Guidebook for Istanbul
Food Scene
Çınaraltı Lahmacun Ve Kebap
No:61 Serdar Ömerpaşa Cd.closest place to home to eat lahmacun and ayran.
Nizam Pide Galatasaray
3 Kamer Hatun CaddesiPide is very good, as well as soups and sutlac (dessert).
very good traditional deserts. you can try baklava with chocolate. this place is way better than big touristic dessert shops.
6 locals recommend
Sakarya Tatlıcısı
No:3 Dudu Odaları Sk.very good traditional deserts. you can try baklava with chocolate. this place is way better than big touristic dessert shops.
Salkım Meyhanesi
No:27 b Sakız Ağacı Cd.simple place to drink raki and eat meze.
Zencefil
8 Kurabiye Sk.a nice cafe to eat healthy food especially for lunch
we usually eat kokorec when you get hungry after you drink a lot, before you head to home. sampiyon or mercan.. doesn't make much difference to me.
7 locals recommend
Mercan Kokoreç
we usually eat kokorec when you get hungry after you drink a lot, before you head to home. sampiyon or mercan.. doesn't make much difference to me.
this is a historical place to drink raki and eat meze.
27 locals recommend
Tarihi Cumhuriyet Meyhanesi
No:27 Kamer Hatun Cd.this is a historical place to drink raki and eat meze.
here you can eat very traditional black sea coast dishes. don't forget to try corn bread.
64 locals recommend
Hayvore
here you can eat very traditional black sea coast dishes. don't forget to try corn bread.
one of favorite restaurants to eat simple but good lunch or dinner. here you'll find what we daily cook at home. you see the dishes, choose couple of them, they serve you in one plate.
87 locals recommend
Helvetia
No:8 General Yazgan Sk.one of favorite restaurants to eat simple but good lunch or dinner. here you'll find what we daily cook at home. you see the dishes, choose couple of them, they serve you in one plate.
a must go. they have two places. check the other one if there is no space. they serve traditional food from antakya. kebaps are fine but has to order a meze platter and taste different delicious mezes.
23 locals recommend
Antiochia
3 General Yazgan Sk.a must go. they have two places. check the other one if there is no space. they serve traditional food from antakya. kebaps are fine but has to order a meze platter and taste different delicious mezes.
to try ottoman cuisine, this is one of the best. kaymakli ayva tatlisi as a dessert is must try!
52 locals recommend
Hacı Abdullah Lokantası
No:9/A Atıf Yılmaz Cd.to try ottoman cuisine, this is one of the best. kaymakli ayva tatlisi as a dessert is must try!
they used to have a very nice old shop on istiklal street until couple of years ago. they had to move because of regeneration of circle d'orient building which caused lots of protests. delicious profiterol!
20 locals recommend
İnci Pastanesi
18/A Mis Sk.they used to have a very nice old shop on istiklal street until couple of years ago. they had to move because of regeneration of circle d'orient building which caused lots of protests. delicious profiterol!
one of the best late night food is islak hamburger. tourist doesn't like it because it's too juicy and with garlic. but we do love.
24 locals recommend
Kizilkayalar
No:2/C Sıraselviler Cd.one of the best late night food is islak hamburger. tourist doesn't like it because it's too juicy and with garlic. but we do love.
it's great courtyard to spend some time while you drink turkish coffee or a tea. it is quiet during the day but very crowded in the evenings.
Kahveci Mustafa Amca Jeans
No:68/1 Türkgücü Cd.it's great courtyard to spend some time while you drink turkish coffee or a tea. it is quiet during the day but very crowded in the evenings.
Fıccın Kallavi
Kallavi Sokaka place to eat caucasian food. you can try manti, a kind of turkish ravioli.
Şimdi
5 Asmalı Mescit Sok.i like spending time at this place. eat and drink...
nice place that you can eat very good food, especially the ones cooked in casserole. the location on the map is wrong. it is in asmali mescit.
43 locals recommend
Tavanarasi Restaurant
No:10 Asmalı Mescit Cd.nice place that you can eat very good food, especially the ones cooked in casserole. the location on the map is wrong. it is in asmali mescit.
sofyali meyhanesi! so nice to eat delicious mezes and drink raki in this small historical place.
15 locals recommend
Sofyalı Sokak
Sofyalı Sokaksofyali meyhanesi! so nice to eat delicious mezes and drink raki in this small historical place.
they used to serve my favorite foods but I heard it's only a cafe shop now. still nice place if you need quiet and peace.
15 locals recommend
Klemuri Cafe Restaurant
Tel Sokakthey used to serve my favorite foods but I heard it's only a cafe shop now. still nice place if you need quiet and peace.
Çukur Meyhane
1/A Turnacıbaşı Cd. & Kartal Sokak, Galatasaraynot bad for a night to drink raki with friends
Limonlu Bahçe
No:74 Yeni Çarşı Cd.a nice coffee shop
coffee & restaurant during the day and night club at night. just go there to see the amazing view!
275 locals recommend
360 Istanbul
coffee & restaurant during the day and night club at night. just go there to see the amazing view!
