Cafe Istanbul in Bexley closes

BEXLEY, Ohio (WCMH) -- A Bexley restaurant known for its Turkish cuisine has quietly closed.

Cafe Istanbul, located at 2455 E. Main St. in Bexley, closed up shop this month. Although the owners have not commented publicly on the closure, Natalie Vawter, executive assistant to the mayor of Bexley, confirmed the Turkish restaurant is ending its tenure in the city.

The Turkish restaurant first opened in Bexley in 2011, and has affiliated locations in Easton and Dublin. Both of those restaurants are still open for business, but the Bexley location's website is no longer active.

For now, little is official as to what could come next to Main Street. Vawter said city officials familiar with the restaurant change are out of town, but could provide more information upon their return.

"While I believe the property owner is seeking a new tenant and is considering at least some restaurant options, I haven't heard anything official yet," Vawter said.

The owners behind Cafe Istanbul made a profit last fall when Bexley City Schools purchased a $6 million plot of land just north of the city on Cassady Avenue. Fatih Gunal, who owns Cafe Istanbul, purchased the 28.36-acre plot in March 2024 for $2.2 million, turning a $4 million profit when he sold the land to Bexley schools just months later.

Gunal is also behind a 300-unit apartment complex on McNaughten Road. The development has adjusted its plans several times to address community concerns, but members of the Far East neighborhood were still hesitant about the growth it would bring to an area with preexisting traffic concerns.