Cafe Istanbul Bexley

2455 E Main St, Columbus
(614) 237-9920

Recent Reviews Order Online Reserve

Customers' Favorites

Chicken Kebab with Basmati Rice and Salad
Shrimp with Garlic Sauce
Large Appetizer Sampler
Lentil Soup and Felafel
Baklava Pistachios
Zucchini Pancakes
Whole Fried Fish
Iskender Kebab
Sauteed Shrimp
Lunch Special

Menu

Family Style Meals
Grilled Whole Fish
Bronzini grilled over an open flame, served with mixed green salad tossed with olive oil and lemon dressing.
Lamb Chops
Delicately marinated and chargrilled baby lamb chops topped with oregano leaves. Served with rice and seasonal vegetables.

Most Popular
Adana Kebab
Seasoned ground lamb flavored with crusted red peppers. Chargrilled on flat skewers over open flame. Served with rice and seasonal vegetables.
Chicken Kebab
Cubes of chicken marinated in our special sauce and chargrilled over open flame. Served with rice and seasonal vegetables.
Mousakka
Oven baked tender minced beef and lamb layered between slices of eggplant and topped with béchamel sauce. Finished with mozzarella cheese, fresh tomato sauce. Served with rice.
Sembusek
homemade flat bread stuffed with mozzarella, onions, tomatoes and ground lamb

Soups
Lentil Soup
Red lentils combined with pureed garlic, celery, carrots, and onions.
Chicken Vegetable Soup
Diced chicken in broth with carrots, garlic, and mushrooms.

From the Grill
Chicken Kebab
Cubes of chicken marinated in our special sauce and chargrilled over open flame. Served with rice and seasonal vegetables.
Adana Kebab
Seasoned ground lamb flavored with crusted red peppers. Chargrilled on flat skewers over open flame. Served with rice and seasonal vegetables.
Kebab Combinations
Choose any two half portions of our kebabs except mixed grill and lamb chops. Served with rice and seasonal vegetables.
Mixed Grill Kebab
Half portions of chicken, doner, shish, and adana kebabs. Served with rice and seasonal vegetables.
Ribeye Steak Kebab
Tender cubes of ribeye marinated in our special house sauce and chargrilled over open flame. Served with rice and seasonal vegetables.
Shish Kebab
Tender cubes of lamb marinated in our special house sauce and chargrilled over open flame. Served with rice and seasonal vegetables.
Chicken Adana Kebab
Seasoned ground chicken flavored with crusted red peppers. Chargrilled on flat skewers over open flame. Served with rice and seasonal vegetables.
Doner Kebab
Hand carved marinated ground lamb and beef grilled on a large vertical rotisserie. Served with rice and seasonal vegetables.
Lamb Chops
Delicately marinated and chargrilled baby lamb chops topped with oregano leaves. Served with rice and seasonal vegetables.
Kofte Kebab
Patties of freshly ground beef and lamb lightly seasoned and chargrilled over open flame. Served with rice and seasonal vegetables.

Kebab with Yogurt
Chicken Kebab with Yogurt
Served over garlic toasted bread and our homemade yogurt and tomato sauce.
Chicken Adana with Yogurt
Served over garlic toasted bread and our homemade yogurt and tomato sauce.
Adana Kebab with Yogurt
Served over garlic toasted bread and our homemade yogurt and tomato sauce.
Steak Kebab with Yogurt
Served over garlic toasted bread and our homemade yogurt and tomato sauce.
Shish Kebab with Yogurt
Served over garlic toasted bread and our homemade yogurt and tomato sauce.
Iskender Kebab
Slices of doner kebab over garlic toasted bread served with yogurt and tomato sauce.
Grilled Vegetable with Yogurt
Served over garlic toasted bread and our homemade yogurt and tomato sauce.

Seafood Specialties
Grilled Shrimp
Succulent jumbo shrimp skewered and grilled with a garlic sauce. Served with rice and mixed green salad.
Fillet of Atlantic Salmon
Grilled fresh fillet of salmon topped with garlic sauce, served with mixed green salad and rice.
Sauteed Shrimp
Jumbo shrimps sautéed with garlic and mushrooms. The shrimp is topped with parsely, cream sauce, and served with rice.
Grilled Whole Fish
Bronzini grilled over an open flame, served with mixed green salad tossed with olive oil and lemon dressing.
Swordfish Kebab
Marinated cubes of swordfish chargrilled on flat skewers over an open flame, served with mixed green salad and rice.
Shrimp Spinach Casserole
Jumbo shrimp baked with baby spinach and cream sauce, topped with mozzarella cheese and served with rice.

