Feb 26
Friday
Kale Cafe: Escape from Beyoglu

With its outings along the Bosphorus, one thing that the recent Istanbul-centric episode of Anthony Bourdain’s “No Reservations” television show made us realize was how much we tend to get stuck in our own little Beyoglu bubble. Granted, Istanbul’s “downtown” zone has enough restaurants to keep all but the most jaded eater happy, but it’s never good to get into a rut.
We were particularly intrigued by one of the places featured in the show, Kale Cafe, a cozy-looking spot in the Bosphorus-side Rumeli Hisari neighborhood, that specializes in serving up a bountiful Turkish breakfast. Continue…
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48 Hours in Istanbul: An Eater’s Guide
7 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
7 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’s Top 5 Street Foods: #4 – Maya Kumpir
3 responses - Posted 12.01.09
(Editor's Note: this is the second installment in our look at Istanbul's top 5 street foods. It was written by Jason D. Jones, an American expat living in Istanbul.) Although it’s been a staple food for many civilizations for over 2,000 years, the potato has largely been relegated to the role ...continue
3 responses - Posted 12.01.09
(Editor's Note: this is the second installment in our look at Istanbul's top 5 street foods. It was written by Jason D. Jones, an American expat living in Istanbul.) Although it’s been a staple food for many civilizations for over 2,000 years, the potato has largely been relegated to the role ...continue
A 48-hour Tasting Tour of Istanbul
1 response - Posted 09.13.09
Thinking about spending two days eating your way through Istanbul? If so, Anya von Bremzen, a travel writer who knows her way around Istanbul better than most, has an itinerary for you. You can check out her short article from Travel + Leisure here. (photo by Yigal Schleifer) continue
1 response - Posted 09.13.09
Thinking about spending two days eating your way through Istanbul? If so, Anya von Bremzen, a travel writer who knows her way around Istanbul better than most, has an itinerary for you. You can check out her short article from Travel + Leisure here. (photo by Yigal Schleifer) continue
Melengeç : Mean Greens
1 response - Posted 07.31.09
They might as well have named this restaurant the “Solar Eclipse” or the “Dodo Bird,” because in the handful of meals we’ve had at this cozy Arnavutkoy restaurant, the restaurant's namesake dish, melengeç, made from the green leaves of a tree from the Aegean shores, has not once made an appearance at ...continue
1 response - Posted 07.31.09
They might as well have named this restaurant the “Solar Eclipse” or the “Dodo Bird,” because in the handful of meals we’ve had at this cozy Arnavutkoy restaurant, the restaurant's namesake dish, melengeç, made from the green leaves of a tree from the Aegean shores, has not once made an appearance at ...continue
Adem Baba: Soleman
1 response - Posted 07.10.09
It must have taken an entire fleet-worth of nets, harpoons, anchors, life preservers, and buoys to decorate the dining rooms of Adem Baba. The decorations makes sense: the restaurant got its start as humble, boat-borne kitchen floating dockside in the Bosphorus neighborhood of Arnavutkoy, although now it has transformed itself ...continue
1 response - Posted 07.10.09
It must have taken an entire fleet-worth of nets, harpoons, anchors, life preservers, and buoys to decorate the dining rooms of Adem Baba. The decorations makes sense: the restaurant got its start as humble, boat-borne kitchen floating dockside in the Bosphorus neighborhood of Arnavutkoy, although now it has transformed itself ...continue
Ismet Baba: Great Fish for Goodfellas
no responses - Posted 06.26.09
As the ferry approaches the dock at Kuzguncuk, a charming Bosphorus neighborhood on the Asian side, and passengers start scrambling for position at the bow to be the first to hop off, a soft yellow light, raki-fueled laughter and a whiff of grilled fish seem to guide the boat in ...continue
no responses - Posted 06.26.09
As the ferry approaches the dock at Kuzguncuk, a charming Bosphorus neighborhood on the Asian side, and passengers start scrambling for position at the bow to be the first to hop off, a soft yellow light, raki-fueled laughter and a whiff of grilled fish seem to guide the boat in ...continue
Brews With Views
1 response - Posted 05.25.09
The mojito may go the way of the grasshopper and other forgotten cocktails, but a cold beer accompanied by a panoramic view of the waters and hills of Istanbul will never go out of style. Though the guidebooks may steer you elsewhere, we’ve compiled a short list of lesser-known but ...continue
1 response - Posted 05.25.09
The mojito may go the way of the grasshopper and other forgotten cocktails, but a cold beer accompanied by a panoramic view of the waters and hills of Istanbul will never go out of style. Though the guidebooks may steer you elsewhere, we’ve compiled a short list of lesser-known but ...continue
Breaking News: Körfez to Close
no responses - Posted 05.13.09
Here at Istanbul Eats, we’ve been procrastinating on a review of the venerable Bosphorus fine dining and high living establishment Körfez. From the private boat shuttle that takes diners across the Bosphorus to the small, Asian-side cove that is the restaurant’s home, to the delicious sea bass baked in salt, Körfez is one ...continue
no responses - Posted 05.13.09
Here at Istanbul Eats, we’ve been procrastinating on a review of the venerable Bosphorus fine dining and high living establishment Körfez. From the private boat shuttle that takes diners across the Bosphorus to the small, Asian-side cove that is the restaurant’s home, to the delicious sea bass baked in salt, Körfez is one ...continue
Abracadabra: A Culinary Wizard on the Bosphorus
10 responses - Posted 04.03.09
One look at Abracadabra, housed in an imposing Ottoman-era mansion located smack dab on the Bosporus in the swank Arnavutkoy neighborhood, might make your wallet ache. Think again. This funky informal restaurant, serving some of Istanbul's most creative riffs on traditional Turkish cuisine, is within reach of a backpacker's budget ...continue
10 responses - Posted 04.03.09
One look at Abracadabra, housed in an imposing Ottoman-era mansion located smack dab on the Bosporus in the swank Arnavutkoy neighborhood, might make your wallet ache. Think again. This funky informal restaurant, serving some of Istanbul's most creative riffs on traditional Turkish cuisine, is within reach of a backpacker's budget ...continue
Bodrum Manti: Turkish Dumpling Delight
6 responses - Posted 04.01.09
From Western China all the way to Istanbul, Turkic people roll out dough, fold it into small pouches, boil it and call it mantı. When it comes to dumplings, Turkish tradition dictates that the tortellini-like mantı be no larger than peanut-sized. With its unusually large (and sometimes fried) dumplings, Bodrum ...continue
6 responses - Posted 04.01.09
From Western China all the way to Istanbul, Turkic people roll out dough, fold it into small pouches, boil it and call it mantı. When it comes to dumplings, Turkish tradition dictates that the tortellini-like mantı be no larger than peanut-sized. With its unusually large (and sometimes fried) dumplings, Bodrum ...continue

