STANBUL — As a food lover I find the best way to explore a country’s history and culture is through my taste buds.
Turkish cuisine has been meticulously perfected to please the royal palate. During the Imperial times, cooks of the palace kitchen were assigned to specialize on a particular dish using the finest ingredients and spices from the Far East, applying European cooking techniques.
Istanbul is a melting pot of various regional Turkish specialties. Most of the restaurants and patisseries have been operating for many generations, yet still maintain the highest quality and original taste of their food.
Restaurant located in Istanbul’s central tourist district, Sultanahmet. I randomly chose two staple dishes from their menu — delightfully laid out in large aluminum and glass flat containers. It turned out to be one of the best meals I have ever had.
Here’s a list of must-eat restaurants, patisseries as well as street food for food lovers planning to visit the city.
Time for breakfast
If you are into gourmet food and cool interiors, the House Café is known for delicious muffins, scones, homemade bruschettas and wide selection of coffee. Of the House Café’s 10 branches around Istanbul, I would recommend the Corner branch located at Nisantasi neighborhood for its cozy atmosphere and eclectic backyard garden.
The House Café — Corner
Address: Tesvikiye Cadessi No: 146 Sisli.
Metro station (Levent): Osmanbey
Must-try: Traditional Lemonade and Cilbir (Turkish version of eggs Benedict with yogurt and drizzled chili oil)
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For lunch
Like the Japanese and French, Turkish people are very particular when it comes to the quality of their food.
In Istanbul, self-service eateries outnumber the giant fast-food chains. And most of them still keep a traditional kitchen set-up.
Bread is a staple offering in any Turkish restaurant. It is normally served before you start a big meal.
Here are my top four recommendations, based on food’s quality, affordability, and excellent customer service.
Tarihi Sultanahmet Koftesi
Address: Divanyolu Caddesi No.12 34122, Sultanahmet.
Tramway station: Sultanahmet
Must-try: Grilled Meatballs and Pilaf rice.
Pudding Shop Lale Restaurant
Address: Divanyolu Caddesi No: 6 34400 Sultanahmet.
It was love at first bite when I had my traditional Turkish meal at Pudding Shop Lale
Tramway station: Sultanahmet
Must-try: Poached Mackerel, Baked Aubergine with meat, and Chicken with potatoes.
Casita
Address: Abdi Ipekci Caddesi Atiye Sok. No: 3 Nisantasi Sisli.
Metro station (Levent): Osmanbey
Must-try: Manti (Turkish ravioli with minced meat and yogurt tomato sauce), and Cokertme (Sliced flat meatballs with beef fillet served on top of shoestring potatoes with yogurt tomato sauce)
Konak Kebap Salonu
Address: Kuloglu Mh. Istiklal Caddesi. No: 259 34433 Beyoglu.
Tramway station: Taksim; or take the Tunel that connects from Galata Bridge to Istiklal Caddesi.
Must-try: Iskender (Thinly-sliced grilled lamb basted with tomato sauce over flat bread and served with butter and yogurt on the side) and Turkish Pizza (Thin-crust topped with minced and spiced-meat served with a wedge of lemon)
For dinner
Istanbul is such a picturesque city, blessed with historical monuments like the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque plus surrounded by the seas of Bosphorus and Marmara.
If you want to dine and enjoy lovely scenery at the same time, I would suggest two places with breathtaking views and savor their freshest seafood and other mouth-watering grilled dishes.
Under the Galata Bridge
Tramway station: Eminonu or Karakoy
Must-try: Baked fish in salt
Seven Hills Fish Restaurant, Café, Bar and Terrace
Address: Tevkihane Sok. No: 8/A 34122 Sultanahmet.
Tramway station: Sultanahmet
They also offer a free transport service from/back to your hotel upon request.
Must-try: Grilled lamb rack and seafood dishes.
The patisserie
Baklava is the best known Turkish pastry, made from layers of paper-thin dough, rolled and brushed with butter and filled with ground nuts and baked with syrup. Another common sweet confections are the Turkish delight (hard jelly-like flavored candy), and my favorite profiterole (small puffed pastry with cream inside and covered with melted light chocolate).
The famous makers of these sweet goodies are highly recognized as the institutional patisseries in Turkey. At present, some of them are being managed by the third family generation and have branched out in the US and few countries in Europe.
Ali Muhiddin Haci Bekir
Address: Hamidiye Caddesi No.83 34110 Eminonu.
Tramway station: Eminonu
Must-try: Turkish delight — with different types of nuts, creme and fruit flavors
Gulluoglu Baklavaci
Address: Misir Carsisi (Spice Bazaar) No. 88 Eminonu.
Tramway station: Eminonu
Must-try: Baklava with walnut and Baklava with cream
Inci Pastanesi
Address: Istiklial Caddesi 56/H Beyoglu.
Tramway station: Taksim; or take the Tunel that connects from Galata Bridge to Istiklal
Caddesi.
Must-try: Profiterole and traditional lemonata drink.
Ice cream and street food
As for refreshments, the Turkish gooey ice cream, better known as Karsambac, is widely available around the city. Mado Café has a wide range of flavors and other varieties of cold desserts.
As for quick snacks, do not miss Kumpir in Ortakoy area—jacket boiled potato piled high with cheese, mixed pickles, sausages and salad. Another taste street fix is the Islak hamburger (loose patty with special sauce) in Beyoglu, Taksim area.
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Turkish Airlines flies to Istanbul daily via Bangkok, five times a week via Singapore, and four times a week via Hong Kong.
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Special thanks to Tuna Atala of Turkish Embassy Manila. Dir. Huseyin Ceyhan; Serdak Citlak; and Christina Villarin of Turkish Airlines.