This light, airy restaurant with a beautiful terrace is felicitously located next to one of Istanbul’s great but relatively unsung sights, the Kariye Museum, a former church with the finest Byzantine mosaics in the world. The kitchen is dedicated to preserving the recipes of the Ottoman Empire. I enjoyed a wonderful variation on dolmas, the grape leaves stuffed with a mix of rice, minced sour cherries, onions and pine nuts cooked in cinnamon-infused olive oil. For my main course, I opted for kirde kebap, sautéed diced lamb and vegetables served on flatbread with yogurt.
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Istanbul
Overview
From Andrew Harper
Straddling the Bosphorus strait between the Black and Marmara seas, Istanbul is also the historic threshold between Europe and Asia. Turkey’s largest city is a grand, chaotic, ancient and modern conglomeration of paradoxes that blends the features of both continents but retains a flavor uniquely its own.
Istanbul has served as the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire and the Ottoman Empire. Its landscape is a palimpsest of these successive reigns. The Hagia Sophia, built as a church by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian, was converted to a mosque in the 15th century. Today, it’s a museum, and its marble pillars, lavish mosaics and soaring dome remain a high-water mark of Byzantine architecture and an emblem of this city’s religious and cultural status. Just opposite, the Blue Mosque (above) mirrors some of the Byzantine elements of Sophia’s majesty and blends them with traditional Islamic design. The Topkapi Palace was home to generations of Ottoman emperors; its linked courts display treasures of the kingdom.
Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar is a covered labyrinth of thousands of shops offering everything from rugs to rice. The city’s numerous Turkish baths, or hammams, provide relaxing rest stops for ritualized series of steaming and massage. Istanbul’s myriad nightclubs and restaurants provide the city with a 21st-century layer of indulgence and sophistication, while its rich array of museums, alongside living ruins and royal palaces, keep the past alive.
Hotels
All recommended hotels in Istanbul
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A'jia HotelTen-room, six-suite hotel set in a romantic 19th-century mansion on the Asian shore of the Bosphorus, 40 minutes by taxi from the city center. |
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Ciragan Palace Kempinski IstanbulStylish 313-room hotel incorporating the restored palace of the last Ottoman sultans, on the shores of the Bosphorus. |
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Four Seasons Istanbul at SultanahmetRefined 65-room boutique hotel in the heart of the old city, a short stroll from Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia. |
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Four Seasons Istanbul at the BosphorusRestored 19th-century palace converted to house 170 bright and airy guest rooms and suites, a quarter of which have views across the sea to the shoreline of Asia. |
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Hotel Les OttomansRomantic 10-suite hotel in 1790s mansion with sublime Bosphorus views, 30 minutes from city center. Opulent accommodations combine Ottoman décor with modern amenities. |
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Park Hyatt Istanbul - Macka PalasBoutique hotel in the Maçka Palas, a 1922 art deco building in the chic Nişantaşi neighborhood. The 90 rooms offer baths with limestone floors and walk-in showers. |
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Pera Palace HotelStoried 115-room grande dame hotel in arty Beyo ̆glu district, wonderfully refurbished to preserve period ambience. Grand public rooms are furnished with magnificent Ottoman and European antiques. |
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Sumahan On The WaterAttractive 24-room hotel (11 rooms, 13 suites) in a three-story former raki distillery at the water’s edge on the Asian shore of the Bosphorus. Individually decorated rooms, most with fireplaces, provide water views. |
Dining
All recommended restaurants in Turkey
ASITANE
Kariye Camii Sokak 6
Istanbul
Turkey
US$60
CHANGA
Istanbul’s restaurants are becoming more interesting, with chefs embracing new techniques and ingredients and blending them with the rich traditions of the Turkish kitchen. One of the most notable practitioners is New Zealand chef Peter Gordon, whose restaurant is ensconced on four floors of a 103-year-old townhouse. It offers innovations such as a glass ceiling above the kitchen through which guests can watch Gordon create dishes such as a starter of grilled octopus with a spicy sauce of red miso and nori, and a main course of slow-cooked beef cheeks with Turkish noodles, goat yogurt and a tangy gremolata sauce.
Siraseviler Caddesi 47
Istanbul
Turkey
US$75
HAMDI
With a prime location near the bustling Spice Bazaar and a wonderful view over the Bosphorus, this busy restaurant is a great place to sample some of the kebabs that are a classic of the southeastern Turkish kitchen. The fistikli kebab (ground lamb with pistachios) is especially delicious.
Tahmis Caddesi Kalçin Sokak No. 17, Eminönü
Istanbul
Turkey
US$45
HUNKAR 1950
LocatedinstylishNişantaşi,thisrestaurantspecializesinOttoman cooking and recalls the days when the empire spread from Bulgaria to Tunisia. Recommended dishes include yellow lentil soup with croutons and lemon; baked stuffed eggplant and stuffed cabbage rolls; hünkar be ̆gendi (“the sultan’s delight”), a rich lamb stew with eggplant purée; and lamb shanks with orzo in a light tomato sauce.