Vegetarian Selection
Okra Stew
Fresh okra cooked with onions and garlic in a fresh tomato sauce served with rice.
Mixed Vegetable Grill
Grilled sweet peppers, eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, mushrooms, and sweet onions. Served with rice.
Vegetable Stew
Assorted fresh garden vegetables cooked in a fresh tomato sauce served with rice.

House Specialties
Mousakka
Oven baked tender minced beef and lamb layered between slices of eggplant and topped with béchamel sauce. Finished with mozzarella cheese, fresh tomato sauce. Served with rice.
Chicken Delight
Mashed smoked eggplant topped with chicken and served with fresh tomato sauce.
Lahana Sarma
Stuffed cabbage. Cabbage leaves stuffed with rice, ground lamb and beef, mixed with herbs. Served with fresh tomato sauce and yogurt.
Doner Special
Mashed smoked eggplant topped with thinly sliced doner kebab and served with fresh tomato sauce.
Karniyarik
Stuffed eggplant. Oven roasted eggplant stuffed with seasoned ground beef and lamb with chopped tomatoes, green peppers, and herbs. Served with rice.
Chicken Saute
Cubes of chicken sautéed with tomatoes, onions, garlic, red, and green peppers. Served with rice.
Sheppard Casserole
Lamb sautéed with garlic, onions, mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes, and special herbs served with rice.
Vegetable Stew with Lamb
Assorted fresh vegetables cooked with tender cubes of lamb in a fresh tomato sauce and served with rice.
Sultan's Favorite
Mashed smoked eggplant topped with marinated lamb and served with tomato sauce.
Lamb Saute
Cubes of lamb sautéed with tomatoes, onions, garlic, red, and green peppers. Served with rice.
Okra Stew with Lamb
Fresh okra cooked with vegetables and tender cubes of lamb in a fresh tomato base. Served with rice.

From the Oven
Sembusek
homemade flat bread stuffed with mozzarella, onions, tomatoes and ground lamb
Spinach Pide
Homemade flat bread topped with mozzarella, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, and fresh spinach.
Lahmacun
Thin Crust Dough topped with ground lamb and chopped garden vegetables
Cheese Pide
Homemade flat bread topped with feta cheese, mozzarella, and fresh tomatoes.
Gyro Pide
Homemade flat bread topped with mozzarella and gyro meat.
Chicken Pide
Homemade flat bread topped with mozzarella, tomatoes, mushrooms, and grilled chicken.

Most Popular
Appetizer Sampler
Combination of hummus, babaganoush, tabuli, eggplant with sauce, pinto beans, grape leaves, ezme, and labne.

Cold Appetizers
Appetizer Sampler
Combination of hummus, babaganoush, tabuli, eggplant with sauce, pinto beans, grape leaves, ezme, and labne.
Hummus
Pureed chickpeas flavored with a hint of garlic, tahini, fresh lemon juice, and olive oil.
Babaganoush
Smoked eggplant puree flavored with tahini, olive oil, and garlic.
Cacik
A large side of our freshly made yogurt seasoned with minced cucumbers, dill, and a touch of garlic.
Tabuli
Cracked wheat tossed with tomatoes, sweet onions, fresh peppers, and parsley. Dressed with olive oil and lemon juice.
Pinto Beans
Pinto beans with carrots, diced tomatoes, and green peppers seasoned with a light tomato and olive oil sauce.
Ezme
Finely chopped tomatoes, onions and hot peppers, and walnuts mixed in olive oil and herbs.
Labne
Thickened homemade yogurt with fresh dill, mint, garlic, and walnuts.
Stuffed Grape Leaves
Grape Leaves stuffed with rice, pine nuts, raisins, and flavorful herbs.
Eggplant with Sauce
Cubes of lightly fried eggplant combined with fresh red peppers, onions, and garlic in our homemade tomato sauce.

