When documenting my travels for this blog, I don’t usually start with the food enjoyed on each trip. But it’s not every day I go to Istanbul and feast on all manner of Turkish delights. This was my very first trip to Turkey, although I had previously sampled theΒ cuisine (in Shanghai, of all places). As soon as I announced my travel plans, I received loads of Istanbul restaurant recommendations from friends and fellow bloggers and tried to follow as many as I could.
We began each day with a hearty breakfast courtesy of our wonderful hotel: yogurt, fruit preserves, fresh and dried fruit, nuts, olives, cheese, eggs, roasted vegetables, cakes…the list goes on.
You might think we wouldn’t need lunch after such a feast, but you’d be wrong. Endless walking and sightseeing creates quite an appetite! It’s a good thing, too, because one of our best meals was a light lunch at Asitane, a highly recommended restaurant near the Chora Church Museum. Asitane specializes in Ottoman cuisine, using centuries-old recipes from the kitchens of former sultans. The menu even lists the date each dish was first prepared forΒ the palace.
We started with a platter of assorted dips that includedΒ aΒ hummus spiced with cinnamon and currants, created circa 1469. Even tastier was the 19th-century version of cabbage leaves stuffed with rice, onions and chestnuts. Currants and chestnuts were also used to season a delicious bulgur pilaf from 1469. The star of the meal was the “fatty apron” kebab – savory lamb and beef meatballs wrapped in caul fat – made from an 18th-century recipe. Dessert turned out to be the most unusual dish, a milk pudding from 1539 flavored with saffron and honey. As a parting gift, the ladies received a jar of quince preserves and a necklace charm. This was a classy touch we’d see repeated at restaurants throughout the week.
We delved further into Ottoman cuisine at Matbah, an elegant restaurant near the Aya Sofya that also claims to use royal recipes. The meal began with a free glass of pomegranate sherbet, a digestif popular with the sultans, and continued with several warm meze. The best of these were ispanakh piruhi, delectable spinach ravioli with tulum cheese and walnuts, andΒ balh gemichi boregi, or sailor’s pastry with honey, a mouthwatering fried cheese pie.
Of the main dishesΒ sampled, the goose kebab was so fantastic it has clouded my memory of all the others. Succulent roasted goose meat was encased in a delicate filo pouch, along with a currant, pine nut and almond pilaf. While touring the Topkapi Palace kitchens, I read that poultry was only served to the highest ranking members of the royal household, and this dish certainly made me feel like a queen. It’s probably the best thing I ate the entire trip. Matbah’s parting gift was a lovely necklace charm.
The only miss was the “pumpkin dessert,” which turned out to be a whole boiled sweet potato topped with honey and nuts. Definitely not what I was expecting. The baklava and stuffed quince are much better choices.
After a full day of shopping at the Grand Bazaar and Spice Market, we headed to Hamdi Restaurant, which boasts views of the Golden Horn and above average food. The only criticism I have is that a member of the waitstaff hoveredΒ by our table throughout the meal, making us feel rushed. I’d understand this on a clear summer night when tables are in high demand, but not in winter during a ragingΒ snowstorm. The saving grace was the baklava, but no parting gift here.
We went to lunch at CihannumaΒ RestaurantΒ on our second day in town solely to enjoy what turned out to be a spectacular 360-degree view of Istanbul. We were resigned to mediocre food in trade, but fortunately that wasn’t the case. Of course, it’s hard to go wrong with grilled lamb and roasted eggplant!
We stumbled into Pasazade during (another) raging snowstorm and placed our orders minutes before the power went out. The back-up generators switched on and the waitersΒ never missed a beat, serving up a hearty portion of hummus topped with minced meat and vegetables in due course. I was hungry for something a little different and picked a winner in the terkib-i cesidiye, lamb inΒ a sauce ofΒ apples, dried apricots, walnuts, and honey over couscous. The combination of flavors and textures was dynamite!
Last, but certainly not least, is Aloran. I chose this restaurant based on its excellent TripAdvisor reviews and close proximity to our hotel, but returned twice more for the tasty food and superb service. We were waited on each time by Apo, a charismatic man with near-perfect English. When we ordered the house specialty, the testy kebab – lamb stewed in a clay plot with tomatoes, peppers, onion, and garlic – Apo broke the pot open with a flaming sword and more than a littleΒ flair.
