Cafe Istanbul

This seems more like a grocery store than a restaurant, but it is a really unique little place. The employees are very friendly and welcoming, and they are able to answer any questions you have about any of the products. We stopped in yesterday and we looked around and purchased some peppermint gum (not your ordinary gum), some pumpkin seeds, mini cucumbers, flat bread, and hummus. We were very impressed with the gum and the guy gave us a sample (which was really kind of him). Yesterday they only had the peppermint gum in stock, but he gave us a sample of both the peppermint and cinnamon and we will certainly be back for the cinnamon when it comes in stock. The hummus was also really delicious. We purchased a medium and that should last us a while. We haven’t tried the other stuff yet, but they both look really great! I want to try the wheat pita bread next time! I can’t believe I have lived in Albuquerque my whole life and I hadn’t tried this place. If you haven’t been in there yet, make a point to check it out. There is a lot of different food items to look at, and it’s always good to try something new.

According to the clerk today, the deli is undergoing renovations and not serving food until mid-​October. So if you’re coming here looking for some freshly prepared food before then, you’re going to be sorely disappointed.

I was very confused. Expected a restaurant, but it was a grocery store. Got some stuff time take home, but we were in the market for dinner to be fixed for us lol. Ah well! Seemed like okay prices. Odd name for a grocery though.

Oooooh, I hope the dining room renovation is done soon. Every time I work at the hospital close by, I feel the draw of the middle-​eastern goodness from the café. The reno really did need to be done and am hoping it helps smooth out the takeout process. That is the only reason I can’t do 5 stars. I’ve ordered on the phone and went to pick up and need to wait in line at the regular counter line, where the grocery patrons pay, too… and it can take forever. So am hoping takeout will be able to be paid at the dining area once the reno is done. The food is definitely authentic, tasty, reasonably and well-​prepared. The staff is friendly and helpful, too. The grocery side also has some great ingredients for adventurous cooks, like me. But please open up the dining room again soon! *drool*

I came here on a Wednesday around noon. They were super busy, but seated us pretty quickly. I got the gyro platter. The meat was good, as was the hummus. The waitress was very nice and attentive. They also have a great selection of sweets at their bakery counter. Will definitely be back.

This places food sucks eggs! Nothing had taste, not even their own dressing … I dunno what all you Unilocalers are raving about. The 2 stars is for their store which is well stocked with hard to find Mediterranean stuff :). This place is dirty and the food not so good.

Most places that I frequent, I want to give a 5 star review. But I just couldn’t here. I saw the owner screaming at a girl who was waiting and there were no empty tables and only 1 waitress. The kitchen was chaotic and I saw open containers and messiness in the kitchen. None of the people in the kitchen had on gloves and they looked frazzled. Even if the food was good, the environment was not and the owner doesn’t seem like a person who treats his employees kindly from what I witnessed.

The food is sooo delicious! The chicken shawarma sandwich is my usual order because it is unbeatable. I went with two friends and we all split a meat extravaganza and a veggie extravaganza and it was the kind of meal where everyone falls silent for the first few minutes because the food was so incredible and there were so many great things to try. Hell yeah to that fresh pita, hell yeah to that homemade hummus. It was the perfect amount of food (we’re all twenty-​something and we were hungry.) The folks who work there are very friendly and clearly care about putting out quality food. The grocery store is awesome, also. Peep the tea selection. Don’t miss out!

I have traveled to Istanbul and that was back in the 1990’s. So I came here, thinking I would at least be able to get something resembling, something fresh. Since everything I ate in Turkey was fresh. I discovered that this place is for people who don’t know any better… what I mean is this. They don’t know what’s good. I was there because I was trapped by that hospital there on the corner. I had my mother in there and I couldn’t go very far. So it was either the Circle K on the corner there or Café Istanbul.
I had a vege sandwich. I was HORRIFIED when I bit into my sandwich! The veges were from a CAN!!!
A CAN? That takes a lot of imagination. I felt inside that they were trying to get rid of something in that can or the can itself. Otherwise, why not just put some fresh veges on that sandwich? And then the bread was stale! I was in complete shock and in dire need of some nourishment. Here I was, eating this canned vegetable stuff on a stale piece of pita bread. And it was an expensive sandwich. There is no going back here. And I repeat, there is no going back here…

Ate here yesterday food was great. I’ve eaten at some very expense Greek food places with similar menus and this food was a lot better. Only reason I didn’t give 5 stars was that the kitchen Was a mess and looked more like a room with a few appliances in it rather then a true restaurant kitchen, seeing a kitchen like this makes you question the sanitation of the restaurant

We had high hopes for this place based on the amount of positive reviews, unfortunately, this place ranks as the worst Turkish restaurant we’ve ever been to. Here are the reasons:
We ordered kafta/​chicken kabob platter and beef kabob platter. Both platters came with a side of rice, hummus, and bread.
1. Our pita bread was not fresh. It smelled funny, almost sour and you can tell it was sitting out for a while then they microwaved it. That pita bread was not soft or fluffy. It had a doughy texture in the center.
2. The hummus did not taste fresh. It was too sour. Hummus from walmart tastes better.
3. The beef kabob was tough and rubbery. The texture made it difficult to cut.
4. The kafta… My goodness, the kafta. It’s my favorite dish but this particular kafta was so bad. I gave half to my boyfriend to share, took two bites of my half and I couldn’t eat anymore of it. I always order kafta any time it’s in the menu but this is the worst kafta I’ve ever tasted… It was dry and the meat had an off flavor I can’t point out. It was not appetizing.
I’ve eaten kafta and kabobs from many different restaurants and the food we tasted here can’t compare. We can tell the meat was old because of the texture. Kafta and kabobs shouldn’t have been served the way it was served to us.
The only thing that tasted good was the chicken kabob which seemed fresh and the rice. I’m sorry Café Istanbul but we will not be returning. We will try other places.