Hot Appetizers
Sauteed Liver Cubes
Cubes of tender calf liver sautéed with assorted herbs and spices. Served with sweet red onions, topped with parsley and sumac.
Sigara Borek
Hot flaky phyllo pastries filled with feta cheese, fresh basil, dill, and parsley
Calamari
Fried rings of baby calamari lightly breaded with flour and served with our special taratora sauce.
Falafel
Croquette of chickpeas flavored with garlic, parsley, and cilantro. Served with a special tahini sauce.
Zucchini Pancake
Mixture of zucchini, feta, dill, flour, and eggs seasoned with spices and served with yogurt.

Salads
Shephard Salad
Diced Roma tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, bell peppers, and parsley. Tossed with red vinegar and olive oil.
House Salad
Fresh seasonal lettuce with tomatoes, sweet onions, fresh peppers, sliced olives, and feta cheese. Dressed with olive oil and fresh lemon juice.
Mixed Green Salad
Fresh assorted field greens, crumbled feta cheese, tossed with olive oil and fresh lemon juice.
Arugula Salad
Arugula mixed with field greens, dried cranberries, walnuts, and crumbled feta cheese. Dressed with olive oil and fresh orange juice.
Istanbul Salad
Iceberg lettuce with toasted almonds, dried apricots, cranberries, tomatoes, and honey mustard dressing.

Mains
Lamb Shank
Baby lamb shank delicately seasoned. Wrapped with eggplant and baked in its own juice. Served over potatoes, carrots, celery, and a side of rice.

Most Popular
Chicken Kebab
Cubes of chicken marinated in our special sauce and chargrilled over open flame. Served with rice and seasonal vegetables.
Adana Kebab
Seasoned ground lamb flavored with crusted red peppers. Chargrilled on flat skewers over open flame. Served with rice and seasonal vegetables.
Mousakka
Oven baked tender minced beef and lamb layered between slices of eggplant and topped with béchamel sauce. Finished with mozzarella cheese, fresh tomato sauce. Served with rice.

Soups
Lentil Soup
Red lentils combined with pureed garlic, celery, carrots, and onions.
Chicken Vegetable Soup
Diced chicken in broth with carrots, garlic, and mushrooms.

From the Grill
Adana Kebab
Seasoned ground lamb flavored with crusted red peppers. Chargrilled on flat skewers over open flame. Served with rice and seasonal vegetables.
Chicken Kebab
Cubes of chicken marinated in our special sauce and chargrilled over open flame. Served with rice and seasonal vegetables.
Mixed Grill Kebab
Half portions of chicken, doner, shish, and adana kebabs. Served with rice and seasonal vegetables.
Ribeye Steak Kebab
Tender cubes of ribeye marinated in our special house sauce and chargrilled over open flame. Served with rice and seasonal vegetables.
Shish Kebab
Tender cubes of lamb marinated in our special house sauce and chargrilled over open flame. Served with rice and seasonal vegetables.
Kebab Combinations
Choose any two half portions of our kebabs except mixed grill and lamb chops. Served with rice and seasonal vegetables.
Chicken Adana Kebab
Seasoned ground chicken flavored with crusted red peppers. Chargrilled on flat skewers over open flame. Served with rice and seasonal vegetables.
Kofte Kebab
Patties of freshly ground beef and lamb lightly seasoned and chargrilled over open flame. Served with rice and seasonal vegetables.
Doner Kebab
Hand carved marinated ground lamb and beef grilled on a large vertical rotisserie. Served with rice and seasonal vegetables.
Lamb Chops
Delicately marinated and chargrilled baby lamb chops topped with oregano leaves. Served with rice and seasonal vegetables.

Kebab with Yogurt
Chicken Kebab with Yogurt
Served over garlic toasted bread and our homemade yogurt and tomato sauce.
Chicken Adana with Yogurt
Served over garlic toasted bread and our homemade yogurt and tomato sauce.
Steak Kebab with Yogurt
Served over garlic toasted bread and our homemade yogurt and tomato sauce.
Grilled Vegetable with Yogurt
Served over garlic toasted bread and our homemade yogurt and tomato sauce.
Iskender Kebab
Slices of doner kebab over garlic toasted bread served with yogurt and tomato sauce.
Shish Kebab with Yogurt
Served over garlic toasted bread and our homemade yogurt and tomato sauce.
Adana Kebab with Yogurt
Served over garlic toasted bread and our homemade yogurt and tomato sauce.

