Tarihi Sultanahmet Köftecisi Selim Usta on Divanyolu, the 1920 original now run by the fourth generation, still grilling its flat charcoal köfte beside piyaz.
Editorially verified May 20, 2026 by Elliot Marsh, TableJourney editor. Source.
1 hour
Learn to brew Turkish coffee on hot sand in the heart of Istanbul’s Old Town. Discover the history and traditions of Turkish coffee and enjoy the coffee you prepare yourself.
Guided tour · 3 hours
Savor authentic Turkish dishes in vibrant Kadıköy. From lahmacun to menemen, coffee, and wine, discover the flavors, history, and traditions that make Istanbul a true ...
Guided tour · 6 hours
Explore Istanbul's Old City, enjoy a traditional Turkish lunch, and cruise along the Bosphorus Strait on this guided tour.
Address: Alemdar Mah., Divanyolu Caddesi No:12, 34110 Fatih, İstanbul, Istanbul
Tarihi Hocapaşa Pidecisi off the Sirkeci side-streets, pulling kıymalı and kuşbaşılı pide from a wood oven since the 1960s for the lunchtime suit crowd.
SignatureKıymalı pide, Kuşbaşılı pide, Lahmacun
Borsam Taşfırın in Kadıköy, a stone-oven lahmacun and pide salon running since 1968 with a counter line that turns over every five minutes at lunch.
SignatureLahmacun, Kıymalı pide, Yumurta pide
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.
SignatureDaily kuru fasulye, Hünkar beğendi, Stewed lamb
Köfteci Hüseyin on Kurabiye Sokak off Taksim, the Hüseyin Taşsöken counter that started on a 1958 push-cart, salt-bread-onion patties grilled.
SignatureIzgara köfte, Piyaz, Ayran
Karaköy Güllüoğlu has rolled phyllo baklava since 1949 at one Rıhtım Caddesi counter near Galataport, Nadir Güllü's pistachio version the canonical Istanbul.
SignatureFıstıklı baklava, Şöbiyet, Kadayıf
Hafız Mustafa 1864 on Hamidiye Caddesi, the original Sultan Abdülaziz-era candy shop at the Eminönü viaduct, now a multi-floor stop for baklava.
SignaturePistachio baklava, Turkish delight, Sütlaç
