Lonely Planet İstanbul Guide

VEGETARIAN € ZENCEFIL ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; % 0212-243 8234; Kurabiye Sokak 8; soup ₺ 9, mains ₺ 15-21; h 10am-11pm Mon-Sat, noon-10pm Sun; Wv ; m Taksim) We’re not surprised this vegetarian cafe has a loyal following. Its interior is comfortable and stylish, with a glassed courtyard and bright colour scheme, and its food is 100% homemade, fresh and varied. Dishes are either vegetarian or vegan and are available in small and large sizes. There’s a small cover charge for the home-baked bread and herb butter. ‘Zencefil’ means ‘ginger’ in Turkish, and the cafe makes its own ginger beer and ginger ale. You can order wine by the glass and fresh limonata (lemonade) served with vodka. o ANTIOCHIA ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; % 0212-244 0820; www.antiochiaconcept.com; General Yazgan Sokak 3, Tünel; mezes & salads ₺ 13-18, pides ₺ 21-22, kebaps ₺ 24-52; h noon-midnight Mon-Sat; aWc ; j Tünel) Dishes from the southeastern city of Antakya (Hatay) are the speciality here. Cold mezes feature olives and wild herbs, and hot choices include delicious içli köfte (ground lamb and onion with a bulgar coating)and özel peyniri (special fried cheese). Kebaps are exceptional – try the succulent şiş et (grilled lamb). Set dinner meals offer excellent value and there’s a 20% discount at lunch, when pides reign supreme. o ZÜBEYIR OCAKBAŞI ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; % 0212-293 3951; Bekar Sokak 28; mezes ₺ 10, kebaps ₺ 28-38; h noon midnight; aW ; m Taksim) Every morning the chefs at this popular ocakbaşı (grill house) prepare the fresh, top-quality meats – spicy chicken wings and Adana kebaps, flavoursome ribs, pungent liver kebaps and well-marinated lamb şış kebaps – to be grilled over handsome copper-hooded barbecues that night. Their offerings are famous throughout the city, so booking a table is essential. SOUTHEASTERN ANATOLIA €€ KEBAP€€

SOFYALI 9

TURKISH€€