Eating out in ..., Food, Food on the Road, Travel

Eating Out in Istanbul: Part Two

ellieslondon

Following right on from part one of my adventures eating out in Istanbul, albeit not very promptly since my first post was published back in April this year, I have had part two of this delicious post sitting in my drafts since my trip to Istanbul back in February. You may wonder what has taken me so long to go live with this post, but I honestly just did not know when to schedule it.

Throwing caution to the wind, I am posting it now and I don’t really think that I will ever be able to write about one of my favourite cities and not be sad at the fact my trip is now over. *Memo to self; book return trip soon.*

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It really was as good as it looks

I would recommend giving part one of my food adventures the once over, if you have not already, because the Turkish delicacies only get better from here. When we left things, I was just finishing up my birthday cake – a chocolate masterpiece from a Turkish ice cream store on one of Istanbul’s busiest streets.

After devouring the cake we headed off for a lot more site seeing, stopping by the Hagia Sophia and Basilica Cistern before returning to our hotel to get ready for my birthday dinner. Looking at a bunch of places online, the one I picked ultimately did not serve anything we really liked. Unfortunately this did not become clear until we arrived in the somewhat empty restaurant on a lonesome Monday evening in February, after a relatively terrifying ride in a death cab up a vertical incline to get it. (OK, so the cab was not that scary, but the journey did involve a driver that spoke no English, a cab that had no glass in the windows and a super dodgy brake system which resulted in us sliding backwards on a what seems like a 45 degree incline as the driver tried to turn the corner, and us leaping out of the taxi before he tried to drive up some steps!)

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The simplest of foods are often the best in Istanbul and packed with flavours
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Making sure there was enough food for everyone

We headed back down the hill on foot and ended up in a small kebab shop with fluorescent white lighting. Not exactly how I had envisioned spending my birthday dinner, but knowing Istanbul like I do, I was confident it would not let me down. We warmed ourselves on big bowls of red lentil soup and ordered dishes that involved grilled lamb, chicken, peppers and Turkish salad. Karakoy Gedikli Kofte and Grill was all but everything we needed that evening with great food and that fantastic Turkish hospitality.

After food, we had picked out a bar to venture to for a drink or two but to our surprise it was no where to be found. The only place at the address given was a pretty seedy looking cafe which was evidently closed. (Why would it not be closed, given it was a freezing Monday night in February and there was hardly anyone anywhere?) Pacing the deserted streets we did find another place. Taking a seat in the warm orange light that hugged the bar, it quickly became clear that there was a birthday party going on – well the best of us are born on the 11th of February after all, no? Picking a couple of their salubrious cocktail concoctions, this charming little place became home for the remaining few hours of my birthday. I did not even know the name of the place so my geo-tag on the pictures in there are no use – as it was a little place in a side street full of little bars and after-hour cafes that would no doubt be bustling in the summer months.

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This drink contained a honey flavoured whiskey syrup and featured a lot of cinnamon or maybe it was a lit cigar?

The next morning on the way to the famous Grand Bazaar, we stopped at one of the tiny Turkish cafe’s that pepper the streets so abundantly in Istanbul. We decided that it was much too early for anything kebab like so we picked a place, again, name unknown, for what was essentially a cheese sandwich. One of the best cheese sandwiches I think I have ever sampled, and it was not even toasted. With about 6 different types of cheese in each roll, we picked up these and a hot drink each for what came to about £3.00. This is literally why eating out in Istanbul is one of my favourite pastimes.

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Later that day, after exploring the bazaar, I wanted to try visiting Büyük Valide Han, if for nothing else but the famous views from the dome. Unfortunately, being February, it was closed for restoration work, which was apparently set to take 6 months. The owners of a lovely little cafe under the famous dome welcomed us with open arms and for our efforts, we bought some traditional Turkish drinks and listened to what seemed to be Arabian hits from about 1932.

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Later that day, we explored more of the city on foot, passing one of the largest university campuses in Istanbul. It was here that we experienced our foodie moment of the trip. Stopping at a street vendor for lunch, I wanted Farhan to try the best street food I have ever known. I am not really sure how to describe what we picked because it was part kebab (again, not the sloppy, grease filled kind the UK is familiar with) and part chicken baguette. Bigger than my head when stuffed, filled with mildly spicy chicken, some Turkish salad, herbs, spices and a minty, garlic sauce, the sandwich was sawed in half and with a bottle of water to go, this lunch cost us approximately £2.00.

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This entrance surely beats automatic doors
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The. Best.