Other dishes we enjoyed include haydari, a creamy yogurt and herb spread, yaprak sarma, Aloran’s lemony stuffed grape leaves, manti, fried Turkish ravioli, and the “sultan’s favorite,” lamb served atop a decadent puree of eggplant, potato and cheese.
Which of these dishes would you most like to try? Do you have a favorite Istanbul restaurant that I missed?Β
Asitane Address: DerviΕ Ali Mh., Kariye Cami Sokak No:6, Fatih, Istanbul Turkey Pricing: Dishes range from 16-42 TRY (7-18 USD) Matbah Address: Cankurtaran Mh., Caferiye Sokak No.2, Istanbul, Turkey Pricing: Dishes range from 16-56 TRY (7-24 USD) Hamdi Restaurant Address: RΓΌstem PaΕa Mh., KalΓ§in Sokak No.17, Fatih, Istanbul Turkey Pricing: Dishes range from 15-38 TRY (6-16 USD) Cihannuma Restaurant Address: And Hotel, Yerebatan Cad., No.18, Sultanahmet, Istanbul, Turkey Pricing: Dishes range from 15-47 TRY (6-20 USD) Pasazade Address: Hoca PaΕa Mh., Δ°bni Kemal Caddesi No.5, Istanbul, Turkey Pricing: Dishes range from 15-35 TRY (6-15 USD) Aloran Cafe & Restaurant Address: Cankurtaran Mah. Akbiyik Cad. Adliye Sok. No.11, Sultanahmet, Istanbul, Turkey Pricing: Dishes range from 8-38 TRY (3-16 USD)
Was interested to read how many times you ate hummus – we never saw it once during our time there and had been really looking forward to it (we *love* hummus)! We were pretty underwhelmed by the food in Turkey in general, but that is mainly because we’re not big lamb lovers. But it was great to see all of these delicious dishes and makes me want to return when I have more time to research and prepare where I’m going to eat!
I can see how eating well in Turkey would be hard if you don’t like lamb. The two chicken dishes I ordered were dry and bland, hence why I didn’t mention them in the post. Hummus was available as a cold starter at just about every restaurant we visited and enjoyed it at least once a day. That and the yogurt dip. YUM!
These dishes all sound amazing! Very different to the food we had in Istanbul, but one of my favourite things about the cuisine was the variety – it might appear to be all kebabs, but no two kebabs are the same! Wish I’d tried a goose kebab though, that sounds delicous!
I was also surprised by the variety. They can do a lot with seemingly simple kebabs! But, oh that goose! Best.Thing.Ever.
I’m ready to book a return flight! I bought some fresh spinach ravioli today and hope to replicate that appetizer we had at Matbah. (Though the cheese pastry with honey would be my big winner from there.)
I’ll meet you there! (Or at your table if you can figure out how to make that amazing cheese and honey pastry.) π
Just had dinner at Matbah on your recommendation. Overall good meal, but had something called the Sailor’s Pie appetizer (recommended by the waiter) that might have been the best thing I ever ate. Sort of a doughnut-sized seven-cheese pizza/quiche in a philo dough crust, fried in olive oil, and served with honey and current. Had a hint of bacon in it but I think that was just the cheese. It was unbelievable. Is that the one you are referring to?
Hi Rick! I’m so glad you went! That Sailor’s Pie sounds like the dish we enjoyed so much – savory with a hint of sweetness. Absolute perfection! I sure wish I had the recipe!
Dear goodness! I’ve had dinner at a few delicious Turkish spots in Shanghai, but haven’t seen most of those dishes. Looks like you did a great job eating your way through Istanbul. I’m soo hungry now…..
Shanghai’s Turkish restaurants were a good introduction, but nothing beats the real thing!
Did you try Efes while in Shanghai? Super great Turkish restaurant there.
Lovely! Soooooo hungry now. I don’t remember any bad meals in Turkey. So much culinary influences to choose from. Just tried to steer away from the touristy places. But even the fast food joints with all the pre-cooked food in the window I liked!
Yeah, we didn’t have any bad meals, either, just a few less-successful dishes. Even the place we went inside the Grand Bazaar which served pre-cooked food was good. Now I just need to find a way to fulfill my new cravings for Turkish food here in Riga!
This is a fantastic list of Istanbullu restaurants…Love your photos, too!
Thanks, Corinne!
oh that food looks so delicious. I went to instanbul when I was in college and to be honest we only ate food off the street… but even that was SO delicious. We also bought baklava every night we were there and binged on it. I would love to go back, the food look really good
It was so cold during our visit that we didn’t see much street food, just roasted corn and chestnuts. I’d love to go back during the summer at enjoy fish sandwiches by the river!
