Turkish cuisine is seen as of the three richest and oldest cooking traditions of the world together with French and Chinese cooking.
While it has come to be associated with kebap, baklava, lokum and rakı there is a rich and variegated tradition of soups, olive oil dishes, rice pilafs, stuffed vegetables, pastries, puddings and syrupy desserts underlying these popular dishes. It offers unique tastes in spicy and tart appetizers, pickles, fruit preserves, compote, sherbet, boza (a thick beverage made of barley) and coffee

Muallim Naci Cad. No:54 Kurucesme / Istanbul
Tel : (0212) 265 5063 - (0212) 265 5067

Very special seafood restaurant, surrounded by the unique view of Bosphorus and the green nature of Kurucesme Park: Park Fora.
With its extraordinary location, well designed architecture and cosy atmosphere, Park Fora is different than any other classical fish restaurants.

Tahmis Caddesi, 17 Kalcin Sokak, Eminonu. Istanbul
Tel:(0212) 528 0390 - (0533) 658 8011 - (0555) 992 3878
Hamdi's southeastern kebaps are a good alternative,only steps from the entrance to the Spice Market. The restaurant's popular terrace views of the Galata Tower and Golden Horn add to the convenience of the location, and you can move to the cozy sark (Oriental-style seating area) for your after-dinner cup of coffee or tea. Specialties of the house include the erikli kebap, minced meat from a suckling lamb where all of the fat has been cooked out, and the showcase testi kebap, a stew of diced meat, tomatoes, shallots, garlic, and green pepper cooked over an open fire and served tableside by breaking the terra-cotta pot (minimum 10 people, advance orders required). Hamdi caters to vegetarians with the vegetable kebap, spiced with parsley and garlic; don't pass up the yuvarlama, a flavorful yogurt soup with tiny rice balls served only at dinnertime.

Adnan Saygun Cd. Yol Sk. No:2 Ulus
Tel: (0212) 287 0357
Sunset is located on the hills of Ulus and has one of the greatest views of Istanbul, overlooking the Bosphorus. The food is excellent and a mixture of international cuisine and Turkish dishes. It also has an excellent Sushi Bar and a top international wine list.

Üsküdar/Salacak
Tel:(0216) 342 4747

The architectural structure of the Maiden’s Tower dates back to 341 BC. The first apparent structure was built by the Emperor Manuel Commenos.

Recent years Maiden’s Tower  has been an restaurant, cafe and bar that can be reached by boats leaving every fifteen minutes from Salacak. On one floor is a small shop where you can buy souveniers. You can eat delicious Turkish meals in the restaurant part and live music is an offer in the evenings. There is a story about a daughter of the Byzantien Emperor, Constantine. When a fortune teller prophesied that the young girl would be poisened by a snake, the emperor, frenzied, built tower and shut his daughter within. Years passed, the emperor thought he’d saved his daughter, but a snake hidden in a basket of grapes send to the princess executed the destiny that had been foretold.

Kumbaracı yokusu 57/6
Tunel, Beyoglu
Tel: (0212) 293 4989 - (0212) 265 5067

In order to live the beauty of
Istanbul, to be enchanted by the magic of the Bosphorus and to witness the unique view of the moonlight we welcome you to Lebiderya. In the hot summer nights you will be relaxing with the light seabreeze on our entirely open terrace and in the cold winter days Lebiderya turns into a friendly and warm location where you and your companions have a chat by the fireplace. With its menu from different cuisines and its ever smiling service Lebiderya is the place for celebrations or for a regular night out.

Sogukcesme Street, Sultanahmet, Eminonu
Tel (0212) 512 4291 - (0212) 513 3660
The setting for this restaurant, an old Roman cistern tucked away behind the Ayasofya, is nothing less than dramatic. The flickering light of 500 candles bounces off the iron grillwork, the lofty brick domes, and the stone pillars, while the crackling of the fire in the massive stone chimney (an inauthentic but effective addition) supplies more romance than a girl can handle. The menu, created by the longtime chef who cut his teeth at the now defunct Sheraton Hotel, marries traditional French entrees like beef bourguignon with standard Turkish grills.