7 Mehmet

One of the oldest and most important names in Antalya’s food scene, 7 Mehmet is now in Istanbul too, right on the water at Tersane İstanbul.

The story began in Antalya in 1937, and 7 Mehmet has been a family tradition for three generations since. For years it has served the local dishes of Antalya, seasonal produce and the classics of Turkish cooking, all in a style of its own.

The greatest advantage of the new Istanbul address is surely its setting. At Tersane İstanbul, where the historic shipyards of the Golden Horn have been brought back to life, eating at the very edge of the water with the Haliç in front of you is a pleasure in itself. In the evening especially, the lights on the water and on the far shore give the place a beauty all its own.

The real strength of 7 Mehmet, though, is the breadth of its kitchen. From olive-oil dishes to mezes, from the regional specialities of Antalya to the day’s fish, from seafood to meat dishes, from pilafs to traditional desserts, the selection is wide. You do not come here for two or three signature plates; you find many different sides of Turkish cooking in one place.

The approach leans less on showy plating and more on good ingredients, correct cooking and flavours built up over many years. Traditional recipes are kept intact, while the presentation keeps pace with how restaurants look today.

Tersane 7 Mehmet brings a strong culinary inheritance from Antalya together with one of the loveliest waterfront settings in Istanbul. Between the view and the range of the menu, it is a fine address for a long, unhurried table.

We had heard complaints about the service, as the place has only just opened, but we left perfectly happy. Tersane has turned out pleasant and smart. Our one criticism is the covered car park, which is very limited and badly organised — getting there without a car is hard, and you end up having to leave yours with the valet.