What to eat à ISTANBUL? culinary specialties and gastronomy
Discover ISTANBUL : (entdossierthema):titre
(entdossierthema):chapo_introductifEnjoying yourself à ISTANBUL
Timetable à ISTANBUL
In Turkey, except during Ramadan, and especially in Istanbul, there are no fixed times for eating: you eat when you are hungry. Most restaurants offer continuous service. On weekends, some places serve breakfast until 1:30 pm.
Budget & Tips à ISTANBUL
It is easy to find good and inexpensive restaurants, however avoid the overly touristy areas such as Sultanahmet and under the Galata Bridge, where prices are much higher. If you plan to eat local, opt for the smaller, more crowded restaurants. If you have to wait a while, at least you can be sure that the crowds will ensure a good flow and therefore a real freshness of the food. Restaurants accept payment by card and cash, but not by check.
What costs extra à ISTANBUL
The bill arrives either in a small booklet or in a box, and taxes are included in the price. It is common to leave a tip, 5 to 10% of the bill depending on your appreciation of the service. Tap water is not drinkable, so you have to pay for bottled mineral water, and bread is free unless it is in plastic packaging (this is sometimes the case in canteens). In meyhane (place where you drink rakı) and fish restaurants, you pay extra for cutlery, as it will be changed several times during the dinner.
The local way à ISTANBUL
In restaurants, the service has the particularity to be fast. It is not uncommon that as you swallow your last bite, your plate is taken away on the spot! The same goes for drinks: before you've even taken your last sip, the waiter takes the glass and offers another one. Don't hesitate to tell the waiter to wait before removing your plate or glass if this bothers you. In some establishments, especially in fish restaurants, you may be offered cologne to freshen your hands before leaving.
Smokers à ISTANBUL
Since 2010, smoking is prohibited in enclosed public places. However, some bars and restaurants (especially those that offer alcohol) allow their customers to smoke after a certain time.
Tourist traps à ISTANBUL
In the tourist areas, you will be besieged by pushers who are sometimes too insistent: avoid following them!
Take a break à ISTANBUL
Timetable à ISTANBUL
Bars and cafes are generally open all day and every day, but some pubs or cocktail bars only open around 4pm. Often, at the end of the day, after work or on weekends, Istanbulites go out for a drink.
Budget & Tips à ISTANBUL
Prices vary depending on the neighborhood. In Nişantaşı or on the banks of the Bosphorus, they will be higher. Taxes are included in the price, and you can leave a tip (5-10% of the bill) if you enjoyed the service. Bars and pubs accept payment by card or cash. However, small neighborhood cafes or çay bahçesi (tea gardens) usually only accept cash.
What's very local à ISTANBUL
In small cafes and tea houses, alcohol is not usually served, but narghile smoking is allowed. If you want to smoke narghile, before you start, make sure to place the mouthpiece provided in a plastic wrapper on the pipe.
Tourist traps à ISTANBUL
Run away from pushy touts, especially in Nevizade street.
