Lonely Planet İstanbul Guide

6 DRINKING & NIGHTLIFE There are hundreds of bars in Beyoğlu, with the major bar strips being Balo, Nevizade, Gönül and Sofyalı Sokaks. As a rule, drinks are much cheaper at street-level venues than at rooftop bars. Note that many of the Beyoğlu clubs close over the warmer months (June to September), when the party crowd moves down to Turkey’s southern coasts. 6 Galata, Tophane & Karaköy o UNTER ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; % 0212-244-5151; www.unter.com.tr; Kara Ali Kaptan Sokak 4, Karaköy; h 9am-midnight Tue-Thu & Sun, to 2am Fri & Sat; W ; j Tophane) This scenester-free zone epitomises the new Karaköy style: it’s glam without trying too hard, and has a vaguely arty vibe. Ground-floor windows open to the street in fine weather, allowing the action to spill outside during busy periods. Good cocktails and decent wine by the glass are major draws, as is the varied food menu (breakfast ₺ 18 to ₺ 32, mains ₺ 27 to ₺ 48). DEM ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; % 0212-293 9792; www.demkarakoy.com; Hoca Tahsin Sokak 17, Karaköy; h 10am-11pm; j Tophane) As far from a traditional çay bahçesi as one can imagine, Dem serves 60 types of freshly brewed tea in fine china cups and with milk on request. A selection of panini, wraps, cakes and scones is also on offer, and everything is served on streetside tables or under the ultra-chic Zettel’z 5 light fitting in the main space. RITIM GALATA ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; % 0212-292 4929; www.ritimgalata.com; Galata Kulesi Sokak 3, Galata; h 11am-11pm, later on Fri & Sat; W ; m Şişhane, j Tünel) BAR TEAHOUSE BAR, CAFE