Apr 27
Wednesday
Abracadabra’s Vanishing Act?
In what may turn out to be worrying news for Istanbul food lovers, Arnavutkoy’s Abracadabra has recently closed due to “permit” problems. Although we are told that the restaurant, run by the creative chef Dilara Erbay, will reopen once things are sorted out, it’s not clear when or if that will happen. In the meantime, Dilara is promising new magic at Abracadabra Firin, a simit bakery in Cihangir that she will be taking over and which, along with old-school simits, will also serve up some “smart” additions. Presto!
In case you didn’t know, Istanbul Eats now lives over at Culinary Backstreets. Same great culinary walks, same great culinary writing. You’ll be redirected there in a few seconds!
-
-
-
-
Quick Look
Recent Posts
-
Hanging On to History: Edible Nostalgia in Samatya
no responses - Posted 05.08.18
That much of the past seems to stick to Samatya is a marvel in Istanbul, a city being rebuilt and “restored” at an alarming pace. First, there’s the question of its name. Occupying a stretch of the Marmara Sea and squeezed between the old city walls and Kumkapı, an area home to a rotating cast of eclectic restaurants, the neighborhood still ... continue -
Spring Surprises: Skewering the First Fruits in Istanbul
no responses - Posted 04.25.18
It was the first of April and an absolutely pristine Istanbul spring day, the kind where one can break a slight sweat walking up a hill then catch a cool breeze in a nearby patch of shade. Returning to the city from a lovely weekend on Büyükada, we were smitten with spring and wanted to indulge in its finest offerings. In ... continue -
Farewell, Pando: An Istanbul Culinary Legend Passes On
no responses - Posted 04.16.18
It’s Saturday around lunchtime and business as usual in the bustling Beşiktaş Çarşı neighborhood, as crowds of mostly younger people fill the narrow streets. Down on Mumcu Bakkal Sokak, a pedestrian-only street lined with miniscule shops, a line around the block has been formed by those eager to get into one of the city’s best döner spots. For many of those ... continue -
Bağdat Ocakbaşı: Licensed to Grill
no responses - Posted 04.09.18
Istanbul’s T1 tramway is relatively pleasant if you can find a seat, but borders on unbearable if you are on your feet. Back in 2015, we wrote about a trip we took from the line’s first stop all the way to one of its last, which lies way out in the district of Güngören. By the time the tram has made ... continue -
Dose & Istos Café: Greek Revival
no responses - Posted 03.30.18
A café at its best is so much more than the sum of its parts: it’s a place where people can easily mingle, share ideas, and dertleşmek, or commiserate over their troubles, all while imbibing caffeine. At the same time, it’s a place where visitors might feel an invisible thread of common beliefs connecting them, an unspoken camaraderie, even if ... continue -
Back to the Land: Urban Turks Tackle Rural Life
no responses - Posted 03.23.18
When Buket Ulukut first moved from Istanbul to a rural plot of land in the foothills of the Taurus Mountains in southern Turkey, she was leading a double life. “I’d be taking calls from clients in Europe while out amidst the rows of peppers and eggplants, hoping they didn’t hear the rooster crowing in the background,” says Ulukut, who worked in ... continue -
Semt Pazarları, Civic Life Perfected
no responses - Posted 03.09.18
“Two kilos five liraaa! Two kilos five liraaa!” bellowed a young and exuberant vendor of tomatoes to the ongoing stream of frugal-minded shoppers making their way through the snaking Tarlabaşı Sunday Market. Hundreds of sellers of fresh produce, dairy, seafood, kitchenware, clothing, smuggled tobacco, jewelry, fresh baked goods and numerous other items set up side by side in the central Istanbul ... continue
Tags
- Advice Aksaray alcohol served Arnavutköy Asian side baklava beans Beyoğlu Beşiktaş Black Sea cuisine Bosphorus breakfast dessert dumplings Eminönü esnaf lokantası Fatih fish Grand Bazaar grill hamsi Istanbul Eats Istanbul restaurants Kadıköy Karaköy kaymak kebab köfte künefe liver mantı meyhane meze milk puddings News out of town places with a view seafood Southeastern cuisine specialty foods street food Taksim traditional foods Turkish wine vegetarian
-
Hanging On to History: Edible Nostalgia in Samatya
All entries filed under this archive
Özkonak: The Real Pudding Shop
no responses - Posted 04.25.11
(Editor's Note: This review originally appeared on June 12, 2009.) Regulars at Özkonak, a well-loved fixture in Cihangir’s ever-changing restaurant scene, must cluck in disapproval at the sight of a new generation of customers who walk right past the pudding display at the front and head for the steam table and ...continue
no responses - Posted 04.25.11
(Editor's Note: This review originally appeared on June 12, 2009.) Regulars at Özkonak, a well-loved fixture in Cihangir’s ever-changing restaurant scene, must cluck in disapproval at the sight of a new generation of customers who walk right past the pudding display at the front and head for the steam table and ...continue
Istanbul’s Top 5 Beaneries – #1: Hanımeli
no responses - Posted 04.23.11
1028th street in the already far-flung district of Gaziosmanpaşa might sound like a long distance to travel for a plate of beans. There are plenty of perfectly good beans to be eaten in less remote locations. But we’ve tried all of the big-name beans in this city, from Çamlıca to ...continue
no responses - Posted 04.23.11
1028th street in the already far-flung district of Gaziosmanpaşa might sound like a long distance to travel for a plate of beans. There are plenty of perfectly good beans to be eaten in less remote locations. But we’ve tried all of the big-name beans in this city, from Çamlıca to ...continue
