istanbul

On a visit to Istanbul, it’ s mandatory to have a drawn-out, relaxing yet stimulating dinner at a meyhane( tavern), while enjoying several meze alongside rakı. My favorite is Müsterek, in the bustling Beyoglu district. Müsterek serves incredible meze that’ s affordably priced, the service is friendly and sincere, and the crowd is cosmopolitan.

images: getty; stockfood

Persian, while saslık, a Turkic word, refers to the grilled skewers of meat popular throughout the former Soviet Union, where there are large populations of numerous Turkic ethnic groups. Outside of Türkiye, the first thing that comes to the minds of many when the subject of kebab is broached is döner, which originates from the Turkish verb‘ dönmek’, meaning to turn or revolve. Its Arab counterpart shawarma also comes from a Turkish verb‘ çevirmek’, meaning to turn over or rotate. Other cousins include Greece’ s gyro and Mexico’ s tacos al pastor.

DÖNER THE MOST ICONIC KEBAB?

“ Döner is technically a type of kebab, but it’ s a category on its own. If you’ re going to eat döner as a quick bite and you know what you’ re doing, you have various favorite döner places in different neighborhoods around town,” says Cemre.“ In Istanbul, you also eat döner at restaurants, making sure to go early in the day, lest they run out. Another distinction is the usta( master).

A döner master is different from the ocakbası or kebap master.”

Indeed, the döner you encounter in Istanbul and elsewhere in Türkiye is much different than what you’ ll find in Germany or other parts of Europe, where large Turkish communities have made it one of the most popular fast-food items. The döner in Türkiye, known as yaprak döner, is made with fresh filets of beef and lamb that are assembled by hand to form a meat tower of sorts. After, the cuts are marinated for up to 48 hours, then slowly cooked while rotating, then cut and served on a plate over buttery rice or as a sandwich with sliced tomatoes and pickles, with no sauce. The European version is often composed of frozen, processed ground meat logs that come wrapped in plastic before being loaded onto the spit. Since the meat isn’ t of the highest quality, it’ s topped with numerous vegetables and up to three different aioli-style sauces, which has become the norm in Germany but is still anathema in Türkiye.

The aforementioned Mahir Lokantası has excellent kebabs, but lahmacun, often misleadingly referred to as Turkish pizza, is a must-try. The popular dish is an oven-baked flatbread topped with a high-quality mix of ground beef and lamb infused with spices. It’ s then topped with onions, lettuce, purple cabbage, parsley and a squeeze of lemon before being rolled up into a wrap.

For those not shy of organ meat, kokoreç( grilled lamb intestines) is among Türkiye’ s most treasured street snacks. Ozzie’ s perhaps makes the best version of this dish, due to owner Oguzhan’ s careful selection and preparation of the finest ingredients, which he secretly sources. Reservations required.

In Türkiye, çorba( soup) can be eaten morning, noon and night. Deniz Lokantası in the Kasımpasa neighborhood is open 24 / 7 and offers more than a dozen delicious soups. People from all walks of life come in at all hours. A firm favorite is tavuklu yarma, a hearty chicken soup with wheat berries that pairs perfectly with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.

winter 2025 • 51