Food
1 min read
When Mushrooms Release Water in the Pan
Leah Colins’s method starts with steam under a lid, then uncovers the pan for browning. The released liquid marks a transition, rather than a ruined sauté.
Read storyEditorial
Istanbul Stories
In-depth guides, local perspectives, and editorial stories on Istanbul's food, culture, and neighborhoods.
16
stories
Food
2 min read
When to Add Tomatoes or Vinegar to Dried Beans
Waiting until beans are fully cooked is a cautious approach. A study of cooking in acidulated water supports the concern, but did not test when to add tomatoes or vinegar.
Read story
Seasonal
6 min read
Terrace Season: Istanbul Opens Its Rooftops to Spring
When the terraces reopen in April, Istanbul recovers an entire dimension of itself that has been dormant since November, and the first outdoor meal of the year becomes a city-wide ritual.
Read story
Neighborhood
7 min read
Karaköy to Galataport: A Neighborhood in Motion
The stretch from Karaköy's old hardware stores to Galataport's polished waterfront tells the story of a neighborhood caught between its industrial past and its aspirational future, and eating well in both directions.
Read story
Culture
6 min read
Ramazan and the Iftar Tables of Istanbul
The holy month transforms Istanbul into something it is not for the other eleven: a city that eats together, at the same moment, with a shared sense of patience and gratitude that no other season can replicate.
Read story
Food
6 min read
The Art of the Istanbul Date Night
Istanbul's geography, the water, the hills, the light that changes by the hour, creates a city that is inherently, almost structurally romantic. The question is not whether to have a great evening, but how to arrange one worthy of the setting.
Read story
Food
7 min read
The New Guard: Istanbul's Next Generation of Restaurants
A generation of young Turkish chefs, trained in Copenhagen, London, and New York, is returning to Istanbul with global technique and Anatolian memory. What they are building looks nothing like what came before.
Read story
Seasonal
6 min read
Winter Tables: How Cold Weather Transforms Istanbul Dining
When the temperature drops and the Bosphorus winds sharpen, Istanbul's restaurants undergo a quiet transformation, from open terraces and sun-soaked lunches to steamed windows, slow braises, and the particular warmth of a meyhane in January.
Read story
Food
6 min read
Where Istanbul Chefs Eat on Their Day Off
When Istanbul's top chefs step out of their own kitchens, they gravitate toward a handful of places that the rest of the city barely knows exist.
Read story
Neighborhood
5 min read
The Hidden Courtyards of Beyoğlu
Behind Beyoğlu's busiest facades lie a series of courtyards, passages, and inner streets that reward those willing to step off Istiklal.
Read story
Food
7 min read
A First-Timer's 3-Day Istanbul Food Itinerary
Three days is enough time to understand Istanbul's food culture, if you structure it correctly and resist the urge to eat everywhere at once.
Read story
Culture
5 min read
What to Order at a Turkish Meyhane
The meyhane is one of Istanbul's great social institutions. Knowing how to navigate one, what to order, how to pace yourself, what the rituals mean, transforms the meal entirely.
Read story
Nightlife
6 min read
Istanbul After Midnight: The Best Late-Night Spots
Istanbul doesn't slow down after midnight, it shifts registers. The restaurants that fill at eight empty by eleven; the places that matter after midnight are a different proposition entirely.
Read story
Neighborhood
7 min read
Bosphorus Views: The Ultimate Waterfront Guide
The Bosphorus strait is Istanbul's defining geographic feature and its most competitive restaurant address. Here's how to find the view without sacrificing the meal.
Read story
Food
6 min read
Nişantaşı's Boutique Dining Scene
Istanbul's most fashionable neighborhood has evolved far beyond its reputation as a shopping district. Today, Nişantaşı holds some of the city's most ambitious and quietly confident restaurants.
Read story Nightlife
5 min read
Istanbul's Rooftop Bars: A Guide for Every Budget
Few cities in the world offer rooftop views that can match Istanbul's. From the Michelin-star heights of Mikla to the neighborhood bars of Karaköy, here is where to go up.
Read story