Istanbul Palace

Reviews

• Rana M.

  star star star star star 10 June 2026

  Istanbul Palace opened its doors a mere 8 months ago but has already started creating a buzz amongst local foodies. A Turkish restaurant with Iranian owners might seem a strange mix at first but the unique Persian themed establishment turned out to be a perfect scenario for a Eastern cuisine aficionado like me when I visited recently.    
  
  The restaurant is surprisingly big with 75 covers and decor is nothing short of stunning. The walls adorn Persian art and each diner also gets to dine with their own unique table cover art. The food isn't bad either.
  
  Having chosen a weekday for my latest foodie adventure I wasn't expecting it to be overly busy and it wasn't. This meant I could have a proper gander, take plenty of pics and chat to the manager. It turned out to be a great choice resulting in a fantastic first impression which concluded with me letting the chef pick my two mains (Which at £12.95 I thought was decent value given the quality of the food)
  
  So, what was the food like? Well, I started with the 'Olivieh' which was a mild yet utterly delicious side to go with the Lamb sizzler main. At first it looked like a yogurt based chutney type concoction that usually goes with the lamb, but upon investigation turned out to be something much better. Made with shredded chicken, potatoes, egg and mixed with some mayonnaise the recipe seemed so simple yet laced with genius (According to my taste buds anyway) I'm definitely making the stuff at home and cheat claiming it as my own at my next shindig.
  
  The lamb sizzler was the main attraction however and boy was it box office. Cooked in some special sweet (Chinese style sauce) the meat was tender but had a barbecue like taste and the vegetables that were cooked and served with it were divine. The accompanying rice and salad complemented its taste perfectly and though I forget the name of the two sauces served on the side (I MUST have them again) they were sensational.
  
  The incredible, belly busting night was rounded off with a special home made ice cream. I'd never tasted anything like it. It was the culinary equivalent of some kind of weird yet wonderful foodie dream. It completely confused the hell out of my foodie senses. It looked like ice cream but tasted like.... hmmm how shall I put this.... a cross between Turkish delight, frozen yoghurt and ice cream. Daaaamn it was good though. The only downside was I was too full to finish it, doh! (The lamb sizzlerwas a sizable main and had wiped me out)
  
  The only slight downside to this place is its location in the heart of Stockport. Let's face it, it's not like everyone from Greater Manchester flocks here for a night out/dining out experiance when Friday comes knocking. But perhaps, just perhaps... Istanbul Palace can change that (They have a belly dancing entertainment night, which looks ace and I might check out) It certainly has changed my mindset about coming to these neck of the woods. It's a smashing little foodie hidden gem which is guaranteed to be not as busy and rowdy as most of the city centre haunts if you're looking to get away from the kitchen and dine out.
  
  Despite a bit of a parking nightmare on the road, it gets much better after office hours (After 6pm parking is free) when it's quietened down. With it being only 10 minutes walk away from Stockport train station (which in turn is around 10 minutes away from Piccadilly) it's not that difficult/time consuming to get to from the city centre. The bus routes are also quite good with the restaurant being 5 minutes walk from the central station. In fact I like the place so much I might register a yelp event for those interested in checking the place out with me when I return. So watch this space, or if you're not a space watcher check it out your yelpity yelp self!