Lonely Planet İstanbul Guide

WORTH A DETOUR LITTLE SYRIA

In recent decades, the Laleli and Aksaray neighbourhoods west of the Bazaar District have developed a reputation as the centre of İstanbul’s main red-light district, home to seedy nightclubs, petty crims and sex workers from Eastern Europe. It’s a sad fate for areas where valide sultans (mothers of the reigning sultans) once commissioned ornate imperial mosques. However, these neighbourhoods now possess another, much more interesting claim to fame. For decades Aksaray has been home to a large concentration of immigrants from the southeast of Turkey. These residents opened food stands and restaurants serving dishes popular in their home region, and the streets immediately north of the Aksaray metro station became known as Little Urfa after the city on the Turkish–Syrian border. More recently, nearby neighbourhoods have become a haven for the many Syrian refugees who have fled the troubles in their homeland, and a number of eateries serving Syrian cuisine now enrich the culinary landscape. To hear some of these refugees’ stories and sample Syrian home cooking, consider signing up for a dinnertime visit to Small Projects Istanbul (www.smallprojectsistanbul.org) , an NGO based in the neighbouring suburb of Çapa. The tour is run by Urban Adventures ( % 0535 022 2003; www.urbanadventures.com; tours from €27) and all funds raised go to support services for the refugees. Every adventurous foodie should be sure to eat in this part of town at least once during their time in the city. Head to the streets around Sofular Caddesi and enjoy a sit down Syrian-influenced feast at Hatay Haskral Sofrası ( % 0210-534 9707; www.hatayhaskralsofrasi.com; Ragıb Bey Sokak 25, Aksaray; mezes ₺ 6-25, mains ₺ 22-45; h 9am midnight; j Aksaray) or Akdenıs Hatay Sofrası ( % 0212-444 7247; www.akdenizhataysofrasi.com.tr; Ahmediye Caddesi 44, Aksaray; mezes ₺ 8-10, mains ₺ 20-40; h 9am-midnight; v ; j Aksaray) . Alternatively pop into Şanlı Urfa Zaman ( % 0212-521 2206; Simitçi Şakir Sokak 38, Aksaray; kebaps ₺ 16-22, dürum kebaps ₺ 11-13; j Aksaray) for a ciğer (liver) kebap, Ehli Kebap ( % 0212-631 3700; www.ehlikebap.com.tr; Simitçi Şakır Sokak 32, Aksaray; soups ₺ 5-10, kebaps ₺ 15-20; h 10am-3pm Mon-Sat; j Aksaray) for a delicious and filling bowl of bayran çorbasi (spicy lamb-based soup), or Altın Pide ve Lahmacun (Ragıp Bey Sokak 33, Aksaray; lahmacun ₺ 3-4, pide ₺ 7.50-8.50; h 10am-10pm; j Aksaray) for crispy lahmacun (thin pizza) straight from the traditional tiled oven. As a finale, make the short trek to Salloura Oğlu ( % 0212-542 5661; Turgut Özal Millet Caddesi 60, Fındıkzade; sweets ₺ 5-10; h 10am-10pm; j Haseki) , a historic Aleppo business that moved here from its war-torn home in 2014 and has since built a fanatical local following for its sweet cheese desserts.