Istanbul Food
One of the greatest pleasures of heading to Istanbul is the city's food and drink. The clash of cultures of the centuries between east and west has brought a unique style of cuisine to the city.
When looking for good restaurants in Istanbul the areas to head for are beside the European side of the Bosphorus, although the flower market in Galatasaray is also home to a few gems.
Lamb and seafood dominate Istanbul menus, with plenty of fresh vegetables and salads as standard.
For those on a budget, eating al fresco at the Sabahattin Balikcisi restaurant – found down an old side street in Sultanahmet District of the city – gives visitors the chance to eat by the waterside and enjoy some of the city's classic dishes. A good choice of seafood is on offer, with the grilled swordfish kebabs well recommended.
In recent years, the culinary scene in Istanbul has seen quite a shake up with younger chefs offering more modern interpretations of classic Turkish dishes, such as halloumi wrapped in vine leaves with sweet chilli sauce, or fusions of oriental food and Turkish cuisine.
One of the coolest areas to head to for food and entertainment is the pedestrianised Istiklal Caddesi area, which is home hundreds of bars, galleries, restaurants and bistros.
Breakfast in Istanbul is one of the best reasons for getting up, with many bars offering tea with buffalo milk, honey, olives and cheese on sourdough white bread to start the day.
For snacks throughout the day, the best thing to pick up is a borek – a pancake stuffed with cheese and meat or vegetables.
As much as the food on offer is not just Turkish Delight and kebabs, when it comes to good drink, travellers to Turkey's principal city will find that Raki is not the only drink on offer.
However, it is almost obligatory that visitors should enjoy a glass of the aniseed drink before they leave. They should also be surprised that there are many types of the drink to be enjoyed, just as there are many varieties of whiskey.
The best way to enjoy a glass of raki is to ensure it is accompanied well. It is common to find people drinking raki with a plate of meze, appetizers such as white cheese, tomatoes or cucumber. In Istanbul, the most popular meze are roasted chickpeas or freshly salted almonds, and visitors on a budget may find meze could provide enough sustenance to get by without dinner.
It is also important to make sure you dilute raki with pure water, to ensure the cleanest taste. When diluted raki takes on a milky consistency, which has led it to be known as lion's milk, as it is claimed it gives you the power of the beast.
Bars also serve good quality beers, with Efes Pilsen one of the best, and Turkish wines – which have been produced since before the days of the Byzantine Empire - accompany any meal well.
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Eating & Drinking
