City as labyrinth
Lost in Istanbul: A Street Food and Wandering Guide
Istanbul resists the guidebook. Nesrin Eren moves through its streets as a returning stranger, tracing the places — and the people — that make the city worth losing yourself in.
When I was living in Istanbul, every time I took my friends from abroad around the city, I would suddenly realize that I was the real tourist all along.
Standing on a rooftop, not knowing which mosque the minarets belonged to, or realizing I had never really thought about the origin of the word nazar1 in those moments I felt like a little child in this enormous city.
It is such a place that even those who have lived here for years are convinced that streets and shops suddenly sprout overnight! From the ruins of old buildings, new lives, new ideas, and new spaces can blossom between two moons.
Istanbul, in this sense, is like a colossal mycelium, drawing you in, erasing your sense of direction, dissolving time itself. It is both parasite and host, both consumer and creator. Once you step inside, you become one of its cells, unknowingly moving to its rhythm, losing yourself in its endless pathways.
And now, in the very city where I was born and raised, I am a tourist, too.
So I made a little guide from the places I visited last week just in case one day you want to lose yourself in Istanbul’s streets, away from Michelin’s wallet-burning, soul-draining top 10-lists. I could write millions of pages, but for now I’ve only added what stayed with me from my last wander.
Welcome to the place where Asia and Europe melt into one another.
Avrupa Yakası / Europe Side
İstiklal Caddesi – The Beating Heart
Let’s imagine you’ve stepped into İstiklal Street from Taksim.
Remember to look up!
On Istiklal, it’s important. Otherwise, the glare of dreadful tourist shops blinds you. Instead, imagine the historic buildings and the shops they once hid.
Here are my favorite stops:
· Islak Hamburger stands: At the very beginning of İstiklal, try one of these famous wet hamburgers. Then try again while drunk. Don’t ask why or how, this is culture.
· Sabırtaşı Restaurant: At the entrance of the restaurant, grab an içli köfte. It’s right above Istiklal. Take one in your hand and keep walking.
· Mısır Apartmanı: And old apartmant. Step inside and wander through the exhibitions. It’s one of my favorites, because it tells the story of what Istanbul once was.
· Terkos Pasajı: When I was a child, we used to find cheap and stylish clothes in the shops here. You may still find something. My Danish husband loves digging through the clothes spilled out onto the street. Give it a chance! It is a reflection of Turkish Bazaar culture.
· By Retro: A secondhand shop where costumes are rented. Don’t skip it! I regret not going for years. Who knows, maybe a fur-trimmed jacket from the 70s will save you from Denmark’s harsh cold, maybe even change your life.
· Yeni Lokanta: I didn’t want to add a luxury place, but this one is different. Make a reservation and try it one evening. Order the mantı, Turkish dumplings, and get a large portion!
· Hasan Fehmi Özsüt: If you want quick breakfast, try their clotted cream, kaymak and honey and egg with omelette. They also have some local cheeses. They have also special dessert, called tavuk göğüsü, made from chicken breast!
Dudu Odaları Sokak – Hidden Corners
· Tunç Balık: A fishmonger serving smoked salmon with pastırma ( turkish dried meat spices ) and bottarga sandwiches.
· Bünsa Baharat Aktariye: A tiny spice/tea shop where I find rare spices like mahlep. Don’t forget to go inside and smell everything and get some pistachios!
· Mercan Kokoreç Midye: A shop that saddens me now, once crowded, now empty. Support them. Try the fried mussel sandwich. And give kokoreç a chance. It’s made by wrapping seasoned lamb intestines around sweetbreads (the thymus or pancreas of the lamb), then slowly roasting it on a horizontal skewer over charcoal. Once crispy on the outside and tender inside, it’s finely chopped with tomatoes, green peppers, oregano, chili, and salt, then piled into crusty bread (half or quarter loaf) and eaten hot. You can find it so many different places.1
· Petek Turşuları: Their tangy, crunchy pickles are divine. I know you’ve never thought of drinking pickle juice, but sometimes a spicy one can change your life. They’ll pour you a glass on the spot. Taste their pickles too, and if you’d like, they vacuum-pack beautifully so you can take them in your suitcase.
Sıraselviler Caddesi - Cihangir
Lose yourself in the streets where artists once lived, but where few can afford to now.
· Corinne Teras: I don’t recommend the food, but the terrace view is always wonderful. Drink a beer here. Visit once in the morning, once in the evening, the taste is different each time. The view spans the whole of Istanbul. After discovering this, I never understood why people climb Galata Tower.
· Yöremiz Pide Lahmacun: This place makes the best pide I’ve ever eaten. Don’t be fooled by the shabby look. Sit on the little stools and try every single variety, especially spinach & cheese, kavurma ( meat ) with cheese.
