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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Beyoglu Oğretmenevi: The Teacher’s Lounge
2 responses - Posted 02.15.10
Like Ataturk statues and crescent-and-star flags etched into the sides of mountains, the oğretmenevi (“teacher’s house”) is an integral part of the Turkish landscape. Found in almost every city in Turkey, the government-run oğretmenevi acts as an affordable guesthouse for educators on the road and – since anyone is welcome ...continue
2 responses - Posted 02.15.10
Like Ataturk statues and crescent-and-star flags etched into the sides of mountains, the oğretmenevi (“teacher’s house”) is an integral part of the Turkish landscape. Found in almost every city in Turkey, the government-run oğretmenevi acts as an affordable guesthouse for educators on the road and – since anyone is welcome ...continue
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
Beans: An Investigative Report
1 response - Posted 12.31.09
(Editor's Note: In honor of New Year's Day, we are rerunning this feature, which was originally posted in April of this year. Happy New Year to all our readers and keep coming back for more in 2010!) Until visiting some of Istanbul’s shrines to the baked bean, we generally regarded the ...continue
1 response - Posted 12.31.09
(Editor's Note: In honor of New Year's Day, we are rerunning this feature, which was originally posted in April of this year. Happy New Year to all our readers and keep coming back for more in 2010!) Until visiting some of Istanbul’s shrines to the baked bean, we generally regarded the ...continue
Istanbul Eats Drinks: Araf Cafe Bar
2 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
2 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: #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
Koco: Quest for the Holy Grill
no responses - Posted 11.02.09
Reviewers are often tempted into using metaphors that portray the restaurant as a sacred place -- the sushi temple, a t-bone pilgrimage, chili-cheese fry heaven. But in Istanbul’s Moda district on the Asian shore, we’ve found a praiseworthy fish restaurant that could justifiably be described as a shrine – literally. ...continue
no responses - Posted 11.02.09
Reviewers are often tempted into using metaphors that portray the restaurant as a sacred place -- the sushi temple, a t-bone pilgrimage, chili-cheese fry heaven. But in Istanbul’s Moda district on the Asian shore, we’ve found a praiseworthy fish restaurant that could justifiably be described as a shrine – literally. ...continue
Grifin: Seafood Oasis
no responses - Posted 10.23.09
In Karaköy’s Persembe Pazari, a historic commercial district on the shores of the Golden Horn, the dining scene is decidedly no-frills. Simple lunch spots thrive by day on the business of hungry and busy people buying and selling hardware – a meat and potatoes crowd. Any white tablecloth in these ...continue
no responses - Posted 10.23.09
In Karaköy’s Persembe Pazari, a historic commercial district on the shores of the Golden Horn, the dining scene is decidedly no-frills. Simple lunch spots thrive by day on the business of hungry and busy people buying and selling hardware – a meat and potatoes crowd. Any white tablecloth in these ...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
A (Shady) Place in the Sun: Picnicking in Istanbul’s Concrete Jungle
4 responses - Posted 08.27.09
Summer months in Istanbul can be oppressively hot. In a city that seems more prone to laying asphalt than planting trees, a public place in the shade is hard to find. Though many Istanbulites escape to the green spaces outside of the city on weekends, we’ve compiled a few inner-city ...continue
4 responses - Posted 08.27.09
Summer months in Istanbul can be oppressively hot. In a city that seems more prone to laying asphalt than planting trees, a public place in the shade is hard to find. Though many Istanbulites escape to the green spaces outside of the city on weekends, we’ve compiled a few inner-city ...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
Kiyi: A Winning Island Castaway
no responses - Posted 07.27.09
Although the area around the ferry terminal on Buyukada, the largest of the Princes’ Islands, tends to get unbearably crowded during the summer, we’re still big fans of making the occasional visit to the island. A horse carriage ride past breezy (and blessedly car free) Buyukada’s grand mansions or a ...continue
no responses - Posted 07.27.09
Although the area around the ferry terminal on Buyukada, the largest of the Princes’ Islands, tends to get unbearably crowded during the summer, we’re still big fans of making the occasional visit to the island. A horse carriage ride past breezy (and blessedly car free) Buyukada’s grand mansions or a ...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
Vonali Celal: Some Hope for Sultanahmet Diners?
5 responses - Posted 06.08.09
The Sultanahmet area is a bit like Istanbul’s culinary black hole: it may be home to the city’s historical treasures, but most of its restaurants are monuments to mediocrity. That said, we’re always on the lookout for places that might redeem the area’s dismal dining scene, especially since so many ...continue
5 responses - Posted 06.08.09
The Sultanahmet area is a bit like Istanbul’s culinary black hole: it may be home to the city’s historical treasures, but most of its restaurants are monuments to mediocrity. That said, we’re always on the lookout for places that might redeem the area’s dismal dining scene, especially since so many ...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
Akın Balık: (the other) Karaköy Fish House
4 responses - Posted 05.15.09
For good reason, there is a well-beaten path to Karaköy Balıkcısı, an excellent fish restaurant in Perşembe Pazarı, a district near the Golden Horn filled with small shops selling power tools and bathroom fixtures. The fish there is superb; as it should be for a lunch that can cost $40 ...continue
4 responses - Posted 05.15.09
For good reason, there is a well-beaten path to Karaköy Balıkcısı, an excellent fish restaurant in Perşembe Pazarı, a district near the Golden Horn filled with small shops selling power tools and bathroom fixtures. The fish there is superb; as it should be for a lunch that can cost $40 ...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
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