Istanbul Full of Flavor

Coming together with the scent of spices rising from its historical bazaars and the famous Turkish cuisine, Istanbul invites gastronomy enthusiasts to an unforgettable journey of taste.

Pandeli Restaurant

<html>In the district of Fatih, the rooms with domes on the entrance gate of the historical Egyptian Spice Bazaar located near the shore of Haliç, host one of the most prominent gastronomical spots in İstanbul. The Pandeli Restaurant here is a hotspot that serves flavors from both Western and Turkish cuisines that surprises appetites.  The restaurant is open from 11:00-18:30 on every day of the week and it serves its guests a quite extensive menu ranging from the soup of the day and dish in addition to cold appetizers like roasted eggplant salad or celery roots with quince and olive oil; warm appetizers like eggplant pastry or anchovy patties; main dishes like spicy chicken cutlet, döner kebab, traditional sultan’s delight, which is a dish with lamb stew served on mashed eggplant; salads; garnishes and desserts.Pandeli, is a Greek who came to İstanbul from Niğde when he was young. He starts by selling haricot bean salad on a street cart and then moves on to working as a meatball vendor in a small booth. In 1926, he opens a three storey restaurant in Eminönü. It is known that Mustafa Kemal Atatürk used to give special orders to Pandeli to be brought to Ankara by train for his guests. Ultimately, he opens the Pandeli Restaurant at the entrance of the Egyptian Spice Bazaar. After his passing away in 1967, this unique flavor spot remains alive up to today thanks to Pandeli’s son and a friend. The restaurant famous with its interior environment and atmosphere is not only worth reading about or passing by, but it’s worth seeing as well.</html>

Vefa Bozacısı (Boza Seller)

<html>Vefa Bozacısı, one of the iconic flavor stops on the European side of Istanbul, is located on Vefa Street in the Fatih district. It is a very sophisticated shop that attracts attention with its wood veneer panels, glass mosaics and tiles. Opened in 1876, Vefa Bozacısı is a cultural heritage in some way. The general appearance of the popular place, where you can drink wort made of fermented grapes in summer and boza in winter, has a warm atmosphere that has been survived to the present day unchanged since about the 1930s. Boza, made with bulgur, water, and sugar, is a delicious winter drink that is drunk at room temperature and usually served with leblebi (roasted chickpeas) on it. It is sold for fairly modest prices. We recommend you to taste it. It is also sold in bottles for those who want to take it home after drinking at the venue.The historic shop promises an extremely rich atmosphere. By the way, one of the Vefa Bozacısı's favorite products is grape vinegar. Grape vinegar, which is in great demand almost every day of the year, is quite famous. Besides the boza bottles lined up in rows in the shop, of course, you can see the glass that Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder and the first president of the Republic of Turkey, drank boza with in 1937 as it is being kept in a glass case today.</html>

Merkez Efendi Köftecisi

<html>One of Zeytinburnu District's featured delicacies, in the European Side of Istanbul, Merkez Efendi Köftecisi is located in an easy to access road on Merkez Efendi Street. Dating back to long ago, this restaurant, a must place for the local people and the regulars from all around the country, draws the attention with its ambience and its taste. Its history goes back to the meatball restaurant opened in 1917 by the founder İsmet Tatlıdil in İnegöl, Bursa. İsmet Tatlıdil and his sons Fahri and Rahmi opened the current restaurant in 1962, and the tradition was moved to Istanbul. The restaurant transformed into another symbol of the region in a short time just beside the Merkez Efendi Mosque, the heritage of the Ottoman. In the middle of the tradition for generations, the meatball offered as Rahmi Usta Special stands out with the bean salad in Historical Merkez Efendi style and buttermilk. The sauce served with the meatball is famous. It is a significant restaurant where the shopkeepers come for lunch. Merkez Efendi Köftecisi gets busy especially during lunchtime, and it hosts the families and groups of friends in general during the weekends. It is a sincere and warm place. It offers a closed and an open area. The experience of meatball - bean salad in the open area is a special pleasure during summer months.</html>

