Feb 15
Monday
Beyoğlu Öğretmenevi: The Teacher’s Lounge
Like Atatürk statues and crescent-and-star flags etched into the sides of mountains, the öğretmenevi (“teacher’s house”) is an integral part of the Turkish landscape. Found in almost every city in Turkey, these government-run institutions serve as affordable guesthouses for educators on the road and – since anyone is welcome if space is available – for those traveling on a teacher’s budget.
For the most part, these guesthouses are drab affairs, 1970s-era concrete boxes usually painted in a shade of pink and found in some of the least interesting parts of town. Not so in Istanbul’s historic Beyoğlu neighborhood, where the local öğretmenevi is a grand, late-19th-century building, formerly a French-built hotel that – just like the more famous Pera Palace Hotel nearby – put up travelers arriving on the Orient Express. Continue…
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Quick Look
Recent Posts
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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
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Hanging On to History: Edible Nostalgia in Samatya
All entries filed under this archive
48 Hours in Istanbul: An Eater’s Guide
12 responses - Posted 02.08.10
(Editor's Note: The New York Times' travel section recently ran a "36 Hours in Istanbul" feature that was low on good eating suggestions. Prompted by the Times piece, today's post is a food-centric "48 Hours in Istanbul" guide we prepared a few months ago for a local magazine.) Day One: Turkey’s ...continue
12 responses - Posted 02.08.10
(Editor's Note: The New York Times' travel section recently ran a "36 Hours in Istanbul" feature that was low on good eating suggestions. Prompted by the Times piece, today's post is a food-centric "48 Hours in Istanbul" guide we prepared a few months ago for a local magazine.) Day One: Turkey’s ...continue
Istanbul Eats Drinks: Asma Altı Café Bar
no responses - Posted 02.05.10
Models don’t hang out at Asma Alti Café Bar and Mustafa, the bartender, isn’t experimenting with lost Ottoman-era concoctions or any dry ice hocus-pocus. In fact, order anything but an Efes draft – an Efes Light, for instance – and watch the waiter scramble off to the corner store to ...continue
no responses - Posted 02.05.10
Models don’t hang out at Asma Alti Café Bar and Mustafa, the bartender, isn’t experimenting with lost Ottoman-era concoctions or any dry ice hocus-pocus. In fact, order anything but an Efes draft – an Efes Light, for instance – and watch the waiter scramble off to the corner store to ...continue
Çukur Meyhane: When Liver Met Hamsi
3 responses - Posted 01.25.10
It wasn’t quite as dramatic as Meg Ryan’s big moment at Katz’s deli in “When Harry Met Sally,” but a low-register, guttural moan of pleasure was detected from our table upon our tasting of the shredded celery root in yogurt, a house specialty meze at Beyoğlu’s Çukur Meyhane. And we ...continue
3 responses - Posted 01.25.10
It wasn’t quite as dramatic as Meg Ryan’s big moment at Katz’s deli in “When Harry Met Sally,” but a low-register, guttural moan of pleasure was detected from our table upon our tasting of the shredded celery root in yogurt, a house specialty meze at Beyoğlu’s Çukur Meyhane. And we ...continue
Wet Burgers: As Seen on TV!