This little gem tucked in between a NE Heights gas station & an uncharacteristic strip mall is absolutely delightful. The café is inside a family-​owned Mediterranean grocery store filled with exotic, ethnic goodies. The staff is young, polite & energetic while being knowledgeable & helpful about the various items listed on the menu. Recently, I enjoyed the meat extravaganza, plenty of food to share & take leftovers, with a yummy sour cherry juice & my husband, David devoured the Falafel Platter with a cup of English Breakfast tea (hmmm) & he left grinning ear to ear. We’ve briefly explored the grocery items & plan on shopping for authentic Mediterranean items so we can prepare some fun, delicious dishes at home. We both highly recommend experiencing this supremely friendly, yummy little reasonable café!

I have been going to café Istanbul for years, and I love it! The falafel sandwich, falafel platter, and vegetarian extravaganza are all absolutely amazing!
It is unassuming and small — a small portion of the already small Turkish store. And it wasn’t too long ago that the food was served on paper plates with plastic ware. I suspect some prefer ambience to delectable food BUT if you are after a delicious meal — go to café Istanbul!

Best in ABQ must be sleeping on this place. If you’re looking for ambience this is not the place for you. If you’re looking for the best hummus in town you’ve come to the right place. I come here weekly to stock up on hummus, baba ghanoush, falafel, and fresh pita bread (on weekdays). Their restaurant has limited hours but it is definitely worth carving out some time in your schedule to enjoy the best Turkish food that ABQ has to offer (imo). The prices are good, service is great and their grocery store is fun to browse through too. I can’t say enough good things about this business, try it and you won’t be disappointed!

This place has limited seating and can be pretty busy during the lunch hour. Suggest coming early or late to get a seat. The food is delish and at a decent price. Everything I have ever ordered is very authentic to middle eastern food. Its worth a try if you haven’t tried it before.

Love this place. The biggest problem I have is resisting the urge to order too much food.
Falafel, dolmas, hummus, and just about everything here is perfect, just like grandma used to make. Though it isn’t how grandma made it, the kibbe’s great, too.
They have a great assortment of imported foods in their grocery. Try the zatar bread and some lebni for a delicious snack.
The family that runs this place is very pleasant.
Take home a package of the FRESH pita if you can get it. If they have it, it’ll be up by the register.

This place was very busy, but the single server did her best to keep everyone happy.
I ordered a lunch plate of lamb which came with rice and hummus and a side salad. I asked for no pickle, but that was on my plate. It also comes with a fresh pita bread — which was excellent.
The food was piping hot, but it just was a little bland — now maybe this is how it should be, but I felt myself wanting some more spices/​heat.
The price was fair for the quantity of food.

I love coming here! It’s right down the street from my work, so I pop in often. I like treating myself to the European candy bars here (aero, smarties, kinder bueno!) as well as many of the other treats! We come here often to pick up fresh pita and hummus. One thing I love about their hummus is that it’s always fresh and house made, with no preservatives. Best hummus in town, we put it on everything at home! Also, the store owner is so kind and nice! As the other reviews have stated, the restaurant/​deli is awesome too.

I was very pleasantly surprised by this place. It is fairly innocuous from the outside; bright yellow and painted in generic «Middle Eastern» font that announces the name to all passers-​by. It practically begs you to enter its exotic realm and see what’s inside.
When you do walk in, it’s not that impressive. It’s a very run-​of-​the-​mill little market with a distinctly Middle Eastern/​Arabic flavor to it. You’ll find lots of teas, various weird candies, and a bunch of beverages you’ve never heard of, all spelled out in Arabic and/​or Cyrillic. I can understand that for the folks from that region of the world, this must be very familiar and comforting. It is interesting that you could find such a place in Albuquerque.
If you’re not there for the Arabic market experience, you’re in luck because they have a café on the south end of the building. This is where the magic happens, in my opinion. Honestly, some of the best hummus I’ve ever had. Their shawarma was fantastic. This place is doing Middle Eastern food right. Also, reasonably priced, and not ostentatious. I can tell that the ex-​pat community in the ABQ comes here, which is always a good sign.

Hubby and I were on this side of town for a change. Decided to drop in for a quick lunch after my mom raved about them.
I had the vegetarian plate ($ 7.50?). 2 fresh hot falafels, saffron rice, mixed salad, babaganoush, and hummus with a fresh hot fluffy pita. The falafels where a bit dense, flavorful but not greasy. Hummus was creamy perfection. But the babaganoush was a creamy, smokey dish from heaven. A serious wow.
Hubby had the shwarma plate. He said it was very tasted although everything in his plate was dusted with sumac.
All in all we enjoyed.
The plus was the shopping after. I found some yummy salad toppers from India that I have not found anywhere else. I’ll be back