Historical Sultanahmet Meatball Restaurant (Selim Usta)

<html>The historical Sultanahmet Meatball Restaurant is located in the Fatih district of Istanbul, in the historical region with many values that are the landmarks of the city, from Ayasofya (Hagia Sophia) to the Süleymaniye Mosque. Opened in 1920 as one of the oldest enterprises in the area, it has more than 100 years of history. As you can guess, the earmark of this enterprise is meatballs. Piyaz (dried kidney-beans salad), salad, and rice are among the most preferred. According to preference, meatballs that go well with ayran (buttermilk), şalgam (turnip juice), or soft drinks promise a pleasant experience that leaves a taste along with crispy bread. At noon, this enterprise attracts interest from the surrounding business places and it witnesses the intensity of visitors in the hours close to fast-breaking times during Ramadan. You can see queues at all hours of the day throughout the year, mainly in the evenings during the summer months. On the walls of the interior, you can see photos of many famous names taken while having meatballs at this place. At first, the waiter comes and takes your order, and after dinner, you are expected to call the waiter again to pay the cost instead of making payment at the cashier's desk. The Historic Sultanahmet meatball is a flavor many others try to make like the same. For this reason, its sign, menu, and corporate identity, in general, include the phrases ‘1920’ and ‘Selim Usta’ in particular. It is useful to remind that all places with a similar name within the borders of this borough do not serve the Historical Sultanahmet Meatballs mentioned here. </html>

Haci Abdullah Restaurant 1888

Haci Abdullah Restaurant 1888, which is among the oldest restaurants in Turkey, continues to serve since the end of the 19th century, as the name suggests. The place, which is in a sense a continuation of the Ahi Organization, passes from father to son for a long time. The history of this deep-rooted restaurant, which is not lost to private companies, goes back to the Ottoman period. The first name of the place, which was opened in 1888, was determined as "Abdullah Efendi". The place is located in Karaköy Pier. That year, Sultan II. Abdülhamit Han” issues the license himself. Abdullah Usta is one of the most important cooks of the palace. The restaurant, which gained an important reputation in a short time, was preferred for official delegations at that time.Known as Abdullah Efendi Restaurant in 1915, the place had to be moved to Beyoğlu. The new address of the restaurant, located on Istiklal Street, becomes the ground floor of Rumeli Han. It changes hands at regular intervals with the master-apprentice logic. In 1940, he moved to today's Sadri Alışık Street. In its new place, it is named "Hacı Salih". It was moved to Sakızağacı Street, where it is located now, in 1958. It has been using its current name since 1983. The flag, which was taken from the Ottoman descendants, continues to be carried successfully today. The restaurant has a texture and atmosphere befitting its history of more than a century. Hacı Abdullah Restaurant 1888, which managed to continue on its way without compromising its taste and spirit, is known as one of the oldest venues in its field.Hacı Abdullah Lokantası, 1888, focused on the palace cuisine in the years it became famous. The fact that this kitchen is open to the public is interpreted as the most important reason for the interest shown. After Hikmet Abdullah passed away, his siblings and children continue to run the place. The restaurant, which still maintains the same taste, will be an ideal choice for those who want to get to know Turkish-Ottoman cuisine closely.

Kanaat Restaurant

<html>Kanaat Restaurant is one of the flavors stops on the Anatolian Side of Istanbul. Kanaat Restaurant, which was opened in 1933 in Üsküdar, is a home food and dessert shop that has preserved its historical texture. However, its origins, which centered on milk desserts and ice cream, date back to the Ottoman Empire's last period. It is also one of the most famous restaurants in the district.Kanaat Restaurant offers a seating area of 150-200people. Quality food and service at modest prices are quite remarkable in the place, where some of the cooks are known to have over 40 years of experience in their profession. In the restaurant, which also looks like an artisan restaurant, it is seen that the crowd increases especially at noon. It can also be crowded in the evening. However, in general, it promises a spacious, warm, and pleasant experience thanks to its large hospitality capacity.In its menu, soups, meat dishes, meatballs, olive oil dishes, and desserts stand out. Lentil, plateau, tomato, and chicken soup with noodles are offered in many varieties. Talaş kebab, goulash, kuzu kapama (lamb stewed with lettuce and fennel), and chicken cold cut meat dishes alternatives leave a mark on the palate. Forest kebab and olive oil beans are among the favorites along with rice. Finally, dessert varieties are also very rich. It is recommended that you try their milk desserts.</html>

