Istanbul Restaurants
 

I will be in Istanbul in about a week and I am hoping for some good restaurant recommendations. I am looking for some moderate places with exceptional food. BTW, I am not really a big seafood eater so point me in the directions of some good meat!

I'm going to keep an eye on this thread, as I'll be in Istanbul in October (2 days) on a cruise.

Monica ((F))

I'm also interested in some restaurants with a great people watching location...

Here is some info that I copied and pasted from an email I sent to a friend recently. My husband and I spent 5 days in Istanbul over Easter 2006. Hope it helps.


Our favourite place that I mentioned to you was Hamdi Et Lokantasi which overlooks the ferries. It’s in the Bazaar district. The restaurant is upstairs; you enter though the bakery downstairs. We had hard time finding it initially but asked locals and a guy walked us there. Delicious food (aubergine and minced lamb kebab I think was our favourite) and a great terrace overlooking the water.

We stayed in the Sultahnahmet, the old section which was very charming…Just be warned that if you are going from one side of the city (the old side to the new or vice versa) in the evenings that the traffic is TERRIBLE. Seriously allow 45 minutes…The tram is very easy to figure out and we used that during the day.

Anyway, in the Sultahnahmet we really enjoyed Balikci Sabahattin which specializes in fish. I think we just asked what was good and told them to keep bringing stuff out! If it’s a nice night they have a really nice patio. Ask your hotel to make you a reservation there—we saw many turned away.

To see new, hip Istanbul you could try 360 which has Asian/fusion type of food and is in the new part of the city. It’s several stories up and has a wraparound terrace (for drinks not eating). On the terrace they set up really cool fire pits. Excellent food and very cool atmosphere. We had a really fun night there—live music too.

We also enjoyed Lokanta in the Beyoglu section which has Mediterranean food. There was a great cocktail lounge next door that made for good people watching after dinner.

We stumbled on the Brasserie Nistansi, which is the very upscale section of the city. Had an excellent lunch there.

I agree about Hamdi et Lokantasi, espeically for a meat lover. Be sure to reserve a table on the terrace. Beware that your waiter may not speak English too well but the menu is in English, albeit with some funny translations. Inexpensive.

One of turkey's top chefs, Mehmet Gurs, has opened a new restaurant, Mikla, in the Marmara Pera Hotel in Beyoglu; it was not open when I stayed there but I would certainly check it out. He is of Turkish/Finnish parentage, I believe, so it should be interesting.

Another one to try is:

Hunkar Begendi, Mim Kemal Oke Caddessi, #21.

Keep the recommendations coming! I will be in Istanbul Sept/Oct this year and have just started doing restaurant research! :)

Mikla is great! Absolutely fantastic views of the city, particularly of Sultanahmet with the mosques lit at night. Excellent food and well priced, too. Don't discount the Four Seasons-we had several meals from the bar menu in the courtyard patio. Try the Dolmus wine which is very reasonable and quite good, too. Good meal at Yesil Ev as well.

We also enjoyed an affordable and excellent meal at Havuzlu, a restaurant in the Grand Bazaar - obviously open during the bazaar's hours.

Interestingly, one of our best meals was at an Indian restaurant called Dubb, also in Sultanahmet. Rumeli Cafe, which showed up in almost every article I read on Istanbul pre-trip, was also very good. We tended to avoid the places that had waiters on the sidewalks luring people in!

One of the highlights of the trip for me was the cooking class I did at the Sarnic Hotel. It was a great experience, and I would recommend it to anyone who loves to try new cooking techniques. And of course the follow-up luncheon on the rooftop terrace, with wine and beautiful table setting, was a perfect conclusion! Website for the class is www.cookingalaturka.com

Be forewarned: if you plan to take the recommendations of posters here to spend an afternoon at Pierre Loti cafe, find out EXACTLY where it is and how to get there -- we wandered around for an hour and never did find it!

About the midpoint of Istiklal cadessi, near Galatsaray Square is the Cicek Pasaji, the old Flower Market (which nowadays seems to sell fish.) If you enter, take the first right and then first left you will be on Nevizade cokak. there are several restaurants that are popular with locals - one of my favorites was Lipsos.

Hi

Try the Seven Hills Hotel Restaurant - http://www.hotelsevenhills.com/hotelterrace.html. I didn't eat there but took a look. Amazing views. The owner of the hotel we stayed at recommended it for the good food and views. There is also the Rami Restaurant - http://www.ramirestaurant.com. Lovely old world charm but I found the food ordinary and expensive. Tourists only were dining, no locals. Bad sign! I wouldn't recommend it.

