Lonely Planet İstanbul Guide

OTTOMAN €€€ MATBAH ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; % 0212-514 6151; www.matbahrestaurant.com; Ottoman Hotel Imperial, Caferiye Sokak 6/1; mezes ₺ 15-23, mains ₺ 29-61; h noon-10.30pm; Wv ; j Sultanahmet) One of a growing number of İstanbul restaurants specialising in so-called Ottoman palace cuisine, Matbah offers dishes that were devised centuries ago in the royal kitchens of Constantinople. The menu changes with the season and features unusual ingredients such as goose, quail, quince and molasses. Try the sailor’s roll starter (seven cheeses wrapped in filo, fried and drizzled with honey). The setting is attractive; the attentive staff is full of explanations about the historic dishes and there’s live oud music on Friday and Saturday nights in summer. AHIRKAPI BALIKÇISI ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; % 0212-518 4988; Keresteci Hakkı Sokak 46, Cankurtaran; mezes ₺ 5-40, fish ₺ 35-80; h noon-11pm; W ; j Sultanahmet) Join the locals at this tiny and authentically Turkish neighbourhood fish restaurant where a seafood-packed fridge beckons to a quiet cobbled street. Get here early to score a table, especially at dinner. SEAFOOD €€€ slow-cooked in olive oil) with a glass of local wine is a wonderful way to experience authentic Turkish cuisine. The menu can be tailored to suit vegetarians or those with food allergies (call ahead). No children under six years at dinner.