Istanbul’s Top 5 Beaneries – #2: Hüsrev
no responses - Posted 04.22.11
(Editor's Note: This week we are celebrating the white bean, that humble legume that reaches levels of incredible complexity and flavor when in the hands of Turkish cooks. Until we visited some of Istanbul’s shrines to the baked bean, we generally regarded the dish as something eaten out of a can ...continue
no responses - Posted 04.22.11
(Editor's Note: This week we are celebrating the white bean, that humble legume that reaches levels of incredible complexity and flavor when in the hands of Turkish cooks. Until we visited some of Istanbul’s shrines to the baked bean, we generally regarded the dish as something eaten out of a can ...continue
Istanbul’s Top 5 Beaneries – #3: Fasuli
no responses - Posted 04.20.11
(Editor's Note: This week we are celebrating the white bean, that humble legume that reaches levels of incredible complexity and flavor when in the hands of Turkish cooks. Until we visited some of Istanbul’s shrines to the baked bean, we generally regarded the dish as something eaten out of a can ...continue
no responses - Posted 04.20.11
(Editor's Note: This week we are celebrating the white bean, that humble legume that reaches levels of incredible complexity and flavor when in the hands of Turkish cooks. Until we visited some of Istanbul’s shrines to the baked bean, we generally regarded the dish as something eaten out of a can ...continue
Istanbul’s Top 5 Beaneries – #4: Çömlek
no responses - Posted 04.19.11
(Editor's Note: This week we are celebrating the white bean, that humble legume that reaches levels of incredible complexity and flavor when in the hands of Turkish cooks. Until we visited some of Istanbul’s shrines to the baked bean, we generally regarded the dish as something eaten out of a can ...continue
no responses - Posted 04.19.11
(Editor's Note: This week we are celebrating the white bean, that humble legume that reaches levels of incredible complexity and flavor when in the hands of Turkish cooks. Until we visited some of Istanbul’s shrines to the baked bean, we generally regarded the dish as something eaten out of a can ...continue
Ye Scurvy Pirates!
6 responses - Posted 04.18.11
Aarrgh! We've just found out that a pirated PDF version of the Turkish-language version of our book is currently sailing around the Internet. While we appreciate the effort to further spread the Istanbul Eats word, we also believe that the 11 lira price tag on the book is eminently fair ...continue
6 responses - Posted 04.18.11
Aarrgh! We've just found out that a pirated PDF version of the Turkish-language version of our book is currently sailing around the Internet. While we appreciate the effort to further spread the Istanbul Eats word, we also believe that the 11 lira price tag on the book is eminently fair ...continue
Istanbul’s Top 5 Beaneries – #5: Erzincanlı Ali Baba
no responses - Posted 04.18.11
(Editor's Note: This week we are celebrating the white bean, that humble legume that reaches levels of incredible complexity and flavor when in the hands of Turkish cooks. Until we visited some of Istanbul’s shrines to the baked bean, we generally regarded the dish as something eaten out of a can ...continue
no responses - Posted 04.18.11
(Editor's Note: This week we are celebrating the white bean, that humble legume that reaches levels of incredible complexity and flavor when in the hands of Turkish cooks. Until we visited some of Istanbul’s shrines to the baked bean, we generally regarded the dish as something eaten out of a can ...continue
Springtime Shopping – It’s in the Bag!
no responses - Posted 04.15.11
With spring approaching, Istanbul's open-air fruit and vegetable bazaars will soon be overflowing with new produce. How to carry that springtime bounty home? The answer, of course, is the Istanbul Eats "Bazaar Bag"! More details and ordering information here. We are shipping the bag worldwide. continue
no responses - Posted 04.15.11
With spring approaching, Istanbul's open-air fruit and vegetable bazaars will soon be overflowing with new produce. How to carry that springtime bounty home? The answer, of course, is the Istanbul Eats "Bazaar Bag"! More details and ordering information here. We are shipping the bag worldwide. continue
Haymatlos: Down and Out in the Rumeli Han
4 responses - Posted 04.11.11
When left alone by real estate developers, the late Ottoman-era hans of Beyoğlu are fertile ground for commercial misfits you’d never encounter in more visible locations. Like mushrooms in a dark, damp place, some of the city’s most individualistic enterprises – tattoo parlors, pirated DVD shops, Off-Track Betting parlors, risqué ...continue
4 responses - Posted 04.11.11
When left alone by real estate developers, the late Ottoman-era hans of Beyoğlu are fertile ground for commercial misfits you’d never encounter in more visible locations. Like mushrooms in a dark, damp place, some of the city’s most individualistic enterprises – tattoo parlors, pirated DVD shops, Off-Track Betting parlors, risqué ...continue
Since You Asked: Springtime Specialties?
no responses - Posted 04.08.11
Dear Istanbul Eats, I've heard that springtime finds some of Istanbul's restaurants with unique seasonal items on their menu. I know the weather hasn't quite turned yet, but when spring does come, I don't want to miss out on any of those dishes. Do you have some suggestions on what to ...continue
no responses - Posted 04.08.11
Dear Istanbul Eats, I've heard that springtime finds some of Istanbul's restaurants with unique seasonal items on their menu. I know the weather hasn't quite turned yet, but when spring does come, I don't want to miss out on any of those dishes. Do you have some suggestions on what to ...continue
 |
Plan your perfect stay with reviews about Istanbul hotels from 
|
|---|