Address: Hoca Paşa, Hoca Paşa Sk. No:6 D:4, 34110 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye
Website: instagram.com
Hanimeli Vegan
Hidden in the aforementioned bohemian neighbourhood of Cihangir sits this unassuming hole-in-the-wall cafe which, confusingly, isn’t really strictly vegan, however it’s, nonetheless, a real delight. It’s extra of a point-and-order kind of eatery as dishes change day by day relying on the season. Featuring a wide selection of salads and stews, it’s the splendid place to cease for lunch in-between searching out antiques or a hammam pitstop. If you solely get to go to as soon as, must-try dishes are plump aubergines perfumed with oregano and tomato, a herbed cucumber salad topped with a smattering of recent crimson chilli, and the vegetarian manti (mini spiced dumplings) served with cacik (yoghurt and sumac sauce) – barely addictive, however positively not vegan.
Address: Cihangir, Ağa Hamamı Sk. No:6-a, 34433 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye
Website: hanimeli.univer.se
Karaköy Lokantasi
Recommended by quite a few Istanbulites, Karaköy Lokantası is what desires are fabricated from: service is attentive; the wine record is spectacular, and a jovial ambiance awaits every night. The restaurant’s inventive dishes fuse native elements and Turkish flavours with a tapas-style ethos, which means ordering a collection of small plates is the manner to go – not splendid for solo travellers however greater than price a visit regardless. The standout dish right here is the hot-pot cooked shrimp with garlic, chilli and tomato, which is so good I had to return a couple of days later to indulge as soon as once more. Samphire was additionally in season for my go to, and when dressed in dense native olive oil, it offered the excellent accompaniment to Karaköy Lokantası’s recent seasonal fish. The potato croquettes are a few of the finest I’ve ever eaten (together with Spain’s providing), whereas the fried slithers of beetroot and courgette are an absolute pleasure – suitably crisp on the exterior, cooked to perfection on the inside. Unmissable in each manner.
Address: Kemankeş Mahallesi, Kemankeş Cd. No:57, 34425 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye
Website: karakoylokantasi.com
Tatbak
Tatbak’s spicy minced meat topped lahmacun (a thin-crust pizza-like dish) is nicely price the 40-minute stroll from Çukurcuma, a incontrovertible fact that the late Anthony Bourdain was additionally nicely conscious of following his 2009 go to to the local-approved hotspot. Slightly harking back to a French brasserie, Tatbak’s interiors function stained glass and ornate flooring tiles however you’ll hardly discover them as soon as your order arrives as the easy dishes right here command all of the consideration. Served with a leafy inexperienced salad topped with thick wedges of lemon, the lahmacun has an virtually equal base-to-topping ratio with the minced meat offering a suitably spicy kick alongside whispers of garlic and parsley. The baklava is equally superb.
Address: Teşvikiye, Akkavak Sk. 38/B, 34365 Şişli/İstanbul, Türkiye
Website: tatbak.com