As many of you are aware I have just gotten back from Turkey and I’m already missing all the delicious food! So of course my first post about this holiday is going to be about the food. If any of you are planning a trip to Istanbul any time soon this would be really handy for you.
- Nusr-Et
This is Salt Baes restaurant and Oh. My. Gosh. The food here was amazing. It is actually a bit pricey but so worth it! I can’t even explain to you how great the meat was here; imagine trying to eat rice with a large fork and pieces falling off… that’s how soft the meat was. You could literally tear it up using minimal strength.
- Kumpir at Ortakoy
If you do try this make sure you take some painkillers for a headache that will soon follow. You literally get yelled at by all the street vendors telling you to buy potatoes from them! For those of you that don’t know, kumpir is a jacket potato stuffed with another potato stuffed with up to 20 toppings of your choice.
- Fish Sandwich at Eminonu
You walk up to a boat that’s already grilling some fish, hand over some money and they hand over to you fish stuffed inside half a loaf of bread (I’d opt for some pickled cabbage too) then you head over and just sit by the harbor watching all the boats go by.
- Midyeci Ahmet
Literally the best mussels I’ve eaten. They stuff them with spiced and herbed rice with a splash of lemon juice served in buckets! There’s always a massive line as it’s such a tiny place but you can take your bucket to go and once again head over to the harbor and enjoy it there.
- Patso at Kadikoy
There are lots of little food stalls around the harbor and one evening I decided to try some of their food. I tried a Patso and honestly my taste buds were so happy. It’s like a giant hot dog stuffed with chips and anything else you can imagine made fresh right in front of you.
- Happy Moons
Pretty much the Turkish version of TGI Fridays but about 10 times better. They have food on the menu from all over the world at very reasonable prices and massive portions!
- Kofte at Sultanahmet
One of the oldest places in Istanbul with the best recipe for kofte with by the two mosques but there’s never a tourist line as from the outside it doesn’t look like much but honestly the best kofte you’ll ever have. It is a bit pricey for a small portion but so worth it.
- Midpoint Aqua
We went here just for some dessert and all three of us got different things and not one of us were disappointed! Nothing was too rich or too sweet… just perfect, with a perfect view too!
- Simit
Simit is somewhat of a soft sesame pretzel and you should just make sure you grab one before every boat ride. It’s the best thing to enjoy at any time of day served by local vendors just outside the boat.
Ardas Thoughts 