Is it worth going all the way to Beykoz for cheese? For Ariste, it really is. Located amidst the line of food shops on Soğuksu Caddesi (and easy to spot thanks to the life-size cow figure out front), Ariste offers over 30 varieties of domestic and imported cheese. Ezine goat, sheep, cow white cheese, mozzarella produced on a farm in Antalya, Roquefort, Manchego, walnut Pecorino – you want it, they’ve almost certainly got it here.
Named after Apollo and Cyrene’s beekeeper, cheesemaker and olive-grower son Aristaeus, this little store is the latest initiative undertaken by a family who’s been dealing in the wholesale trade of cheese for years. If you stop by Ariste during the week, you’ll come across owner Aslı Öngel, who emphasises the point that they don’t sell anything that she wouldn’t feed her son. Take a seat at the table where the Yerlim-brand organic tomato paste, olive paste and other products are on display and order a glass of tea.
In the charcuterie section you’ll find Polonez sucuk (spicy Turkish sausage), prosciutto and salami. At the other end of the store are Azim jams, produced in limited quantity at Karadeniz Ereğli, and honey from Siirt, sitting pretty beside French marmalade St. Dalfour. For those who’d rather try something other than traditional Turkish breakfast fare, they have muesli options, maple syrup and more.
If you happen to live around Beykoz, we have some good news for you: the Ariste Cheese Plate. Tell them what wine you’ll be drinking and they’ll quickly prepare a stylish platter of appropriate cheeses, saving you from shopping and preparation.