Seafood Specialties
Grilled Shrimp
Succulent jumbo shrimp skewered and grilled with a garlic sauce. Served with rice and mixed green salad.
Sauteed Shrimp
Jumbo shrimps sautéed with garlic and mushrooms. The shrimp is topped with parsely, cream sauce, and served with rice.
Fillet of Tilapia
Tilapia baked in homemade sauce of mushrooms, zucchini, bell peppers, garlic, onion, parsley, and dill. Served with mixed green salad and rice.
Fillet of Atlantic Salmon
Grilled fresh fillet of salmon topped with garlic sauce, served with mixed green salad and rice.
Swordfish Kebab
Marinated cubes of swordfish chargrilled on flat skewers over an open flame, served with mixed green salad and rice.
Shrimp Spinach Casserole
Jumbo shrimp baked with baby spinach and cream sauce, topped with mozzarella cheese and served with rice.
Grilled Whole Fish
Bronzini grilled over an open flame, served with mixed green salad tossed with olive oil and lemon dressing.

Vegetarian Selection
Mixed Vegetable Grill
Grilled sweet peppers, eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, mushrooms, and sweet onions. Served with rice.
Okra Stew
Fresh okra cooked with onions and garlic in a fresh tomato sauce served with rice.
Vegetable Stew
Assorted fresh garden vegetables cooked in a fresh tomato sauce served with rice.

House Specialties
Mousakka
Oven baked tender minced beef and lamb layered between slices of eggplant and topped with béchamel sauce. Finished with mozzarella cheese, fresh tomato sauce. Served with rice.
Chicken Delight
Mashed smoked eggplant topped with chicken and served with fresh tomato sauce.
Chicken Saute
Cubes of chicken sautéed with tomatoes, onions, garlic, red, and green peppers. Served with rice.
Sultan's Favorite
Mashed smoked eggplant topped with marinated lamb and served with tomato sauce.
Karniyarik
Stuffed eggplant. Oven roasted eggplant stuffed with seasoned ground beef and lamb with chopped tomatoes, green peppers, and herbs. Served with rice.
Doner Special
Mashed smoked eggplant topped with thinly sliced doner kebab and served with fresh tomato sauce.
Lahana Sarma
Stuffed cabbage. Cabbage leaves stuffed with rice, ground lamb and beef, mixed with herbs. Served with fresh tomato sauce and yogurt.
Sheppard Casserole
Lamb sautéed with garlic, onions, mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes, and special herbs served with rice.
Lamb Saute
Cubes of lamb sautéed with tomatoes, onions, garlic, red, and green peppers. Served with rice.
Vegetable Stew with Lamb
Assorted fresh vegetables cooked with tender cubes of lamb in a fresh tomato sauce and served with rice.
Okra Stew with Lamb
Fresh okra cooked with vegetables and tender cubes of lamb in a fresh tomato base. Served with rice.

From the Oven
Spinach Pide
Homemade flat bread topped with mozzarella, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, and fresh spinach.
Cheese Pide
Homemade flat bread topped with feta cheese, mozzarella, and fresh tomatoes.
Gyro Pide
Homemade flat bread topped with mozzarella and gyro meat.
Chicken Pide
Homemade flat bread topped with mozzarella, tomatoes, mushrooms, and grilled chicken.

Photos

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Recent Reviews

This is just a post to let everyone know that this restaurant is closed for now. It might re-open and ir might not. I just sat across the street at Starbucks for 2 hours and watched so many people parking and trying to go eat there, only to find a locked door.
June 2025
I eat every so often at other named cafe Istanbul locations even though I'm not sure if any are affiliated. Food here was very good. Had an issue with something wrong in the kitchen which delayed ability to order entres for about 30 minutes. Only one nice lady serving slowed down my cold hummus.
April 2025
The interior is just as well done as the exterior at this swanky Bexley eatery. Kabobs and Pide perfection. Enjoy!

Parking: Parking lot is accross the side street from the restaurant. Street parking is minimal.

Wheelchair accessibility: Wheel on in. New automated front door is very helpful.
May 2024

More Reviews

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Cafe Istanbul Bexley

2455 E Main St, Columbus, OH 43209
(614) 237-9920