Leb-i Derya
No:57 Kat:5 Kumbaracı Ykş.you can eat or drink with a stunning view
Kronotrop Cihangir
No:2/B Firuzağa Cami Sk.if you are a coffee lover
Özkonak Lokantası
46 Akarsu Ykş. Sok.just eat whatever they do daily. and good desserts.
you wouldn't regret. but very popular and need to reserve in advance.
160 locals recommend
Karaköy Lokantası
No:57 Kemankeş Cd.you wouldn't regret. but very popular and need to reserve in advance.
Karakoy Gulluoglu
No:67 Kemankeş Caddesialways good! my favorites are sutlu nuriye, fistikli dolama.
Drinks & Nightlife
old nice winery opened again after being close for couple of years. so nice to still have such an original place close to home.
Historical Pano Winery
old nice winery opened again after being close for couple of years. so nice to still have such an original place close to home.
Asma Alti Beyoglu Cafe & Bar
13 Kamer Hatun Cd.simple place just to have a beer and chat with friends.
little cozy winery. you can try turkish ones. my favourite for white is always narince.
28 locals recommend
Solera Winery
44 Yeni Çarşı Cd.little cozy winery. you can try turkish ones. my favourite for white is always narince.
drink a beer or eat with an amazing view at the terrace. perfect for a sundowner.
30 locals recommend
Balkon Restaurant & Bar
5 Şehbender Sk.drink a beer or eat with an amazing view at the terrace. perfect for a sundowner.
check their program if you like to listen some local music groups.
112 locals recommend
Peyote Istanbul
check their program if you like to listen some local music groups.
Nardis Jazz Club
8 Galata Kulesi Sk.very cozy jazz bar. always good live music.
nice cafe to have some drinks and spend time with friends. during the day it can be very quiet.
55 locals recommend
Urban Cafe
No:6/A Galatasaray Kartal soknice cafe to have some drinks and spend time with friends. during the day it can be very quiet.
Salon Iksv
No:5 Şişhane Sk.a very good one for concerts
Arts & Culture
i don't know in which category i should put this place, but it's a secret heaven. a super cool library and garden.
Fransız Sarayı
No:271 Muammer Karaca Tiyatro Çk.i don't know in which category i should put this place, but it's a secret heaven. a super cool library and garden.
SALT Galata, Istanbul
No:11 Bankalar Cd.very cool venue for exhibitions and events
this is the place of my favorite theater group. yes, of course they play in turkish, but still... if you are into theater and watch something good, i definitely recommend them.
Semaver Kumpanya/Çevre Tiyatrosu
5 Çevre Tiyatrosu Sk.this is the place of my favorite theater group. yes, of course they play in turkish, but still... if you are into theater and watch something good, i definitely recommend them.
SCENE is Aznavur
very nearby theater venue. worth checking the program.
Moda Stage Theatre
General Asım Gündüz Caddesianother venue for usually good theater
worth checking their program. has a nice small courtyard with a coffee shop.
18 locals recommend
French Cultural Center
4 İstiklal Cad.worth checking their program. has a nice small courtyard with a coffee shop.
Sightseeing
we used to sit on the stairs and drink beer when we were students years ago. very good view point.
Dope Lookout
1 Tüfekçi Salih Sk.we used to sit on the stairs and drink beer when we were students years ago. very good view point.
this is a secret spot to sit on a bench and watch the view. get into the garden and you'll see.
27 locals recommend
Cihangir Mosque
22 Münir Özkul Sok.this is a secret spot to sit on a bench and watch the view. get into the garden and you'll see.
Shopping
Alkan Market 1
98 Kurdela Sk.fine for any essentials.
CarrefourSA
small carrefour shop close to home
a cool bookstore. they had a fantastic place on istiklal, but had to shut down because of the rapid rising rents. you can spend time or find english books here.
15 locals recommend
Robinson Crusoe 389
No:136 İstiklal Cd.a cool bookstore. they had a fantastic place on istiklal, but had to shut down because of the rapid rising rents. you can spend time or find english books here.
one of the few remaining nice bookstores around istiklal. you can find books in english.
6 locals recommend
Pandora Bookstore
3 Büyük Parmakkapı Sk.one of the few remaining nice bookstores around istiklal. you can find books in english.
Red Cat Bookstore
another bookstore where you can find books in english.
Parks & Nature
this is the closest small park. i haven't been there, but my guests who come with children usually go there. there is a playground.
7 locals recommend
Sururi Park
90 Bahriye Cd.this is the closest small park. i haven't been there, but my guests who come with children usually go there. there is a playground.
lots of people hang out here when the weather is nice. can be crowded in the weekends.
140 locals recommend
Maçka Parkı
lots of people hang out here when the weather is nice. can be crowded in the weekends.
Yildiz Park
Çırağan Caddesithis is a nice park where you can also watch the view.
super nice to walk, bike and drink beer in the evenings. especially summer time. can be very crowded, but still nice!
7 locals recommend
Caddebostan Coastal Walkway
Park İçi Yolusuper nice to walk, bike and drink beer in the evenings. especially summer time. can be very crowded, but still nice!