Food & Mood Guide

Istanbul’s fine dining scene has grown crowded over the last decade — new tasting menus, new import-heavy wine lists, new rooms competing for the same

Istanbul mornings move slower in Galata. The streets that fill with tourists by midday are quiet at eight, the light lands flat and gold across

Istanbul has more rooftop restaurants than any other city in the eastern Mediterranean, and the number grows every year. On any given evening, a first-time

Galata and Karaköy sit on top of each other on the map but eat almost like two different cities. Galata is the hill — steep

There is a reason Galata appears on almost every Istanbul rooftop list. The neighborhood sits on a hill, faces west toward the old city, and

Some evenings need a setting that does part of the work for you. A first date you want to remember, an anniversary that has weight,

Most visitors give Galata Tower an hour. They climb it, take a photo from the observation deck, and head back toward Istiklal Street or the

Cocktails travel well, but cocktails with a view are harder to get right. The drink has to hold its own next to the room; the

Sunset in Istanbul is a fast moment. The sky behind Süleymaniye turns gold, then copper, then a soft red, and Sunset in Istanbul is a