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Perched on a rooftop terrace high above Istiklal Caddesi, this new arrival has a breathtaking 360-degree view across the rooftops. The food lives up to the vista, with an eclectic international menu devised by owner and accomplished restaurateur Sasha. After dinner there is a good bar, so you don’t have to tear yourself away from the view.
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Once a well-kept secret, the cat is out of the bag and it can be hard to get a table some nights. Deservedly popular for its delicious meze and fish, there’s no menu. Instead waiters bring a procession of tasty traditional hot and cold starters to the table. Then you can pick from the catch of the day, displayed in a glass-fronted fridge. In summer tables are put out in the cobbled street and there’s usually a group of musicians to serenade you.
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Kumkapi, formerly an Armenian district with a large fishing harbour, is a popular place for tourists and locals to eat out and be entertained by wandering street musicians. The Capari is just one of many convivial restaurants in the area which serve up meze and seafood. The food is by no means exceptional, but Kumkapi is a great place for a traditional night out.
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Changa remains at the forefront of Istanbul’s restaurant scene with its super-hip interior tucked away in an art nouveau building near Taksim Square. The minimalist decor complements the Pacific Rim cuisine and the carefully considered menu created by Peter Gordon, chef at London’s Sugar Club. Main course offerings include wasabi and salmon tortellini with grilled porcini and creamed lemon grass sauce, while desserts like mille feuille of fresh figs or Turkish coffee ice-cream with biscotti and bitter almond liqueur ensure sweet lovers go home happy.
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Ortakoy is a great place to spend an evening and the Cinar is the best of a row of restaurants in the cobbled main square that serve good fish. Don’t expect a menu as a selection of meze will be brought to your table. With a gentle breeze blowing off the Bosporus and the Mecidiye Mosque lit up like a Baroque birthday cake, the setting is lovely.
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