Karaköy Güllüoglu

Recently renovated in faux-Ottoman style, this perpetually crowded shop close to the Galata Bridge is the source of Istanbul's flakiest böreks, savory pastries filled with spinach, cheese or meat. Its principal claim to fame, however, is the pistachio baklava, made from paper-thin yufka dough.

We loved: Su böregi, a kind of Turkish lasagna.

Insider tip: Get your böreks to go and eat them at the nearby Karaköy docks, overlooking the beautiful mosques across the Golden Horn.