See Istanbul Like a Local

I stand close to some of Istanbul’s most revered sights: the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and Aya Sofya. Glorious sights—but I’m compelled to skip them. That’s how I introduce myself to Burcu, my young, chic guide.

I expect her to freak out, reeling off a litany of reasons this is sacrilege, especially for anyone visiting this city of some 14 million people for the first time, as I am. Instead, she says, “Great. I get tired of touring around those sights.” I tell her I want to explore neighborhoods and see where locals go for fun. “Cool. First, we’ll check out the cafe culture,” she says. “Everyone I know has a favorite cafe, where you see the same loyal patrons and discuss politics, books, art and movies.”

Get Chill

In Beyogulu, a district that’s an epicenter of nightlife, Cihangir is a Soho-like cosmopolitan enclave of brightly painted grand facades. Literati flock to swinging clubs, inviting bars, trendy eateries and low-key cafes, such as the White Mill Café (whitemillcafe.com/en/iletisim.aspx), a bi-level locale with a lush courtyard, a feature that’s almost a prerequisite in this city. This and others, such as the retro Café Smyrna, are not places to rush, but rather to linger over a strong cup of Turkish coffee or relax under shade trees.

Burcu leads me on a curious route through an unmarked door in an apartment building, down a steep, shadowy flight of stairs and through a corridor that opens onto a sun-filled garden courtyard with twittering birds and small lemon trees. We are at Limonlu Bahce, a lovely oasis where it’s cool even on this sweltering day. Burcu sips another coffee while I linger over fresh, tart lemonade. No one seems in a hurry to leave, including us.

Eat It Up

Since I don’t intend to forsake all the antiquities in this almost 3,000-year-old city, the next day I walk with Claire, an Istanbul resident and historian, through the conservative neighborhood of Balat, where an old man pushing a cart hawks fresh fish piled atop a mound of ice cubes. Three abaya-draped women with children in tow rush down the street lined with three-story 19th-century wooden dwellings.

We climb onto the old defensive travertine-and-brick city walls and drink in the breathtaking views. “Istanbul was once only referred to as ‘the city’ because of its beauty,” says Claire. (Ah, not so different from my hometown, New York, which we all smugly refer to simply as “the city.”)

Nearby, the Kariye Museum (chora museum.com) has seen many lives—as a church, a mosque and now a museum whose interior surfaces are coated with some of the finest existing Byzantine mosaics and frescoes depicting the life of Jesus. Next door, the restaurant Asitane (asitane restaurant.com), thanks to meticulous research, re-creates imperial recipes from the Ottoman Empire and provides the dates of the original recipes on the menu. Sitting under a white umbrella on the landscaped patio, I order stuffed grape leaves with sour cherries, and a melon stuffed with minced lamb, almonds, rice and pine nuts.

Art Hop

I start the next day by visiting the Istanbul Modern (istanbulmodern.org), a showcase of contemporary and modern works by Turkish artists. Set along the shore of the Bosphorus, this glass and steel edifice is a renovated warehouse where I gravitate toward the impressionist works of Nazmi Ziya Guran, the abstracts of self-taught artist Abidin Dino, and the delicate landscapes of Ilhami Demirci.

My love of nontraditional art is easily satisfied as I amble down meandering alleys and lanes to bohemian Cukurcuma, a neighborhood that borders Cihangir. This haven for artists and antique dealers brims with wonderful galleries, such as Galeri Artist (galeriartist.com/tr), which features the contemporary oeuvre of noteworthy Turkish and international artists.

Nearby, along Istiklal Caddesi, Beyogulu’s bustling pedestrian thoroughfare, even the bank buildings house gallery space. On a side street, I find some unconventional works at Sanatorium, and cool galleries on several floors of the century-old Misir Apartments, where restaurant-bar-club 360 (360istanbul.com) perches on the top floor and offers one of the best panoramic views of the city.

It’s near sunset when I enter another rooftop venue with glorious Bosphorus views: Leb-i derya Kumbaraci (lebiderya.com). Sitting among the young and trendy, I sip a basil martini on an outdoor terrace above the city, looking out over its spindly minarets and domed churches.

Take a Ride

Spending the next morning cruising up the Bosphorus, Burcu and I sip hot tea from tulip glasses as wealth parades past us along the European coast. Burcu rattles off the hip spots. She indicates Warren Beatty stayed at a former palace now known as Cirgan Palace (kempinski.com), and Paris Hilton was spotted at a club called Reina (reina.com.tr). “The Bebek neighborhood is like a mini Manhattan. And this is my favorite brunch spot,” she adds, pointing to Sade Kahve (sadekahve.com). Sunday brunch is an Istanbul institution; friends gather to eat anywhere from 10 to 50 small dishes. “After some brunches, I can’t eat anything the rest of the day,” she declares.

After stopping to walk among the Victorian homes in Yenikoy, the most expensive waterfront neighborhood in Istanbul, we cab it to Bebek. An eye-catching yellow Ferrari is parked outside the stylish Lucca (luccastyle.com) restaurant. Yet, even here, tradition reigns: a nearby shop, Badem Ezmes, sells small, tasty lumps of homemade almond paste.

We continue to Ortaköy—a popular weekend destination for Istanbulites—where a waterside bazaar is chock-full of food stands. Vendors sell giant baked potatoes piled high with red cabbage, peas and other toppings. We lounge on the waterfront and nibble two cig borek, fried pastries stuffed with beef and cheese.

Much later in the bustling Asmalimescit neighborhood tangled with pedestrian lanes, Burcu and I people-watch at one of many al fresco tavernas. After I tell her Istanbul reminds me of the Big Apple, she says, “But our roots allow us to take it slow and enjoy.” She lifts a small glass of raki, an anise-flavored brandy. For Istanbulites, enjoying food and drink with friends is a celebration of life. This is what I’ll take home with me.

Turkish Plates

Two outstanding places to dine:

Sofyali 9 (sofyali.com.tr). You’ll need a reservation to snag one of the coveted outside tables at this meyhane, or Turkish tavern, that sits along a narrow pedestrian lane. The extensive selection of flavorful hot and cold tapas-size dishes (meze) includes dried lentils with green onions, and haddock with red pepper. Pair these with a powerful glass of raki, which you can mix with ice or water.

Poseidon (Cevdet Pas¸a Caddesi 58, Bebek). This alluring restaurant is perfectly positioned along the Bosphorus waterfront in the tony Bebek neighborhood. Considered one of Istanbul’s finest seafood restaurants, Poseidon has prices to match its stellar reputation. Expect a variety of just-off-the-boat fish to be presented at your table. From there, choose the species and size you desire.

Travel Details

Where to Stay

4 Floors Istanbul (4floorsistanbul.com; double rooms starting at $165). Old meets new at this boutique property set in a restored 19th-century building. As soon as you enter, you’ll be struck by the chic ambience. Yet, each stylish suite, one per floor, shows off a color palette and textures that evoke old-world Istanbul. The penthouse apartment in particular provides stunning city and waterside views.

Witt Istanbul (wittistanbul.com; double rooms starting at $308). In the hip Cihangir neighborhood, this 17-suite hotel in a renovated townhouse features an interior designed by star design firm Autoban, which decked out each spacious, modernist room with 21st-century accessories, including Bose iPod docking stations. Once you’ve settled into one of the sleek, apartment-like suites, you might want to have your Turkish breakfast in bed.

More Information

tourismturkey.org

KD Travel & Tourism; kdtours.com

Context Travel; contexttravel.com/city/Istanbul 

Getting There

Nonstop flights five days a week on Turkish Airlines to Istanbul from Washington Dulles International Airport.