Istanbul recommendations by Vedat Milor

The day I asked the legendary Turkish food critic Vedat Millor @vmilor to share his Istanbul recommendations. He is the co-author of an excellent blog Gastromondiale @gastromondiale.

MEYHANE

Most interesting category, a remnant of old cosmopolitan Istanbul

• Asmali Cavit in Beyoglu
• Sahil Lokantasi in Balat
• Inciralti in Beylerbeyi

KEBAP-OCAKBASI

(there is a ritual-cold meze/offals/ribs/Adana kebap–these places cur the meat by special knife)

• Adana Ocakbasi in Kurtulus
• Zubeyir in Beyoglu
• Seyhmuz near Grand Bazaar
• Harbi Adana Ocakbasi in Ortakoy

FISH

• Kahraman Balikci in Rumelikavagi for turbot-tomato salad-l;akerda-corn bread with anchovy
• Kiyi in Tarabya-the most classy and consistent

FINE DINING

• Nicole in Tom Tom suite in Beyoglu-view/menu degustation/best vegetables and salads in Istanbul

ESNAF LOKANTASI-MARKET DRIVEN CUISINE

• Hunkar in Tesvikiye (high end)
• Pacaci Mahmut (exc. Lamb trotter soup-Anatolian home food in Fatih-very simple)
• Pacaci Necip (like Mahmut and very small)
• Amanda Bravo

BRASSERIE

• Murver in Karakoy

REGIONAL CUISINE

• Mabeyin in Uskudar for Antep cuisine
• Guvenc Konyalilar for Konya cuisine-lamb tandoori and etli ekmek
• Akdeniz Sofrasi for Antioche/Antakya cuisine in Vatan Caddesi
• Seref or Ugur Buryan in Fatih for lamb cooked in a pit-Siirt cuisine

STREET FOOD

• Basta in Kadikoy for durum (pita wrap/try lamb;vegetables;salad and riz au lait)
• Ozzie’s in Dolapdere for kokorec (like andouillette)-MUST RESERVE
• Tadal Pide in Sultanbeyli for Blacksea style pide
• Sirdanci Ramazan-he serves in his portable kitchen in the street eginning at 10 PM in the back streets of Beyoglu in Nevizade in front of the old police station. A kind of spicy tripe
• Gaziantepli Mehmet Usta Lahmacun in Cerrahpasa
• Surmene Doner in Cennet Mahallesi

GOOD THIRD WAVE COFFEE

• Sapiens in Karakoy
• Petra in Nisantasi

TURKISH COFFEE

• Mandabatmaz in Beyoglu