On Peykhane, one of the streets running off Divan Yolu and about ten minutes' walk from Cemberlitas. Unassuming, bright diner, with excellent, cheap meals (pide, kebab, salad, soup), no hassle or hustling, friendly staff, and the best fresh bread we tasted in the whole city. 12-20 liras for two. Convenient for Sultanahmet hotels but out of the tourist beargarden.

Karadeniz kebab, Peykhane

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I think it is the best restaurant in Istanbul. Wonderful atmosphere with friendly service. I was very impressed with the menu and excellent quality of the food. Some dishes are exclusive to the restaurant. The Destiny Special is a delightful combination of tender beefsteak with a cream and mushroom sauce, served with a cinnamon cabbage in red wine sauce. Also recommended is the Destiny cake made with spinach - it melted in the mouth and tasted just of vanilla and cream. Don't be put off by the green colour! Definitely worth a visit. Reasonably priced too.

Bereket Mah. Haci Ali Sok. No. 11/A, Galata-Byoglu, Istanbul. Can be found by walking down from Galata Tower or by climbing up the steps by the Oyak Bank near the tramway in Karakoy.

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This is a new restaurant which is known as the best seafood restaurant in Sultanahmet. The food is outstanding, you should ask the staff for the special of the day.

The restaurant is on the shore of Marmara Sea with a view of Turkish islands. The "Boukoleon" name comes from the 5th century. There used to be a "Boukoleon Palace" standing right where you sit.

Now you can easily see the archeeological heritage of the old time palace. If you are interested in history, looking for a nice Istanbul view and also outstanding food, I would highly recommend you go to this restaurant.

www.boukoloen.com
Hagia Sofia, Sultanahmet, Istanbul
90212 6387148

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In the basement of the Kariye Hotel, spilling into the secluded garden. It is not cheap, but it is a perfect, civilised place for lunch before/after visiting the delights of the Kariye Mosque (St Saviour Church) museum and a modest lunch of mezze will not cost you a fortune.

Kariye Camii Sok 18
tel 0212/534 8414

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Sutis was recommended by the owner of the Cagaloglu Hamam (Turkish bath) in the Sultanahmet area. We were expecting a tourist trap, but loads of locals eat there - always a good sign.

Prices are insanely low for the area and you can definitely find something for under six lira. We tried the tavuk durum for 3.75ytl - chicken, fresh vegetables and fries in a thin flatbread. It was the best thing we'd eaten in Istanbul!

Paket Servisi Saatlerimi - just up the road from Cagaloglu Hamam, towards the Grand Bazaar.

Tel: 512 01 61 - 522 02 54

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This place specializes only on one very classical and Traditional dessert called "Kunefe".

I can confidently say that this is the best place to try this beautiful speciality if you are interested in traditional Turkish cuisine.

It is in Beyoglu. Address: 9/A Suslu Saksi Sk. Tel: 0212 251 82 74. From Taksim, you can walk down on Istiklal Street, it is on one of the small streets on the left had side.

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If you would like to visit the Anatolian side of Istanbul, you should definitely go and eat in this small, independent, local restaurant in Baglarbasi. Its name is "Baglarbasi Iskender" just on the main road in Baglarbasi.

Portions are huge and very reasonably priced, the owner is back in the kitchen, preparing the most delicious doner kebab and other wonders.

Take a "Dolmus" from Kadikoy Rihtim to "Baglarbasi" and get off in Baglarbasi
Tel: +90 216 310 62 80

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This tower's history goes back to 340 BC. It is in the middle of Bosphorus, and it has recently been renovated. It has 5 floors, top floor being the bar, and you get a free soft drink here, which is included in your ticket from the shore.

You can get the best scenery for the Bosphorus from this floor. Don't forget you are in the middle of Asia and Europe here. Ground floor is a very good restaurant, although prices are above the Turkish average, you're guaranteed to have good food here.

www.kizkulesi.com.tr/en/collection/default.asp


There are frequent boats from Uskudar, Salacak, it takes aroung3 minutes, but you can also take the boat from Ortakoy (though as not frequent as from Uskudar)

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This restaurant, open only for lunch, is one of the loveliest in Istanbul.

It is situated inside the northern wall of the Spice Bazaar, and is entered via a stone stairway just inside the gate.

Remarkably quiet, decorated with lovely Iznik tiles, Pandeli is famous for its vegetables, and though it is always said that the food is not as good as it was in its fabulous heyday, one can still find subtle evocations of Ottoman cuisine.

Sample the meze, try the hünkar beğendi. A wonderfully civilised place in which to pass part of an afternoon.

Spice bazaar, inside the gate facing the water.

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Freshly-caught fried fish, sandwiched between crusty bread, onion optional. Eat it while sitting at infant-sized tables facing the Golden Horn. Costs less than a pound, tastes great.

Get off the tram at Karaköy, turn around with Sultanahmet behind you, cross the road, walk past the fish market and jetty until you come to tables and chairs set out on the grass. Sit down and wait for the server to notice you.

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A chocolatiere. They have been making the best profiterole to my knowledge since 1923. The owner claims that he took the original recipe from either Paris or Vienna, and modified it. For anyone who cares for chocolate, it is a real treat.

Enter Istiklal Caddesi, aka Beyoglu, from Taksim. It will be on your right, after the French Consulate and some stores. It is a hole in the wall but any local will be happy to point it

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Interesting authentic recipes from the Ottoman period - located next to St Chora (must see Byzantine mosaics and frescos).

Kariye Camii Sokak No 18
Edirnekapı Istanbul Türkiye;
tel: 212 635 7997;
fax: 212 521 6631;
www.asitanerestaurant.com
www.kariyeotel.com/
Email: info@kariyeotel.com

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Situated in a peaceful, quite courtyard very close to Divan Yolu, Yerebatan Sarayi and Aya Sofya this is a perfect place to stop for lunch or a drink.

The medresseh itself houses workshops and exhibition rooms highlighting traditional Turkish crafts such as calligraphy, ceramics, jewellery and so on which you can look round either before or after your meal.

The food was well prepared and very tasty and our kick-boxing, friendly and attentive waiter was great!

The menu reflects more of a cafe than a restaurant feel with dishes such as lamb meatballs served with chilli and spaghetti and scrambled eggs with tomatoes and chilli

Caferiye Sokak., Sogukkuyu Cikmazi No 1
Quite easy to miss but is signposted from Caferiye Sokak

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