A'jia's remote location - a boutique hotel in a converted yalı on the shores of the Bosphorus - is actually an advantage. Far from the hustle of the city centre, the waterfront...

Though it's a European-style bistro, Amedros also does good Ottoman dishes. The house special is testi kebabı, lamb roasted with vegetables in a sealed clay pot that is cracked...

It may be a trek to Edirnekapı, but it's worth it for this one-of-a-kind restaurant, in the eponymous hotel next door, specialising in authentic Ottoman food. Authentic means...

Once you get past that name - the Turkish word for 'love' drawn out into a lisping 'aşşk' - this place has a lot to recommend it. To find it, follow the unmarked staircase down...

This bowling café is one of the most popular among young people in Istanbul. There are also pool tables, and a café serving fast food and snacks.

A modest, single-room venue just off Tünel Square, Badehane began as an eaterie, but quickly evolved into one of the most popular bars in town. Smarter after a recent...

Most visitors staying around Sultanahmet head to Kumkapı for fish, unaware that there's a far better option on their doorstep. In fact, Balıkçı Sabahattin is one of the few...

With spectacular views of the original Bosphorus bridge and floodlit Ortaköy mosque, Banyan comes into its own on summer nights, and enjoys a far superior location to its...

With its bright colours, velvet furnishings and an eye-catching floor piece of a nude young Norma Jean Baker, 5.Kat boasts one of the city's most striking interiors. As its...

his relative newcomer is giving its upmarket neighbours a run for their money. Dinner will set you back about YTL90-YTL120. Try a frozen watermelon cocktail (YTL25) on the...

Most meyhanes have two or three floors of indoor dining, sometimes with a roof terrace. They don't differ much in terms of food and prices, but everyone has their favourites....

This brasserie succeeds in recreating the French bohemian vibe with its dark, mirrored interior, high ceilings offset by a huge chandelier, and posters for local events...

Fans of colonial watering holes tend to head for the bar at the Pera Palas Hotel (currently closed for renovations); that's because they don't know about the Büyük Londra....