I had preconceived ideas of Istanbul, and am surprised at how modern the restaurants are. The food sounds and looks amazing. I’m sure that if I did’t know it was lamb I would have liked it all π Great post as usual.
We ordered all of two chicken dishes the entire week because the lamb was infinitely better. You would have quickly gotten on board π
The only thing I could think as I read through this post (other than “I want to eat ALL of this”) is that I couldn’t believe we haven’t been to Turkey yet. Seriously, everything you tried looks amazing, especially because I LOVE eggplant and it looks like Turkish cuisine seems to favor it (and lamb! and goose! and hummus!). It looks like the food is a good blend of hearty fare but not overly starchy/stodgy so you don’t feel overlystuffed after every meal (all the better to eat your way through town!). Everything looks so fresh and beautiful… I seriously want to try it all!
I can’t believe it took me so long to get to Turkey, either. Istanbul felt modern and historic at the same time and was much more walkable than I imagined. Even after eating three solid meals a day along with copious amounts of Turkish Delight and baklava, I didn’t gain a single pound during this trip. That’s definitely a first! All the walking played a part, but, like you said, it also speaks to the healthfulness of the cuisine and lack of starches and fats. I highly recommend a visit!
Wow! I need to get myself to Istanbul ASAP for some eating. I’m not that familiar with Turkish cuisine outside of kebabs and baklava, but this all looks so amazing. Especially goose in filo. As I learned in Greece, everything is better when it’s inside filo.
The world definitely needs more foods baked in filo π
Its really mouthwatering and delicious foods. I would like to test such food if I get a chance to visit Istanbul.
Thanks for sharing the list of best restaurants in Istanbul.
Some of those dishes sound phenomenal! How fitting that I’m meeting a friend at a Mediterranean restaurant (Zorba’s in Dupont) before heading to the Latvian Embassy tonight. π
Hope your dinner was just as delicious as some of these Turkish meals! π
The food here looks absolutely delicious! I would love to try Asitaneβs saffron milk pudding – looks so delish!
I loved the texture and refreshing coldness of that milk pudding, if not the flavor!
First things first… WTF snow? Who knew?
We keep musing about a trip to Turkey, I think the food might just be the final thing to tempt us. It all looks lush π
I know, right! I said the same thing.
Lush is a great adjective for the food – the eggplant and various spreads were so creamy and delicious. And yet, it all felt very healthy at the same time. Even with three full meals a day, I didn’t gain a single pound! This is definitely a diet I could get used to π
I love all the meals that you showed here. Very enticing! I really like Turkish food but I have to keep away from the desserts though as most of them have nuts in them. I’m allergic to nuts.
It must be a real challenge to travel with a nut allergy as they probably pop up in all sorts of unexpected foods. I lived in China for a while and crushed peanuts were often sprinkled on top of lots of dishes.
Tell me about it. I was in Asia during the summer and I really had to watch each and every thing because of peanuts, coconuts, and palmnuts! I ate a lot of street food but I couldn’t have any of the soups and ate a lot of meals with no sauce LOL!
Killer! I didn’t even think about coconuts!
Oh that’s so awesome, we ate at Pasazade in Istanbul too π I loved it so much I broke my own travel rule about trying new places and went back a second night!
Looks like you had a delicious trip! Have you figured out where to get good baklava in Riga? That’s what I missed the most from Turkey…
Believe it or not, there’s a Turkish cafe in Riga that serves baklava that’s nearly as good as what we had in Istanbul! Apparently Riga also has a good Turkish restaurant but we haven’t tried it yet.
Awesome! I love baklava π Hope you can make it to the Turkish restaurant in Riga soon!
Afiyet olsun! You certainly ate well during your trip, and all your lovely photos make me miss my favorite city even more! Asitane was one place I never made it to, but maybe we’ll add it to the list when we visit. π
I still can’t believe all the snow Istanbul has had this year! Luckily, you still got out sightseeing and took some good photos.
Boy that’s for sure! But the crazy thing is that even though I ate a ton every day, I didn’t gain a single pound while I was there! We definitely did a lot of walking, but I think it’s more a testament to how healthy Turkish food is. If only I could live there! π
Wow all that food looks amazing! I’m planning on going to Istanbul this summer so I’ll have to keep all these places in mind π