From traditional fare to the New Turkish cuisine scene, Istanbul rewards gastronomic pilgrimage.
If there’s a destination du jour, surely it is Istanbul. Countless words have been written about this glorious city, many lapsing into the usual (but entirely forgivable) clichés about it being a city where Europe meets Asia, ancient empires collide with modern sophistication, piety mingles with determined secularism, et cetera. Little wonder. Few cities can rival Istanbul for physical beauty, extraordinary atmosphere, wealth of attractions and mix of cultural influences.
It’s got a skyline like no other and waterways that rival Hong Kong’s. There are historic monuments to match Rome’s and fin-de-siècle streetscapes as special as any in Paris or Vienna. And then there’s the food. Turkish cuisine generally, and Istanbullu food in particular, is one of the world’s best-kept secrets – although word is quickly getting around.
Forged over countless centuries, the native cuisine of Istanbul is, like the city itself, a fascinating polyglot stew. The refinement of the Ottoman palace kitchens, immigrant Greek, Balkan, Armenian and Jewish populations and, latterly, influxes from remote corners of Anatolia, have all informed Istanbul’s diet. Linking these disparate elements is the Turkish predilection for fresh, seasonal produce, simple cooking methods (stewing and grilling are most common), a fondness for grains, dried pulses and legumes, and an addiction to thick, rich yoghurt and clotted cream (called kaymak), stuffed vegetables, baklava and silky, milky puddings.
In keeping with its rising status as the darling of the jetsetters, Istanbul has a growing clique of chichi restaurants, many with spectacular Bosphorus views, extensive cocktail lists and “international” menus. These places are all well and good, but the true joys of dining in Istanbul lie in its neighbourhood meyhanes (taverns where food is accompanied by copious raki, local firewater), lokantasi (canteens for the working class where pre-prepared food is served from a bain-marie), and specialist places such as the numerous balikçi for fish, kepabçi for kebabs or börekçi for a variety of börek, the famous savoury Turkish pastry.
Many Istanbul dining establishments are institutions and locals will traverse the city to patronise those to which they feel a strong allegiance. There’s also an emerging “New Turkish” cuisine scene. Luckily for visitors, highly efficient public transport and cheap, plentiful taxis mean they, too, can join the dinner rush wherever the whim or restaurant recommendation may take them.
Because this is Istanbul, the search for a great dining experience is also likely to be an adventure. It could track a path up the Bosphorus, with its old yalis (wooden houses) and vistas over the legendary strait. Or it might involve a commuter ferry trip to the “Asian side”, earthy ethnic enclaves where tourists rarely go. Or one might find oneself pleasantly lost in the time-warped warren of Beyoglu, for centuries the home of foreign traders and diplomats. Their influence still echoes along its steep, packed and picturesque streets.
From a humble mackerel sandwich eaten dockside with Istanbul's signature seagulls and fishermen to an elaborate feast inspired by Ottoman-era finesse, there is a confusion of dining options in Istanbul. The following, loosely arranged according to location, offers a few starting points for gastronomic discoveries in this most compelling and unique of cities. So, as they say in these parts, afiyet olsun – enjoy your meal!
Sultanahmet, The Grand & Spice Bazaars
The Old City has more than its share of sights and many dining options here are geared toward tourists – meaning ho-hum food, so-so service and over-the-odds prices . You have to work hard to find the better places to eat – but they are there.
Subaşi Lokantasi
Kiliçlar Sokak 48, Çemberlitas.
+90 212 522 4762.
Hamdi
Tahmis Caddesi Kalçin Sokak, Eminönü.
+90 212 528 0390.
Giritli
Keresteci Hakkı Sokak, Cankurtaran, Ahırkapı.
+90 212 458 2270.
Bab-i Hayat
Misir Çarşisi 47, Eminönü.
+90 212 520 7878.
Balikçi Sabahattin
Seyit Hasan Kuyu Sokak 1, Sultanahmet.
+90 212 458 1824.
The New City
The 19th and early 20th-century apartment blocks lend a Parisian air to the New City over the Galata Bridge. Explore Çukurcuma's antique shops, the restaurants and bars of Pera, boho Tünel and the intriguing covered arcades off the Istiklal Caddesi shopping strip.
Van Kahvalti Evi
Kılıç Ali Paşa Mah, Defterdar Yokuşu 52a, Cihangir.
+90 212 293 6437.
Antiochia
Asmalı Mescit Mah, Minare Sok 21a, Beyoğlu.
+90 212 292 1100.
Sofyali 9
Asmalı Mescit, Sofyali Sok 9, Tünel.
+90 212 245 0362.
Lokanta Helvetia
General Yazgan Sokak 8a, Asmalı Mescit, Tünel, Beyoğlu.
+90 212 245 8780.
Saray Muhallebicisi
Istiklal Caddesi 173, Beyoğlu.
+90 212 292 3434.
Canim Ciğerim
Asmalı Mescit Mah, Minare Sok 1, Beyoğlu.
+90 212 252 6060.
Istiridye Balik Lokantasi
Mumhane Caddesi 24, Karaköy.
+90 212 249 1772.
Karaköy Güllüoğlu
Mumhane Caddesi 171, Karaköy.
+90 212 243 1376.
The Bosphorus, Asian Side & other suburbs
Mangerie
Cevdetpaşa Caddesi 69, Bebek.
+90 212 263 5199.
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Hünkar
Mim Kemal Öke Caddesi 21/1, Nişantaşı.
+90 212 225 4665.
Çiya Sofrasi & Kebap
Guneşlibahçe Sokak 32a, Kadiköy.
+90 212 418 5115.
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Eski Kafa
Atpazari 11a, Fatih.
+90 212 533 4291.
Müzedechanga
Atlı Köşk, Sakıp Sabancı Caddesi 22, Emirgan.
+90 212 323 0901.
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Kantin
Akkavak Sokaği 30, Nişantaşı.
+90 212 219 3114.
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Food tours
Turkish Flavours
Teşvikiye Cad 174/14, Nişantaşı.
+90 532 218 0653.
Abracadabra
Arnavutköy Caddesi, 50/1, Arnavutköy.
+90 212 358 6087.
Source: Qantas The Australian Way September 2009