, served cold.
• Topik: chickpeas, potato, onion and tahini, often with currants and cinnamon; an Armenian dish adopted by Istanbul's meyhanes and filling enough for a main.
• Atom: strained yoghurt topped with fried dried hot peppers. The name refers to its kick, not its temperature; it is served cold.
• Çoban salata (shepherd's salad): diced tomato, cucumber, pepper and onion.
• Onion, parsley and lemon: the sharp side that balances richer plates.
Piyaz (white-bean salad), fasulye pilaki (beans in olive oil) and melon with white cheese are other meat-free meyhane staples; what is on the tray varies, so ask the waiter.
Vegetarian Options Among the Hot Mezes
The hot course looks like seafood territory: fried squid, prawn casserole, grilled octopus. Yet fried vegetables with yoghurt, stuffed courgette flowers, mücver (courgette fritters) and sigara böreği (crisp cheese-filled pastry rolls) are meat-free hot dishes widely found in Istanbul meyhanes.
They change with the season, so ask which hot dishes are meat-free and, if it matters to you, whether the fried vegetables share oil with the squid.
Vegetarian or Vegan? What to Watch For
Many mezes rest on yoghurt or cheese (haydari, atom, semizotu, sigara böreği, melon with cheese): vegetarian, not vegan. Fava, topik, çoban salata and pilaki are traditionally free of animal products, but recipes vary, so ask whether the aubergine salad contains yoghurt.
Some plates are easy to mistake. Tarama, a soft, pale dip, looks like a yoghurt meze but is made from fish roe; lakerda (cured bonito), çiroz (dried mackerel) and octopus salad also sit among the cold mezes. Mention your diet when booking and ordering.
For dessert, the soufflé contains egg and milk; seasonal fruit suits everyone.
Pairing Rakı with Vegetarian Mezes
Rakı suits yoghurt and olive-oil mezes: garlicky haydari, soft fava, spiced topik and salty white cheese all round off its sharp edge. Without fish, the mezes take centre stage.
At Koço, rakı is served the classic way: rakı first, cold water on top, ice in a separate bowl, added last if you want it. The usual ratio is one part rakı to two parts water, though it varies by taste. More in our guide on how to drink rakı; non-alcoholic drinks are also available.
How to Build a Vegetarian Table at Koço
A practical order: four or five cold mezes (fava, haydari, aubergine salad, topik, purslane), çoban salata with the onion-parsley-lemon side, one or two meat-free hot dishes, and seasonal fruit to finish. Koço is a music-free meyhane, so conversation sets the pace.
Sit indoors, in the garden or on the terrace; the garden and terrace stay open all year. Mention that you are vegetarian when you book by phone; the current menu is on Finedine. For choosing a meyhane in the district, see our Kadıköy meyhane guide; for a first visit, what to order at Koço.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can a vegetarian eat at a Turkish meyhane?
Most cold mezes: fava, haydari, semizotu, patlıcan salatası, topik, atom, çoban salata and piyaz. Meat-free hot dishes include fried vegetables with yoghurt, mücver and cheese pastries.
Are meyhane mezes vegan?
Not all. Haydari, atom and semizotu contain yoghurt; fava, topik and çoban salata are traditionally free of animal products, though preparation varies by kitchen.
Is tarama vegetarian?
No. Tarama looks like a creamy dip but is made from fish roe, so it does not suit a vegetarian table.
What is atom meze?
Atom is a cold meze of strained yoghurt topped with fried dried hot peppers. It contains no meat and suits anyone who likes some heat with their rakı.
Can vegetarians eat at Koço?
Yes. Fava, haydari, semizotu, patlıcan salatası, topik and atom on Koço's cold meze tray contain no meat or fish. Tell the waiter you are vegetarian; the current menu is on Finedine.
For a vegetarian, the meyhane table is no compromise; it puts meze at the centre. Across from Moda Pier, on a terrace facing the Sea of Marmara, a table from fava to topik is a phone call away: +90 216 336 07 95.
Address: Moda Caddesi No:171, Kadıköy, Istanbul (across from Moda Pier) · Reservations: +90 216 336 07 95 · Open every day 12:00–00:00
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