Eating in Istanbul: Two Continents, One City

I slept like a sultan – and I ate like a glutton. The feasting began early (and continued often). 

During my first night at the hotel, I descend to the ground floor, in search of the Michelin-rated and service awarded Tuğra restaurant. Mistakenly wandering into the lobby bar, the friendly maître d’ turns me around. With a set of straightforward directions, she sends me off on a rather enjoyable adventure.

INTO THE PALACE

“Just go down the corridor, to the left, proceed through the gallery, then up to the second floor in the palace,” she says. Except when she pronounces palace, it’s with a bit of inflection. Palace. As if to say, just with the lilt of her voice and a shine in her eyes, that this will be rare and special for me.

And of course, it is. But before I even get there, I dally for a history lesson in the gallery, a long, beautifully lit passageway connecting the two buildings. Glassy displays on both sides illuminate this hotel’s illustrious past. Learning how the building opened its doors in 1871. And that it was home to two different sultans – one of which reigned only 93 days.

Arriving at Tuğra, one of the restaurant’s managers offers his hand, and a suggestion for where I should sit. “I have an idea,” he says, with that same sparkle I had gotten from the maître d’ a few minutes earlier. Leading me out onto the balcony, the glittering lights of two continents and one mighty waterway spread out before me. 

WHERE EUROPE MEETS ASIA

Just there, a suspension bridge connecting Europe and Asia. Up high on the bank, the spires of some great mosque. And so many ships and boats, rolling by, seemingly close enough to touch. The view was spectacular. But it was only a small part of what would be a magnificent meal.

Once home to the Ottoman royal family, Çırağan Palace Kempinski is now breathing new life. A recent redesign has been nothing short of a total reinvention, bringing this Istanbul institution into the future by celebrating its glorious past. In design and architecture, but also culinary treats. And my main reason to be here, in what they call the “city of the world’s desire”? To eat my way across two continents.

Feeling inspired? Check out the hotel’s latest offers. 

THE MAGIC OF THE BOSPHORUS

But first, a note about my accommodation. I can’t write anything more before I comment on just how awe-struck I was during every minute in my dramatic and truly lovely grand deluxe room which had been recently redesigned. Set right on the Bosphorus, the waterway that connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara, everything from classy cruise ships to lumbering cargo vessels to thumping party boats motor by outside, creating a constantly changing panorama. I sit out on the large balcony, every chance I have a spare moment. And from first light to the last moment before bedtime, I keep my curtains wide open, watching the action unfold out there on the water, as if it were one of the best movies I’ve ever seen.

And it is certainly the perfect place to lay my head after a full day of stuffing myself on some of the world’s very finest food. All of my self-directed excursions in this sprawling city of more than 15 million involved some sort of ingestion or imbibing. For example: my ferry ride over to Asia.

A TASTE OF ASIA

Walking from the hotel to nearby Beşiktaş terminal, I hop on the boat and steam across to Kadiköy. Along the way I fend off a slight chill with a warm little glass of Turkish tea (cost: 30 cents), and take in the view, including the spires and domes of the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sofia and Topkapı Palace. Not a typical tourist destination, the labyrinthine lanes of this Anatolian neighbourhood on the other side teem with locals, and I’m almost swept away from the moment I step off on the other side.

Home to a vibrant market, the sights and smells almost overwhelm me immediately. A fruit and vegetable stand overflows with colour. “All from Türkiye!,” the seller proudly pronounces, gesturing to the fresh produce all around him. Another stand sells 30 varieties of olives, and a fishmonger tells me everything he’s selling came out of the waters of the Bosphorus, just last night. At another spot, a man hands me slices of cheese over the counter, and smiles happily when I nod my enthusiastic approval. 

TIME FOR A LATE LUNCH 

I enjoy a late lunch at Çiya Sofrası, one of my favourite restaurants on earth. The World’s 50 Best Restaurants has called their chef and founder, Musa Dağdeviren a “culinary anthropologist,” having gathered recipes from all over Türkiye, and he’s been featured in all sorts of media, everything from The New Yorker and Food + Wine to the TV series, Chef’s Table. 

Despite the odd timing, exactly between lunch and dinner time, almost every table is full. And it’s no wonder. While simple, the fare is fresh and undeniably Turkish, recipes coming from kitchens all over the country. I order a kebab dish, the charcoal taste of the meat perfectly offset by its bed of aubergine, garlic and butter. 

THE EGYPTIAN BAZAAR

My culinary adventures continue over the next several days. Back on the European side, I spend time at the Egyptian Bazaar. While certainly a regular stop on the well-worn tourist track, it is an undeniable foodie destination. Traders have been coming here since way back in 1660.

From the second I step inside, a cacophony of sounds and scents slaps me in the face. It is raining hard outside, and it feels like all Istanbul has gathered under the golden archways of this historic building. I push through the crowds and fend off the many merchants who try to attract passersby into their shops, along the way nibbling on Turkish delight and baklava offered as samples. 

I pop into one spot, and the seller immediately offers me a cup of tea, his own mix of orange, lemon, mint, eucalyptus, perfect for a chilly day. He shows me some of the 400 spice mixes in his little shop – one for kebabs, one for fish, and so on. Plus teas that he promises will cure everything from sleep to stomach issues. “People have been coming here for 400 years,” he says, as an endorsement of his products. 

After a lunch of sliced lamb on a bed of silky eggplant at Pandeli’s, a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant tucked away up a hidden staircase above the bazaar, my culinary adventures continue back at Çırağan Palace Kempinski. I try all the dining venues.

DINNER AT THE PALACE

Light bites with a view at Gazebo, steaming pasta at Bellini, lovely Mediterranean plates at Akdeniz.

But my favourite meal of the trip was that magical night at Tuğra, in the palace, overlooking the Bosphorus. From the start, there’s a sense of occasion. Stylish couples, dressed up. Friends taking photos of one another, as the call to prayer rings out in the background. 

And the food: one of the finest meals I can remember. The dishes come, one after another. Warm sheep’s cheese followed by a mezze platter with hummus and prawns and so many other delicacies, a main course of lamb küşleme, tenderloin of lamb on a bed of beetroot couscous. The meat is perfectly grilled, with a bone marrow sauce sprinkled over top.

MEETING THE CHEF

The Head Chef of Tuğra, Emre İnanır, pops by my table to say hello. Having grown up here in Istanbul, he tells me he’s proud to cook classic Ottoman cuisine. The logo of the restaurant is the sultan’s signature, but he always adds a contemporary twist. “These are local recipes, with a modern touch,” he says. 

The ingredients are local and seasonal. Chef Emre personally visits markets several times a week. “Today, I was up at 4:00,” he explains. “By 6:00, it’s all finished.” I can certainly taste the freshness.

Wandering back through the gallery and up to my room, the boats are still rolling by on the water outside. Full and happy, I take in the view. Then lay my head down, feeling a lot like royalty. 

If you enjoyed this, learn more about the city’s past in Antoine Gauvin’s feature about Istanbul’s palaces.