"Istanbul is a city for food lovers. From hole-in-the-wall lokantas dishing up hearty bean stews by the bowlful to sharply executed tasting menus that riff on Anatolian terroir, this is a place where food is very much a staple of daily life. Yet with thousands of dining options sprawled across the Turkish capital's two halves, choosing the best restaurants in Istanbul can be bewildering."
"But when faced with such variety, it's well worth having a handful of stalwarts in your address book to fall back on for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Here are our top picks of the best restaurants in Istanbul - whether you're after a plate of hamsi pilavi in one of the city's heavyweights, a long lunch on a leafy terrace, or a modern Turkish tasting menu with a sparkling view over the Bosphorus."
"Divan is one of Turkey's best-known hotel groups with a reputation for good food and this brasserie, right on one of the most scenic stretches of the Bosphorus, exudes the leisurely atmosphere that waterside Bebek, a wealthy neighbourhood of luxury yachts and esplanade joggers, is known for. As you descend the polished wooden steps and step onto the chic black and white herringbone tiles, the smell of manti bubbling in tomato sauce and burnt butter and yoghurt kebab wafts by."
Istanbul offers an expansive dining scene from hole-in-the-wall lokantas serving hearty bean stews to refined tasting menus inspired by Anatolian terroir. Thousands of options span both sides of the city, making selection challenging and rewarding. Keeping a shortlist of reliable eateries ensures satisfying breakfasts, lunches and dinners amid the variety. Suggested experiences include hamsi pilavi at established venues, leisurely lunches on leafy terraces and contemporary Turkish tasting menus with Bosphorus views. Waterside spots such as Divan Brasserie in Bebek combine scenic location, classic Turkish dishes and atmospheric interiors with aromatic signatures like manti and yoghurt kebab.
Read at CN Traveller
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]