Mim Kemal Oke Caddesi 21, Nişantaşi
Istanbul
34367
Turkey
US$60
KHORASANI
Just a short walk from the Hagia Sophia, this excellent restaurant is known for its kebabs, and more. Secure a streetside table and begin with a small selection of mezzes — eggplant salad, hummus and spicy little lentil balls. From among the appealing main courses, consider the outstanding grilled lamb ribs, juicy and rich with flavor and served with grilled tomatoes and peppers.
Divanyolu Caddesi, Ticarethane Sokak 39/41
Istanbul
Turkey
US$55
ULUS 29
This romantic hillside restaurant has stunning views of both bridges over the Bosphorus and is one of the most stylish (and expensive) in Istanbul. Order the Turkish dishes, including standouts such as grilled octopus with white bean and tomato salad, and lamb fillet with smoked eggplant, in preference to the more modish fusion offerings on the menu. It also has one of the best lists of Turkish wines in Istanbul.
Yol SK 1
Istanbul
34660
Turkey
US$90
As a long-time frequent traveller to Istanbul, I strongly commend the Harper issue this month featuring Istanbul...the brief comments on the various neighborhoods were accurate and give a hint of the many wonders awaiting the eager tourist. I especially appreciated the mention of Sirkeci Train Station on page 26...that is where we disembarked a very dilapidated Orient Express in July 1969 after a fascinating three day slow ride from Frankfurt by way of Salzburg, Zagreb, Belgrade, Sofia, and Edirne ( where we had a very emotional impromtu reunion with locals with whom my father had worked in the late 1940's)...my first trip to Europe and Turkey.
I do think the advisory regarding safety is totally overblown...the streets of Las Vegas where I live are far more dangerous than the darkest back alleys of Istanbul, and no one should not travel to Turkey because of security considerations. Other than this disagreement, I wholly endorse this wonderfully written issue and especially the on-line edition which is beautifully illustrated and desciptively written in Mr. Harper's always animated style.
If you can afford the extra 150, spend it either at Four seasons SultanAhmet or Bosphorus...if it's too much, try the Ambassador which has the most uniformly positive reviews I have seen of any Istanbul property at the nytimes website...74 points is the lowest number rank I have ever seen AH give a property!!!!
That was sure a negative review on the W Istanbul. Does others really find it that bad? I'm not a fan of the W Hotel concept, but I have stayed in them and still found them comfortable, relatively speaking. I actually have a stay booked here and I am considering moving to the more expensive Four Seasons. I'm wondering if it is really worth the extra 150 euro a night. Thoughts ?
I am still looking for the best hotel in Istanbul post cruise in summer - we want to be by the bosphorus - is it Ciragan Palace still or the new Four Seasons Bosphorus? Any restaurant suggestions?
DO NOT stay at Ciragan. For a variety of reasons.
I just this morning booked another stay at Four Seasons Bosporus. It is smaller and far more intimate. It has one of the finest spas in the world.
I go to Istanbul once or twice a year and have a command of the language and know the culture.
In season (April-Oct) it is ideal to be right ON the Bosporus...off season, the heart of the old city is best, and for that reason Four Seasons SultanAhmet is best Nov-March.
As to dining, Istanbul has DOZENS of excellent options...if you choose to go I can give you reliable options for dining and the purchase of carpets and other goods, hassle-free...
Hello,
With regard to hotels, the location and amenities of the Four Seasons Bosphorus and the Ciragan Palace are essentially the same. That said, I personally prefer the décor of the rooms at the Four Seasons to that of those at the Ciragan, but I like the Ciragan's outdoor pool better than that of the Four Seasons. The Ciragan is also less expensive than the Four Seasons.
During my last trip to Istanbul, I decided to focus on the city's boutique hotels, and very much enjoyed a stay at Sumahan on the Water. This 20-room property is located on the Asian banks of the Bosphorus in an attractively renovated brick distillery, and most rooms have working fireplaces. A complimentary shuttle from the hotel crosses over to the European side several times a day. Though I wouldn't suggest this property to anyone who is visiting Istanbul for the first time, it's a lovely spot for a repeat visitor in search of something different, especially during the cooler months when it's very pleasant to have a fire in the evening after dinner.
With regard to Istanbul restaurants, please see my recent posting on Ciya restaurant on this website's blog. It's an excellent restaurant that I highly recommend for lunch.
Regards,
Andrew Harper
We will be in Istanbul in the summer at the end of a cruise. We have always stayed at the Ciragan Palace in the past, but now the Four Seasons Bosphorus has opened. We want a room with a Bosphorus view - which is preferred and better these days? The Four seasons Bosphorus is significantly more expenisve if you want a river view? Is it worth it? which is best?
I have stayed at them all...I prefer the intimacy of the Four Seasons, though yes, a Bosphorus view is pricey...in the summer you will spend most of your time out on the deck anyway, for which reason we will stay...again...at Four Seasons but opt for the garden view...the spa at Four Seasons is the finest in Istanbul, nothing comes close.
BTW...the rooms at Ciragan are cheaper, but if you drink alcohol, watch out...minimum for a GLASS of wine at Ciragan was $30 and that was three years ago, after which I decided I would not go there again...yes, there is a liquor tax since The AK Party was voted in, but that is ridiculous!!