Lonely Planet İstanbul Guide

lahmacun (thin, meat-topped pizza) followed by any of the kebaps and you’ll leave replete and happy – extremely replete if you finish with the house-made baklava, katmer or künefe . Any place this good is always going to be busy, so make sure you book, and don’t forget to request a rooftop table with a view (outside if the weather is hot). One slight caveat: staff work hard and are clearly encouraged to turn tables over as fast as possible. Don’t expect much personal service, and be prepared for little time between courses. There’s another branch on the rooftop of the Radisson Blu Hotel in Beyoğlu ( MAP ; % 0212-377 2500; http://hamdi.com.tr/en/pera; Radisson Blu Hotel, Refik Saydam Caddesi 19, Tepebaşı; mezes ₺ 11.50-26, kebaps ₺ 28-50; ac ; m Şişhane, L Tünel) . SUR OCAKBAŞI ( % 0212-533 8088; www.surocakbasi.com; İtfaiye Caddesi 27, Fatih; kebaps ₺ 15-30; h 11am-1am; m Vezneciler) Indulge in some peerless people watching while enjoying the grilled meats at this popular place in the Women’s Bazaar. The square is always full of locals shopping or enjoying a gossip, and tourists were a rare sight before Anthony Bourdain filmed a segment of No Reservations here and blew Sur’s cover. There are plenty of options on offer: consider the mixed Sur kebap plate ( ₺ 30), içli köfte (deep-fried lamb and onion meatballs with a bulgur coating, ₺ 4), çiğ köfte (meat pounded with spices and eaten raw, ₺ 10) and lahmacun ( ₺ 5). There’s no alcohol, but there’s homemade ayran .

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