What kind of prices can I expect for these suggested places?

Monica ((F))

Rich and Pittsburger:

>>>Be forewarned: if you plan to take the recommendations of posters here to spend an afternoon at Pierre Loti cafe, find out EXACTLY where it is and how to get there -- we wandered around for an hour and never did find it!<<<

I've recommended the Pierre Loti to many people..mainly for afternoon drink while sitting on their beautiful terrace and listening to the 5:00 pm calls for prayer emanating from all over the city below..great views.

BUT, I always recommend taking a taxi
there...OK to walk back via a path leading to a bus stop..or to hail another taxi.

Stu T.

I'm sitting here in my office laughing my arse off at the comment that only tourists eat at Rami. Hello, Mr. Hawking, but tourists are what you are going to find at any restaurant in Sultanahmet. Rami, of course, attracts tourists because it is across the street from the Blue Mosque and the tourists (that' you included because you aren't a local, are you?) come for the sound and light show at dusk.

I, personally, think the food at Rami is quite good, but what do I know? I have only dined at places like Chanterelle, Le Bec Fin, Gordon Ramsay, and Gaddis.

Go to Divan in Ortakoy if you want a treat and to dine with the beautiful people.

The Great and Powerful Thingorjus. :)

Margie dearest - good heavens, those pants are just HANGING off you - stop that laughing right this minute! ;-)

Monica -
you can find prices in all ranges. Outside the high end places, cost is probably lower than for a comparable meal at a restaurant in major European cities but not always by a lot. You can eat on the cheap if you like kebabs, etc.

"I'm sitting here in my office laughing my arse off at the comment that only tourists eat at Rami."

Geesus dude, it wasn't that funny. I didn't say that - I said there were only tourists there when we dined. And Im not ashamed of being one - I'm proud of it!

OP, the following night we dined at Yildiz Restaurant in Sultanahmet for alot less cost and better food. Didn’t get the address. Ask for directions. Near the Cankurtaran railway station. Excellent Turkish cuisine in an atmospheric setting. Watch locals smoke their Narghiles and play backgammon. No pretentiousness here :S-

I just got back from 3 weeks in Turkey last night. I second the recommendation of going to Neversade--GREAT people watching and excellent food at moderate prices. It's hard to find though--or at least it was for us ;-)...but that was part of the adventure.

We had a great dinner at Balikci Sabahattin as well--but if you don't want fish then it may not really make sense to go there since that's the specialty.

We also had a great dinner at Korfez--and getting there is have the fun as well (you take a taxi up the Bosphorus to the Rumeli fortress then take the restaurant's boat across to the Asian side). The sea bass baked in salt is amazing--but my friend had an excellent steak so it's not just fish on the menu. It's on the expensive side but we thought it was well worth it.

OK Rich:

Now that you know of all the culinary palaces in Istanbul...do not under any circumstances ignore the most marvelous grilled fish sandwiches (on pita) sold by the vendors at the Eminonu side (at the foot of the Galata Bridge, near the Egyptian Spice Market. To us, the most tasty "lunch" in Istanbul.

Stu T.

Oops, sorry Rich...
I noted that you are not a seafood eater...make an exception.

Stu

Ditto that, tower. Sort of the equivalent of a hot dog from a cart on the street in Manhattan in that it is quick, cheap and delicious food consumed by locals. A friend from the area turned me on to it and I don't think I have ever had a tastier fish sandwich.

Just want a quick snack as you walk along? You will see boys selling simit (pronounced smit), a kind of super-pretzel covered with sesame seeds. Yummmm.

We will be going to Turkey in Nov. and I'm just beginning to collect info. A foodie friend got this place recommended to her. (She hasn't been yet either.) Says it has very traditional Turkish cooking. Does anyone know anything about it? The website has great pix but it's all in Turkish.
Ciya Sofrasi
Caferağa Mh.
Gűneşlibahçe Sk. No: 43
Kadikőy – İstanbul
+90 216 330 31 90
+90 216 450 23 76

www.ciya.com.tr

I am holding my tongue because I just returned from Istanbul and I thought the food was horrible.

The 2 restaurants I liked the best were...

Dubb Indian Restaurant - Incili Çavus Sok. 10 - I ate dinner here 3 times. I loved the mixed grill plate (called KEBAB APKI KHATIR) It was 24 lira. This is right near the Hagia Sofia. http://www.dubbindian.com/

Havuzlu - in the Grand Bazaar. This was an excellent Turkish restaurant and a lovely space in the Grand Bazaar. I wouldn't miss this restaurant and its a good place for a break from all the hawkers at the bazaar! There is one specialty dish that you must have. It is called Iskender Kebap. It is a northwestern Turkish dish prepared from thinly cut grilled lamb basted with tomato sauce over pieces of pide bread and generously slathered with melted butter and yogurt. It was delicious and memorable.

