Istanbul’s dining scene is so large that visitors might be compelled to spend a week here just to eat at all the best restaurants. At high-end establ... Read More
Istanbul’s dining scene is so large that visitors might be compelled to spend a week here just to eat at all the best restaurants. At high-end establishments like Mikla and Nicole, Turkish chefs are using the country’s stellar ingredients to turn out modern fare; meanwhile, the classic joints like Kofteci Arnavut (grilled kofte) and Halil (crispy lahmacun) remain crowd favorites. Perhaps most exciting is the proliferation, over the past half-decade or so, of restaurants serving truly authentic versions of regional fare (Hayvore for Black Sea cuisine and Antakya Hatay Sofrasi for the Syrian-influenced dishes of southeastern Hatay province). For any visitor, a meyhane experience is a must: skip the overhyped joints in Beyoglu and head to the Asian side for a raki-fueled meal of meze and grilled fish at Cunda Balik.
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Ciya Sofrasi
Long before “New Anatolian” became the fashionable way to eat, there was chef Musa Dagdeviren, who traveled Turkey’s backroads in search of traditional... Read More
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Cunda Balik
Named after Cunda Island in the Turkish Aegean, this spot is a short walk from the Bostanci ferry terminal on Istanbul’s Asian side. Expect classic... Read More
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Gram Bebek
At this postage-stamp-size café a couple of blocks from the Bosporus, chef Didem Senol's light touch and fresh flavors shine bright on the menu. The... Read More
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Kofteci Arnavut
The expertly grilled kofte served at this shop—lightly charred and crusty outside, juicy within—have been drawing crowds for more than 70 years. Arnavut... Read More
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Yeni Lokanta
Three years after opening his modern Turkish bistro, chef Civan Er remains at the top of the game with Anatolian-inspired dishes like dried eggplant... Read More
