Mezzaluna

Milanese businessman Aldo Bozzi and famous Florentine architect Roberto Magris, opened its doors in Turkey in 1995, and, since then, it has been a venue for satisfying the desire of Turkish diners for a fine, around-the-clock dining experience. With its “accessible quality” approach to the exquisite delicacies of the Italian cuisine.

Mezzaluna has a chain of 12 restaurants in Turkey, located as follows; in Istanbul there are 6 (Acarkent, İstinye Park, Nişantaşı, Suada, Kanyon Express, Buyaka Express,),in Ankara 3 (Bilkent, Kavaklıdere, Next Level), in Izmir 2 (Konak Pier, Yıldızburnu - Çeşme), and in Bodrum 1 (Yalıkavak Palmarina). The Italian chef Carmine Antonio Lombardi and his own professionally assembled team prepare and serve food and drink to Mezzaluna’ s customers.

They also have a brilliant olive oil which they serve before meal and they have awesome tasty breads as well. The most nice thing about this place is the chef is preparing all pizzas infront of you in their kitchen.I have been the one in Acarkent, I am sure you will find the nice hospitality in other restaurants. 

Highly recomended.
 

Website: http://www.mezzaluna.com.tr/en/homepage.aspx

Sehil Cafe& Gurme

Almost every day I gather with my colleagues here and having very nice meals, salads. There are plenty of stuff either you buy for home and eat inside. There are several prepared mezes like an open bufe. They have also delicatessen which you can find all sort of cheese, ham, olives, butter etc.

When you have a meze plate more than 14 TRY you will get a free soup next to your meal. They have delicious aubergine, tarhana, lentil soup. They serve mantı in two different sauces one with regular yoghurt, garlic, mint, pepper and one with minced meat tomato sauce.

At the end of your meal, pumpkin dessert is also highly recommended. There are other desserts also available according to your choice.

Website: http://www.sehil.net/

Telephone: 02165378740

The address: Kavacık Mh., 34810 Kavacik,  İstanbul

Zahir Cafe& Restaurant

This is a recent hidden cozy place in Kuzguncuk. I had a very nice breakfast, there was everything. I am welcomed very well, the service guy was so kind and has a great hospitality. He came three times to our table to ask if anything I needed. Obviously there were plenty of small plates on the table.

For two people breakfast menu is 55 TRY. On the next table I saw also Turkish Ravioli (Mantı). 

This cafe& restaurant place has three floors. Simit was very fresh and tasty, the butter, kaymak, olives and Tulum cheese were great.
 
I highly recommend this cozy place in Kuzguncuk.

Address: Kuzguncuk Mah. (Icadiye Cad), 34674 Üsküdar, Istanbul
 
Telephone: 0216 310 0302

Viktor Levi Moda Şarap Evi

It is a recent discovered wine house in Kadıköy. It is the first time I had cherry wine, it was so delicious. They produce their own wines at the place, they serve meals as well.

This place has a garden behind and it is so refreshing environment away from the Kadıköy crowd. The place is open between 10.30 am- 03.00 am at night.



Address: Caferağa Mh. Damacı Sokak No: 4 Kadıköy (Behind the Rexx cinema) 34710 Kadıköy/ İstanbul

Tel: 02164499329

Lapaz

This is one of my recent places that I have been so far; suggested a friend of mine, Gozde. This restaurant has a different plates from South America, I had shrimp dish with Brazilian Beans and Corona Beer. There was a live argentinian music at the place.

This restaurant' s story appealed very interesting to me. The owners are married and one argentinian and turkish, after living an abroad they decided to open a restaurant.

I highly recommended this friendly restaurant!

Address: Ensiz sok 10/1 Tünel Beyoğlu

http://lapaz.com.tr

Tel: 0212 249 86 71

İstikamet Karaköy

A daily changing menu with seasonal ingredients and well as good coffee and homemade desserts make this cafe/restaurant a prime stop in the Karaköy neighborhood. 

Healthy dishes from the oven, slow cooked meat dishes, vegetable dishes, and three types of salad (every day) without any additives or unhealthy cooking methods await patrons at this cozy eatery. 

Fresh sage chicken and oven baked herby potatoes

Directions:
From Tophane tramvay station, walk towards the petrol station behind the mosque and turn left into Gece Kuşu Sokak, then turn right into Mumhane Caddesi. Follow the street towards Karaköy. On your left you will see a complex of historical buildings in faint yellow called Fransiz Geçidi İş Merkezi (French Passage Trade Center), İstikamet is located on at the end of this complex.