That evening, after a traditional Turkish show and a walk around the city in the rain, we called in to Dürbün Cafe. This charming, yet somewhat smokey little jaunt on the roof of a building on the banks of the Bosphorus served us our last supper in Istanbul. Opting for one more kebab in the city that does them best, my partner picked out Turkey’s take on fajitas and some fries. Just before our food arrived, the owner peeled back the perspex roof, which given that it was a drizzly Tuesday evening in February, did not go down well. People scrambled for cover as the shisha-smoke-filled-air waffed up into the night sky. We relocated indoors, not wanting to dine in subarctic conditions and finished our food. As with most places, complimentary apple or regular Turkish tea followed the food.

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Dinner with a view
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One more time
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Apple tea

Leaving Istanbul after my birthday was as hard. It is a city where, for no apparent reason, I feel completely at home. I would love to spend more time in the city in the coming years and I would especially love to take my parents and show them the best parts of a city I hold so dearly in my heart. Because of its famously gargantuan airports, it makes for a perfect stop on the way to somewhere else so fingers crossed I get to go back to Istanbul one day soon.

Have you ever been to Istanbul? If you have, what did you think? If not, is it somewhere you have ever considered? Let me know in the comments below. 

Published by ellieslondon

A London based content writer with a little corner of the internet for ramblings that spring to mind. On a quest to meet fellow creatives!

30 thoughts on “Eating Out in Istanbul: Part Two”

    1. I love the city so much! I can wait to go back even though i have nothing planned at the minute! Each time I am there it is never long enough. I am glad that someone else realises how amazing it is as many people say they did not know about it being so yummy! X

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    1. It all really was – food here is some of my favourite in the world and I want to go back to the city even more, when I think about it! Thank you so much for reading my post and your comment ♥

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  6. I’ve never been to Turkey but sounds like you really fell in love and found a home in Istanbul. That’s amazing and makes me want to visit even more. I have a huge sweet tooth so that chocolate cake and apple tea are calling my name!

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    1. If you have a sweet tooth Istanbul is 1000% the place for you! I don’t have one and still live the choices of cakes and teas! I really do love the city so much – I hope you get to visit soon! X

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  8. We went to Istanbul before our daughter was born, so several years ago. I’ve never forgotten what an amazing experience that was (despite the bazillion mosquitos that ate me alive). The food was out of this world, so healthy, tasty and cheap! And the mindblowing experience of breakfasting in Europe, crossing the bridge, and lunching in Asia has never left me. Thank you for this trip down memory lane, I’ll have to head over to your Part One now! Lisa x

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    1. It is such an amazing city isn’t it? It’s a shame about the mosquito issue – I’ve never had a problem with them anywhere in Turkey! It is great that you can eat so healthily there without spending a fortune! I love the fresh fruits they have as well as all of the juices and teas they make. Thank you for reading and heading to part one as well!! x

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    1. It is such an incredible place for sure – I hope you get to visit soon ♥ And as for the cake, well that is worth the flight in itself! Those stores are simply incredible. I’m not one for chains, especially when in a new city, but when the cake is that good, when in Turkey, it’s a must! x

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    1. They really are, and it makes me so happy that you say this because many people have such negative associations with Turkey for whatever reason ♥ I can’t recommend Istanbul enough 😀 x

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    1. Oooh that’s so kind of you to say ❤️ i really try to do exactly that in my writing especially about food, so that means a lot to me. Thank you for your kind words. Istanbul is an incredible city and everyone should get to experience the food (and all else) it has to offer 🇹🇷 x

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  13. Hey you if you 2 food hogs are going again I’m coming too.
    It all looks so yummy and there’s nothing better than an apple tea to finish the meal😘😘😘😘😘🤩🤩🤩

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    1. Apple tea is amazing, especially when we were there, it was so cold (and rainy) so much of the time! It was a great way to warm up! 🌧️ It would be amazing if we were all able to visit Istanbul together sometime soon! I am pretty confident that you would love it 😁🇹🇷

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  14. So much of the food looks so good! Particularly interesting that you don’t even know some of the places you visited. It’s quite encouraging you can just take a chance and still come across so much good food. Definitely a city I want to visit soon 🙂

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    1. I know! It is so crazy. I wish I did know the names of the ones unlisted – but I could not make sense of any geo-tag on the pictures. I love the back street places – especially in Istanbul, they have the best food for any craving or time of day ♥ I can’t recommend Istanbul enough for a visit for sure 😀 x

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