Beyoğlu Back Streets
Beyond İstiklal Avenue — discover the hidden passages, art galleries, meyhanes and rooftop bars of Beyoğlu, Galata and Cihangir.
Stops (8)
Nevizade Street
The most famous meyhane strip in Istanbul — a narrow lane off Çiçek Pasajı where every building is a restaurant or bar. On Friday and Saturday nights the street fills with drinkers and diners, waiters
Leb-i Derya Richmond
On the 7th floor of a building off İstiklal Caddesi, this much-loved place is friendly, stylish and always buzzing. And oh, the views! Sip a cocktail or cold beer while gazing over to the Asian side a
Istiklal Avenue
Istanbul's beating heart — a 1.4km pedestrian boulevard that runs from Tünel to Taksim, lined with grand 19th-century buildings, hidden churches, smoky meyhanes, and rooftop bars. A nostalgic red tram
Tarihi Degustasyon Ocakbasi
Mehmet Tanrıkulu's Adana kebab and meze paradise in Beyoğlu. The acılı Adana (spicy) is the stuff of legend — charred on the outside, juicy within, with a heat that builds slowly.
Karakoy Lokantasi
The restaurant that helped gentrify Karaköy — modern Turkish cuisine in a restored waterfront building. The lunch menü is a steal, and the zeytinyağlı (olive oil) dishes honour Istanbul's Ottoman vege
Cukur Meyhanesi
Ciğer and hamsi together in one meyhane — a Beyoğlu classic where the liver is charcoal-grilled to perfection and the anchovies come straight from the Black Sea. The rakı flows and the conversation ne
Galata Mevlevi Museum
The oldest Mevlevi dervish lodge in Istanbul, where the whirling ceremony has been performed since the 15th century. The restored semahane (ceremonial hall) displays Mevlevi calligraphy, musical instr
Mikla Restaurant
This is the classiest bar and restaurant in town. Sink into the Alvar Aalto-designed chairs and watch the twinkling lights of Beyoğlu while you sip a wonderfully dry martini or good-quality glass of h