Öteki

In Istanbul’s casual café-and-pizzeria lane, Öteki is a low-friction pick: choose it for pizza, coffee, vegan-labeled options, a relaxed Istanbul stop, not for a polished room. The visual cue is the point: simple, slightly worn furnishings, a lively room, outdoor seating make this feel more like a casual hangout than a formal restaurant. For a broader city search, use Pearl’s Istanbul restaurants guide, but this one makes sense when the brief is easy, casual, vegan-option friendly.

Pizza, coffee, vegan options are the reason to go

The food case is narrow but useful. Öteki is an Italian pizza and café format with vegan options, including vegetable pizza as a vegan option and vegan-labeled pizza. That matters most for plans where one person wants pizza, another wants a vegan option, nobody wants a formal restaurant atmosphere. The appeal is casual and built around comfort rather than technical dining.

The coffee angle is stronger than expected for a casual pizzeria because coffee is part of the identity, not an afterthought. Coffee with oat milk gives vegan-option seekers a useful choice, the coffee is above average for the format. This is not the place to frame around an elaborate beverage program; the smart order is pizza plus coffee, especially for a low-key stop.

The room works for casual plans, with trade-offs

Go in with the right expectations and the value proposition is clear. The price tier is $$, the dress code is casual, the venue’s style is lively, cozy, trendy, a little hidden-gem in feel. Outdoor seating is the safer bet if smoke or noise would bother the table. Inside, the atmosphere can feel smoky and somewhat noisy, which is fine for an easy meal but less convincing for a plan that needs quiet conversation.

The most useful way to read Öteki is as a practical casual choice in Istanbul. It works for people who want an easy Italian café-pizzeria with vegan flexibility. It is not trying to be a formal special-occasion restaurant, that is a strength if the moment calls for something simple. If the goal is a highly polished room or a quieter dining experience, keep searching through Istanbul restaurants; if the goal is accessible pizza and coffee with vegan options, this is a sensible yes.

Who should choose it

Think of this as a casual meal, not an occasion restaurant. The best fit is someone who wants Italian pizza, café-style ease, above-average coffee, vegan options without dressy expectations. The trade-off is ambience: the room can be smoky and somewhat noisy, the furnishings are more functional than polished. For trip planning beyond restaurants, Pearl also has Istanbul guides for hotels, bars, wineries, and experiences.