The historic peninsula. Tourist-heavy by day, but home to the original 1920 Köftecisi Selim Usta and Ottoman-cuisine specialist Asitane out by Edirnekapı.
Lokanta 1741 beside the 300-year-old Cağaloğlu Hammam, a Michelin-listed modern Turkish dining room with a terrace overlooking the hammam domes and seasonal Anatolian plates.
Signature: Slow-cooked lamb, Aegean mezze, Saffron rice pudding
Bahar Restaurant tucked inside a Grand Bazaar han off the Nuruosmaniye gate, an esnaf lokanta serving stews and pilav to the bazaar's working merchants until they sell out by 14:00.
Signature: Daily kuru fasulye, Hünkar beğendi, Stewed lamb
Kahve Dünyası beside the Grand Bazaar's Nuruosmaniye gate, the Turkish coffee chain's polished flagship where sand-brewed cups arrive with a square of chocolate.
Signature drink: Sand-brewed Turkish coffee
Kahve Dünyası at the Grand Bazaar's Nuruosmaniye gate, the Turkish coffee-chain flagship serving sand-brewed kahve, chocolate beans and house espresso to bazaar walkers.
Sources from: Brazil, Colombia, Ethiopia, Turkey blends
How they serve: Sand-brewed Turkish, Espresso, Whole bean retail
The Grand Bazaar covering 30,700 square metres of Fatih, 61 covered streets and over 4,000 shops, with lokum, baklava and Turkish-coffee bean counters mixed through the spice halls.
Bahar Restaurant inside a Grand Bazaar han, an esnaf lokanta where merchants line up by 12:30 for stewed lamb, kuru fasulye and pilav for around 200 lira.
Try: Esnaf lokanta plate