Rakı, Meze, and the Istanbul Evening

The evening meal in Istanbul shifts across the Bosphorus, away from the familiar image of kebabs and baklava. A proper Turkish dinner, particularly on the European side north of the Golden Horn, often means a meyhane evening: a long table laden with cold and hot meze, fresh fish, and rakı cut with water. This is a social ritual, not a quick stop. In Beyoğlu, the district stretching from Karaköy up to Taksim, the city keeps its evenings. This is where the meyhanes and wine bars operate, offering a wider choice of eating than the more tourist-focused restaurants of Sultanahmet. The rhythm is slow, the conversation steady, and the dishes arrive in succession, designed to be shared over hours.

The meze themselves are the point of entry: small plates of cold salads, vegetable dishes, and dips to begin, followed by hot options such as fried liver or grilled halloumi. These are not merely starters but a substantial part of the meal, setting the pace before the main course of grilled fish arrives. Rakı, the anise-flavoured spirit, is almost always present, served in tall glasses and diluted with water to turn it milky white. It is a drink for company, best enjoyed slowly alongside the food and talk. September is a particularly good month for this, as the heat has come off, and the sea breeze does its work, making the city a comfortable place to sit outside into the evening.

To experience another dimension of Istanbul’s food, cross the Bosphorus to the Asian side. The ferry from Eminönü or Karaköy to Kadıköy takes about twenty minutes and is itself a pleasure, a short journey that shows the city from the water. Kadıköy, and its neighbouring quarter Moda, are where most Istanbullular actually live. This is a busy, lived-in neighbourhood rather than a monumental one. Here, the regional Anatolian cooking that Kadıköy is known for is at its best, a long way from the kebab-and-baklava idea of Turkish food. An evening here reorganises what one might have thought Turkish cuisine was.

The market district in Kadıköy spills across several streets, its produce market and fish stalls busy with locals after dark. This is not a place that empties in the evening; it comes alive. The meze houses here are excellent, catering to local rhythms rather than visitors. For those who prefer a lived-in neighbourhood, Kadıköy or Moda is a sensible base, with rooms often costing less than on the European side. The trade-off is time, as reaching the old-city sights will involve twenty to forty minutes on a boat each way. However, a daily boat crossing becomes part of the appeal, and the ferry back across to the European shore, especially as the sun goes down, is one of the city's finest short journeys.

Wherever one decides to dine, booking a few months ahead for September is advisable, as the month is close to the best for visiting Istanbul. Daytime temperatures settle into the mid-twenties Celsius, and the humidity drops, making walking and boat journeys comfortable. This is a city that makes sense from the water, and the late-afternoon light turns long and low across the strait. To fully appreciate the culinary rhythm, favour a location within a short walk of a ferry pier or a tram or metro stop over one merely close to a monument. This approach allows easy access to both sides of the city and their distinct dining scenes.