Karaköy - Tophane
· Namlı Gurme: I always have breakfast here. Their products are excellent. Try their cheeses, eggs, and menemen. Ask for chili jam and whole walnut jam.
· Balık Dürüm: In Karaköy, everyone sells mackerel wraps. But buy yours from the street vendor in front of Akın Balık, suddenly appearing at night. You can drink rakı, aniseed alcoholic beverage, and eat different mezes in Akın Balık.
· Bi Balık Karaköy: The restaurant my father always took us to. The staff are incredibly kind, and the food always excellent. Try the grilled çipura, gilt-head bream and their mezes. Perfect with rakı, especially at night with the view.
· Fasuli: Their Black Sea-style bean dishes like kurufasulye, are rich and hearty, often cooked with meat in a thick, buttery red sauce. I would recommend all their dishes!2
Eminönü / Fatih – Spice and Fire
Walk from Karaköy across Galata Bridge to Eminönü. Get lost in the Spice Bazaar, called Mısır Çarşısı, then walk on to Fatih
· Meşhur Filibe Köftecisi: Some of the best köfte, meatball you’ll ever eat. Don’t forget to ask for their special yoghurt and bean salad on the side.
· Can Kurtaran: Try their pastırma, dried spicy beef. They have also amazing local cheeses!
· Şehzade Cağ Kebab: Right across from the köfte place, try the skewered kebabs brought sizzling on the stick.
· Yüksel Uygur Restoranı: Uyghur Turkish cuisine, hand-pulled noodles. Huge portions, be warned. Room is extremely well lit, consider 😎
· Saruja Restaurant: The best representation of authentic Syrian cuisine, in my opinion. Don’t forget to ask for their lahmacun made with lamb testicles.
Anadolu Yakası / Asian Side
Take the ferry quickly across to Asian side of İstanbul. On Istanbul’s blue waters, the chaos fades. Feed simit to the gulls and you’ll feel like a true Istanbulian.
· Çiya Sofrası: A restaurant where you can taste dishes from across Anatolia’s many regions.
· Borsam Taşfırın: Try their lahmacun. You’ll question why anyone who knows this dish would ever bother making pizza!
From Üsküdar, take a taxi or walk to Kuzguncuk, one of the rare neighborhoods still holding its historic soul. You can feel the old neighborhood spirit here. One of my favorites. Don’t hesitate to lose yourself in the narrow streets lined with Greek/Rum houses. Glance at the seasonal fruits and vegetables sold by local grocers
· Kuzguncuk Kavurmacısı: Try kavurma, sautéed meat served with rice. The owners are unbelievably warm and kind. Don’t forget to taste their lakerda and daily mezes. Their spicy ayran is wonderful, too.
There are countless streets, countless neighborhoods, countless foods. But if your time is short, maybe seeking out these few places will be enough to show you how diverse a cultural mosaic you’re standing in.
Notes for Travelers
Taxis
The moment you land at the airport, avoid the drivers who almost grab your arm to push you into their cars.
Even though bridge tolls are only 60 TL one-way, they’ll ask for more at the end of the ride. For this, I am sorry. For every driver trying to cheat you or driving recklessly, I apologize in advance. I can’t recommend fighting them, it only ruins your day. And truthfully, I’ve been too afraid myself. Just be careful, sigh, and let it go.
Museums & Palaces
If you are not a Turkish citizen, be prepared: the prices are wildly different. A museum ticket that costs 400 TL may cost 2400 TL for foreigners. Is it robbery, or fairness considering local wages? I don’t know. But if you plan to see palaces and historic landmarks, set aside at least 10,000 TL.
One Last Note
I hope by the end of your trip you remember this:
Living in Istanbul is truly hard. Staying good, virtuous, and honest is even harder. But alongside the chaos, stress, and noise, there are many good people.
Like the ER doctor in a private hospital who treated my infected cut immediately, free or the retired teacher taxi driver who carried our luggage all the way to our door. If you meet them, you are lucky. Bite your tongue, may no nazar touch you.
Have a beautiful trip.
May the fruitfulness of good taxi drivers be with you always.
Sincerely
Nesrin Eren
Nazar literally means “the evil eye.”
It’s the belief that too much attention especially envy can bring misfortune. In Turkish culture (and many Mediterranean/Middle Eastern ones), people think that if someone praises you or looks at you with jealousy, it can “jinx” you. That’s why people often say things like “Maşallah” (may God protect it) after complimenting a child, house, or success—so the good thing isn’t harmed by nazar. The famous blue glass bead with an eye you see everywhere in Turkey is a nazar boncuğu (evil eye amulet), believed to ward off this bad energy.