Pera Balık

I was at this wood house fish restaurant last Friday, 06.02. 

I loved the place again. I was with my logistics group, we were 6 people and we paid only 290 try for rakı, white Çankaya Wine, calamares, shrimps in a tile, all sort of mezes. It has four flours and very warm and good service on time.

It is very close to church and it is on the street that has Hayal Kahvesi. 

Address: İstiklal Caddesi İpek Sokak 11, Beyoğlu, Beyoğlu, IstanbulTel: (0212) 251 6340

Kuzguncuk Balıkçısı

This place incredibly delicious and so cozy, there is a nice environment as you can be also convinced by the cute looking photo. There are 3 floors and the kitchen is at the attic! They have tasty fish soup for the beginning. I tried calamares with a garlic sauce and whiting fish with tomato sauce in the tile. Don' t be prejudiced about the tomato sauce with the fish, it was really amazing. I dipped the sauce with my bread!!!

That is my favourite fish with tomato sauce in a tile, yummy!

If you live close by Kuzguncuk, they also serve to your home. You get the best service with a best price, enjoy!!

Sahra Kebap

This place is located in Acıbadem, Kadıköy. It is very clean and waitresses are very polite and they serve your order in a short time. The walnut kebap is my favourite with ayran.

They have kebap plates, best homemade ayran, lahmacun, kibbeh, lentil soup, aubergine dishes, Mardin salads. For the dessert I highly recommend their KÜNEFE!!!

Address: Acıbadem Cd. Çoşkunoğlu Apt. No:108 Kadıköy/İSTANBUL

Tel: 216 325 75 09 - 325 74 68

Naif

Naif is located in Mumhane Street in Tophane. It is one of new places on this street, opened last year, october 2013. It is just behind the mosque. The prices are similar with the other restaurants around, it has a different nice flavours. There are nice drinks at the place, as well. You can easily stop to nibble anything.

Decoration is great in the place. I have tried aubergine ravioli there, my mom got meatballs, their plates are well-prepared and they combine different tastes in their plates, they serve meat either salad or some special sauces. The pear dessert with icecream was great!

Address: Kemankeş Karamustafa Paşa Mahallesi, Mumhane Caddesi, No 52, Beyoğlu, İstanbul

Tel: 0212 2515335

Fıccın

Fıccın is a Circassion Restaurant in the middle of Taksim. On the same street, there are 3 Fıccın Restaurants, at the beginning of Istıklal, there is also one Fıccın Kallavi, in this one you can also listen live music. It gets really crowded at weekend, I highly recommend to book in advance. There are alcoholic drinks at the place. You can have typical Rakı Balık in here. 

Address: İstiklal Cad. Kallavi Sok.No:13/1 - 7/1 Beyoğlu / İstanbul
Tel: 0(212) 243 83 53- 0(212) 293 37 86

All menu is highly recommended and there are appetizers in the small plates, then if you wish you can order the main dish either fish or meat (Lamp dishes are really delicious!).

Here is the menu: http://www.ficcin.com/tr/index.php?yap=menu

Cafe Mitanni

Cafe Mitanni is located in Taksim, it is a jazz cafe, too. It has a friendly vibe and when you would like listen some jazz you pay very little, when I was there for a jazz session I paid only 10 lira, we had some wine, drinks are not expensive generally. They also serve meals there, which I havent tried. It was looking very good when I looked at the tables near by. I sometimes love observing like a cat:)

I listened very best jazz with Philippe, the performance was great!!! If you want a stop by listening jazz, there are very nice performers come and play live. It is tiny but cozy place for their guests. Plus, it is an art cafe the owner does paintings and sells them at his place.

Highly recommended!!

Çukurluçeşme sokak.no:6/A, 34000 Istanbul, Turkey

mitannijazz@gmail.com

0 212 244 86 66

Çiya Kebap

Çiya Kebap is in Kadıköy, on the fish market street. At the end of this street, you will three Çiya Kebap restaurants next to each other, all of them are little bit different. One across you will see some vegetable dishes front of the window, the other one has more meat dishes, kebaps, durums, lamb dishes etc. The other one which is the biggest one, has both tastes vegetables and kebaps. The prices are little bit higher than basic kebap places. But the meat is perfectly cooked and served well in the plate. Last time I was there with Christian and Andrew. They told me that it was their first time they ate a such a delicious lamp meat, ever. Their walnut, olives and figs desserts goes great with turkish tea at the end. Enjoy it!!!

Address: Caferağa Mh., Güneşli Bahçe Sokak No:43, Istanbul

Tel: 02163303190