Kuru Kahvesi Mehmet Efendi (Coffee Maker Mehmet Effendi)

<html>Located in the middle of the Spice Bazaar in Fatih District and on the corner between Sabuncuhanı Street and Hasırcılar Street, Kuru Kahveci Mehmet Efendi is one of the most popular "coffee" destinations in Istanbul. The store, one of the most reputable and oldest coffee shops in the city, is an authentic destination where you can shop or rest for a while enjoying your coffee at a couple of tables in the store. Kuru Kahveci Mehmet Efendi is located in a central area where the number of tourist groups is high. It is among the popular destinations for the residents of the city who want to buy their Turkish coffee, as well as for the tourists who are to try this famous coffee as fresh as possible. You can find lines at any time in front of this cute store. With its cheerful employees, Kuru Kahveci Mehmet Efendi offers freshly grounded coffee in packages from 50 grams to 1 kilogram. If you wish to try delicious Turkish coffee on its premises, then this information will help you.The desirable form of Turkish coffee with plenty of ground is the one served with foam. The water served with coffee is for cleaning the mouth from its intense aroma and grounds, and it prepares you for the next sip of coffee. Moreover, it is possible to try this coffee with sugar. You can choose the amount of the sugar as little, medium and well sweetened for the size of an espresso cup.</html>

Saray Muhallebicisi (Puding Shop)

<html>During the last period of the Ottoman Empire, Beyoğlu had become a cosmopolitan region with its magnificent buildings and embassies in the country. At that time, the center of social life was on the Istiklal Street of today. Here, this busy street is at the center of an intense flow of people and offering numerous cultural and touristic opportunities, as it was 200 years ago. Saray Muhallebicisi at this point is among the prominent flavor stops on Istiklal Caddesi. Along with Hacı Bekir, Saray Muhallebicisi which is one of the most famous shops in the region is a traditional confectionery shop of 1777, welcomes you with a shop window where delicious desserts are displayed. As soon as you open the door and enter to this shop, you will be surrounded by glamorous desserts. Among the most ideal stops for a coffee break, you can choose from colorful desserts in Saray Muhallebicisi. Milk desserts are quite famous, and varieties such as sorbet dessert are also offered.</html>

Mandabatmaz

Mandabatmaz is a place famous for its Turkish coffee, located on Istiklal Street in the Beyoğlu district of Istanbul. Opened in 1967, this small but impressive coffee shop has become a popular destination for coffee lovers. The feature of Mandabatmaz is that its coffee is intense and foamy. The name of this place is an expression meaning "the water buffalo will not sink" in Turkish. This analogy points out how intense his coffee is. The coffee of the place is prepared using only special beans and these beans are roasted with a method unique to Mandabatmaz. Mandabatmaz is known for its location on Istiklal Street and its mastery of the art of making traditional Turkish coffee. The interior of the place is small and its walls are decorated with decorations specific to Turkish culture. The small tables located outside on a narrow street are among the places frequently visited by both locals and tourists. Mandabatmaz has been awarded the Certificate of Excellence by TripAdvisor and has become a world-renowned destination. Mandabatmaz is one of the must-visit places in Istanbul for those looking for a Turkish coffee experience. Its coffee, prepared using traditional methods preserved over the years, offers visitors a unique taste. It is an ideal stop for those who want to get away from the crowds of Istiklal Street and experience the authentic taste of Turkish coffee.

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