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Tarihi Sultanahmet Koftecisi Review

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Tarihi Sultanahmet Köftecisi

Address: Divan Yolu Cad. 12, Sultanahmet, Istanbul
Phone: 212/520-0566

Price range: ¢
Cuisine: Turkish
Location: Sultanahmet

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Fodor's Review:

Like pizza for New Yorkers, humble köfte (grilled meatballs) inspire countless arguments among Istanbullus about who makes them best. This restaurant has a simple menu—meatballs, piyaz (boiled white beans in olive oil), and salad—that has remained virtually unchanged since 1920, and it's one of the best places for köfte in the city. Waiters in white coats, marble-topped tables, and framed photos and letters lining the walls add a touch of class and history to a budget place that serves essentially nothing but meatballs. Its location, a few minutes' walk from the Blue Mosque and Aya Sofya, makes it ideal for a quick and affordable lunch. There are several branches of Tarihi Köftecisi throughout Istanbul, but this one is the original. There are imitators with similar names, but Tarihi Sultanahmet Koftecisi ("Historic Sultanahmet Koftecisi") is considered the real deal.