Richard I am sorry you did not enjoy the food...would you mind telling us which places were most disappointing? Did you try Hamdi?

Monica I remembered an inexpensive tip for lunch. Throughout the city you will find small shops specializing in Borek..phyllo-type pastry stuffed with meat and cheese. This is one of my favorite Turkish dishes and I hope you will not leave the city without sampling it at least once. You will find these borek shops where you can buy a large piece for only a few euro; many of the shops have small seating areas. Nothing fancy... Otherwise you can do take-out.
Do not miss this delightful Turkish specialty!

...sorry, I should have written, "stuffed with meat OR cheese..."

I am partial to the cheese-filled borek. There is a shop a few steps from one of the entrances to the Grand Bazaar but even if you do not find that one, you can ask a local where the nearest borek shop is..

Yes, Richard, please share which restaurants you were most disappointed with. I'll be in Turkey in Sept/Oct and I like to get comments (both good and bad) from people who have been there.

Ekscrunchy...if the Borek in Turkey is anything like the Borek I had in Croatia last year I will be heaven while in Turkey! :)

EK...both Roz and I favored the cheese boreks at the same place you mentioned.....that and the fish pitas were great!

The fish restos on Kamkapu offer a grat variety of fish for dinners and lunch.

stu t.

LOVED
- Hamdı! Turkısh pızza was delıcıous and all the kebabs and grılled vegetables.
- House Cafe! In Ortakoy on the waterfront - always busy - amazıng mınt lemonade and kıller sandwıches/ burgers/salads.
- 360 has a great bar scene and vıew and pretty good food (ı got salmon but the meat on the menu looked much better).

ALSO TRY
- Mıkla - very cool and a well-known Medıterranean-style chef.
- NuTeras (top floor of NuPera buıldıng) ıs brand new. Drınks are expensıve but food looked pretty good wıth pızza etc.
- Sunset Grıll was also hıghly recommended for more Medıterranean food.

Richard:

Other than the food, how did you like Istanbul?

Beware of the fish sandwiches: they are delicious, but my roommate gets sick every time she eats one. It doesn't stop her from buying them, but the effects are quite unpleasant.

Of course, Richard, your food in Istanbul was terrible. You ate in CHEAPO restaurants. 24 lira for a meal? That is the price a glass of wine in a nice restaurant.

You get what you pay for. I bet you didn't even venture into Divan in Ortakoy.

Marginal

I don't think price is indicative of quality. As I wrote previously I had an expensive meal at the Rami and I thought it was crap! The Yildiz restaurant was a fraction of the cost. Simple fare but far more memorable.

I have just returned from Istanbul; there are so many restaurants, you just have to walk down the street, and you will run into lots of them.
One restaurant which had beautiful views, exquisite dining (and not over the top) was at the top of the Seven Hills Hotel...and there were lots in that area; also in the Sultanamet area, lots and lots of restaurant...enjoy! we sure did.

Thanks ekscrunchy for the suggestion!

Monica ((F))

Hi Stu!

LCI, I didn't try any of the borek in Croatia last year -- actually, didn't even notice it -- but I remember your helpful posts that helped make my trip fabulous. Please do get to Turkey before I go so I can benefit from your trip report.

Ekscrunchy, I see that you've been to Turkey. If your trip report is anything like the one to China, I've gotta go find it.

Hi MikeBuckley!

I remember your Croatia trip report and if I recollect you had some amazing pictures of Croatia! :)

It seems there are quite a few of us who were in Croatia last year who are planning to visit Turkey this year ...great minds think alike! ;)

I will be in Turkey the last week of September and the first week and a half of October 2007. I will definitely post a trip report when I return...its only fair to repay all the great advice and recommendations I get here!

When will you be in Turkey?

LCI, I'm seriously thinking of going to Turkey in May, conveniently after I've had time to read your trip report. :) However, if things flare up over there, our Plan B is to go to China in the fall.

Mike -
I visited Istanbul in May and China (Beijing, Hong Kong) in the Fall and both were great trips. May in Istanbul was nice because the summer heat had not yet begun. Fall in China was similar a similar experience, though it did get pretty chilly in Beijing in late November.

I am just back from Turkey. I am in the process of updating my travel review at http://www.bombasticlife.com - but quickly the two best restaurants I tried were A'Jia Restaurant and Seasons (at Four Season). I also tried Changa but was extremly disappointed.