Top 10:

Istanbul Off The Beaten Path Restaurants

    • Kanaat Lokanta - Istanbul
      • 1. Kanaat Lokanta

      • Traditional, lovely Ottoman kitchen... Cooked like at home
        • Fast Food
        • Local Traditional
        • Cheap
        • Asian Bosphorus
      • Nile Expert Tip: One of the oldest "bol-kepce" artisan restaurants / diners of Istanbul.
      user rating
      expert pick 
    • Port Sedef - Istanbul
      • 2. Port Sedef

      • Getting away from the city and to the islands to under the pine trees
        • Mediterranean
        • Breakfast & Brunch
        • Continental
        • European
        • International
        • Fusion
        • Moderately Priced
        • Outside the city
      user rating
      expert pick 
    • Mest Charcuterie - Istanbul
      • 3. Mest Charcuterie

      • A "concept" delicatessen in the mid of nowhere
        • Breakfast & Brunch
        • Tapas / Small Plates
        • Moderately Priced
        • Sarıyer
      user rating
      expert pick 
    • Rumeli Iskele - Istanbul
      • 4. Rumeli Iskele

      • Modest & elegant on the water front by a historic port
        • Seafood
        • Expensive
        • European Bosphorus
      user rating
      expert pick 
    • Etcii - Istanbul
      • 5. Etcii

      • Authentic steak house -from where every other steak house buys its meat
        • Hamburgers
        • Steakhouses
        • Moderately Priced
        • Outside the city
      expert pick 
    • Köfteci Cemo - Istanbul
      • 6. Köfteci Cemo

      • Simple cafe serving delicious meatballs
        • Fast Food
        • Hamburgers
        • Affordable
        • Outside the city
      expert pick 
    • Hamov - Istanbul
      • 7. Hamov

      • Tiny Armenian restaurant in an artisan neighborhood
        • Middle Eastern
        • Local Traditional
        • Cheap
        • Nişantaşı
      user rating
    • Zuma - Istanbul
      • 8. Zuma

      • Mesmerizing view, drinks, food
        • Asian
        • Japanese
        • Southern & Soul
        • Very Expensive
        • European Bosphorus
    • Four Seasons Hotel - Istanbul
    • Tamara - Istanbul
      • 10. Tamara

      • The stars have so far aligned for this relatively new upstart. The menu features an unusually broad selection...

  • The Best of NileGuide
  • It is not as simple as it may look from the outside to catch the real flavor of Turkish Cuisine. Turkish cuisine has been influenced and influenced many cultures and cuisines over the course of history. As nomadic people many years ago, the Turkish population had been exposed to different cultures and their tastes before settling down in Anatolia. For instance on the south, there is Lebanon, with whom the Turkish kitchen shares so many flavors and meals, such as the yaprak sarma (stuffed vinegrapes) and içli köfte (mini meatballs). Someone travelling around the Agean may mistake the Turkish cuisine with the Greek and Hellenistic. Around the Agean, the grasses and the grassroots and the olive oil stand out as the must of the kitchens. Fish also has an unbeatable role in the Agean. In fact, for many years villages of Agea were known as fishermen's villages. The fish continues to dominate the kitchen in the North of Turkey. Around the Black Sea, fishermen's villages still abound. However, the Black Sea people cook fish in an entirely different way, like embedding the hamsi (anchovy) in and around rice -yummy! Back in south again, meat is very important in Antakia and Southern Anatolia. The very wellknown "kebab" culture is in fact coming from the South of Turkey. Here, heavy spices are used to season the meat. Different regions have different local cuisines. Istanbul is the only city in Turkey that brings together the finest examples of diverse influences. Istanbul also presents finest examples from the world. Restaurants like Zuma, Papermoon and Bice have also founded themselves a place in this big city and they have become iconic for its residents. Loosen your belt and dig in.

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