3 responses - Posted 01.21.10
Editor's note: Along with Dürümzade, Istanbul Eats favorite Kızılkayalar was also featured in the recent episode of Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations." The Taksim veteran's famous "wet burgers" - which Bourdain seemed to enjoy immensely - came in 3rd place in our recent "Top 5 Istanbul Street Foods" competition. For those ...continue
3 responses - Posted 01.21.10
Editor's note: Along with Dürümzade, Istanbul Eats favorite Kızılkayalar was also featured in the recent episode of Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations." The Taksim veteran's famous "wet burgers" - which Bourdain seemed to enjoy immensely - came in 3rd place in our recent "Top 5 Istanbul Street Foods" competition. For those ...continue
Dürümzade: Wrap Artists (and Television Stars)
2 responses - Posted 01.19.10
Editor's note: This review first appeared back in April of 2009. Turns out the "wrap stars" at Dürümzade were among the stars of last night's episode of Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations" show, which recently visited Istanbul. In honor of Dürümzade's newfound television success, we decided to offer this "rerun" of ...continue
2 responses - Posted 01.19.10
Editor's note: This review first appeared back in April of 2009. Turns out the "wrap stars" at Dürümzade were among the stars of last night's episode of Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations" show, which recently visited Istanbul. In honor of Dürümzade's newfound television success, we decided to offer this "rerun" of ...continue
Sofyalı 9: Keeping it Real in Asmalımescit
3 responses - Posted 12.28.09
It’s hard not to feel pangs of nostalgia when walking through Beyoğlu’s booming Asmalımescit neighborhood these days (and nights). The old corner butcher shop with its window display of lamb carcasses? Gone and replaced by a generic bar imaginatively named “The Corner.” The veteran grocery store where the colorful and ...continue
3 responses - Posted 12.28.09
It’s hard not to feel pangs of nostalgia when walking through Beyoğlu’s booming Asmalımescit neighborhood these days (and nights). The old corner butcher shop with its window display of lamb carcasses? Gone and replaced by a generic bar imaginatively named “The Corner.” The veteran grocery store where the colorful and ...continue
Istanbul Eats Drinks: Otantik Türkü Bar
3 responses - Posted 12.21.09
One night in Otantik, a Türkü (Turkish folk music) bar in Beyoğlu, delivers all the emotional peaks and valleys of life itself. As the saz-strumming bard on stage moans out the first few bars of a familiar song of lost love, even the table of stony-faced, rakı-drenched fellows in leather ...continue
3 responses - Posted 12.21.09
One night in Otantik, a Türkü (Turkish folk music) bar in Beyoğlu, delivers all the emotional peaks and valleys of life itself. As the saz-strumming bard on stage moans out the first few bars of a familiar song of lost love, even the table of stony-faced, rakı-drenched fellows in leather ...continue
Ciğerimin Köşesi: New (Kebab) Kid on the Block
2 responses - Posted 12.16.09
We’ve long been big fans of Canım Ciğerim, a wonderful kebab joint in Beyoğlu's Asmalımescit area that serves up thin, long skewers studded with tiny and very tender morsels of either beef or liver. Recently we noticed the arrival of Ciğerimin Köşesi (“My Liver’s Corner,” roughly translated), a gleaming, new kebab ...continue
2 responses - Posted 12.16.09
We’ve long been big fans of Canım Ciğerim, a wonderful kebab joint in Beyoğlu's Asmalımescit area that serves up thin, long skewers studded with tiny and very tender morsels of either beef or liver. Recently we noticed the arrival of Ciğerimin Köşesi (“My Liver’s Corner,” roughly translated), a gleaming, new kebab ...continue
Istanbul Eats Drinks: Araf Cafe Bar
3 responses - Posted 12.11.09
Editor’s note: Since we realize that those who love to eat usually also like to drink, we are introducing a new feature, “Istanbul Eats Drinks,” an occasional look at some of the city’s more appealing bars and lounges, places that still have that authentic Istanbul vibe. Istanbul: capitol of contradictions. East ...continue
3 responses - Posted 12.11.09
Editor’s note: Since we realize that those who love to eat usually also like to drink, we are introducing a new feature, “Istanbul Eats Drinks,” an occasional look at some of the city’s more appealing bars and lounges, places that still have that authentic Istanbul vibe. Istanbul: capitol of contradictions. East ...continue
Istanbul’s Top 5 Street Foods: #1 – Sabırtaşı’s İçli Köfte
5 responses - Posted 12.04.09
Editors's note: This is the final installment in our (highly subjective) look at Istanbul's top five street foods. For years on İstiklal Caddesi, just beyond Galatasaray High School, in one calm spot stood the beatific Ali Bey, an angel in a white doctor’s coat offering salvation in the form of golden ...continue
5 responses - Posted 12.04.09
Editors's note: This is the final installment in our (highly subjective) look at Istanbul's top five street foods. For years on İstiklal Caddesi, just beyond Galatasaray High School, in one calm spot stood the beatific Ali Bey, an angel in a white doctor’s coat offering salvation in the form of golden ...continue
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