Beyoğlu

On the esnaf lokantası side, Mahkeme Lokantası in Perşembe Pazarı has never let us down with its daily menu. Galata Kitchen on Tatarbeyi sokak is here for its olive-oil dishes, and Hayvore, just off İstiklal, for over ten years of Black Sea cooking.

The long-standing ones: Ayaspaşa Rus Lokantası, receiving guests in Gümüşsuyu since 1943; Ozzie's 1968 Kokoreç, a family tradition going back to 1968 and known as the kokoreç place you book ahead for; and Antiochia Concept, cooking the food of Antakya since 2008.

If you want a view: Madam Niça, on the terrace floor of the Artisan hotel in Gümüşsuyu, with 270 degrees of Bosphorus and Marmara; Beatrice, on the terrace of Adahan Pera in Asmalımescit, looking at the old city and the Golden Horn; and Los Altos, Mexican, on a terrace floor next to Galatasaray Lisesi.

On the East Asian side there is Hona, the tiny omakase of 23-year-old chef Ansar in Cihangir, Koali in Galata for Indonesian food, and Çokçok Thai from the Michelin list. For fine dining, Aheste in Asmalımescit; for Italian, Il Cortile in Galata and Cecconi's inside Soho House. And if you still have room for something sweet, İNCİ Pastanesi.