The Oldest Restaurants of Istanbul

Lokanta (Turkish saying of Restaurant) derives from the Italian word 'Locanda' in Italian. It means an eating house where there are also rooms for accommodation. In actual fact, 'Locanda' which means 'Han (means ^'inn^ in English in the Ottoman culture, firstly used to mean the eating place of artisans and those working in that area.

The culture of a restaurant in Istanbul dates from old times. Ther are many classical places that have been standing so far and capture the attention of locals and tourists. For this issue, we have covered the city's oldest restaurants that have made quite an impact on the socio-cultural life of Istanbul, are frequented by a considerable amount of visitors, preserve their palatal traditions and continue the Ottoman - Turkish food culture.

YANYALI FEHMI LOKANTASI

Even though Kadıköy, one of the important districts of Istanbul's Asian side, hosts quite good new destination flavors today, it is the address of eating-drinking brands cited with Istanbul and dates back to the distant past. The oldest one of them is Yanyalı Fehmi Lokantası, dating from 1919. 

Yanyalı Fehmi Lokantasi situated in the location of Kadköy's Çarşı was opened by Fehmi Sönmezler, who is the member of an immigrant family from Greece's Ioannina region in 1919. Greatly based on the Ottoman-Turkish cuisine, the restaurant is lovingly run by its third generation members with the original recipes handed over by their ancestors. It is  especially famous for its main course, Yanya köfte (Yanya meatball) and also Çerkez- Paşa- Kağıt and İslim kebabs, şehriyeli kuzu güveç (vermicelli lamb stew) kadınbudu köfte (an Ottoman dish made from battered meatballs with rice dipped) hünkar beğendi (an Ottoman dish made from smoked and spiced eggplant with sauteed meat) kuzu çevirme (spit roasted lamb) mercimekli börek (lentill rolling pastry) Özbek pilavı (Uzbek pilaf) safranlı pilav (saffron rice) yer elması (Jerusalem artichoke) and portakallı kereviz ( celery with orange), Elbasan tava (an Albanian dish of lamb and rice baked with a mixture of yogurt and eggs to a roux), beyin tava (fried lamb's brain) and Acem tavuğu ( a Persian dish made of chicken yogurt rice spice nad eggs) also for its desserts such as irmik helvası (semolina halva)  aşure (Noah's pudding, peynir tatlısı ( semolina dessert with fresh cheese), şekerpare (a butter cookie soaked in syrup), saray tatlısı (a cookie with hazelnut soaked in syrup), badem tatlısı (almond dessert), höşmerim (a kind of turkish cheese halva), un helvaası (flour halva), and zerde (a Turkish desert) 

HACI ABDULLAH LOKANTASI

The Ottoman cuisine was a kitchen having culinary delights so pretty good to be included in the literature of the world cuisine, Istanbul's leading restaurant cooking the Ottoman dishes deservedly is Hacı Abdullah Lokantasi, serving in Beyoğlu as a brand of Istanbul since 1888. On the side street of Istiklal Caddesi, Atıf Yılma Caddesi, Hacı Abdullah Lokantasi has been serving with its fourth-generation members under the leadership of the third generation founders Hacı Abdullah Korun and co-founders Hacı Mehmet Gülen, Hacı Rasim Akcan, and Hacı Fahri Gündüz.

Hacı Abdullah Lokantasi has been preparing its menu with its original recipes since 1888. it serves a reach menu such as perde pilavı (rice with chicken, onion, and peanuts enveloped in a thin layer of dough, topped with almonds) ciğer sarma (stuffed lamb's liver wrapped in bacon), tas kebabı (Turkish meat stew), kuzu dolması (stuffed and roasted lamb), and olive oil dishes, komposto (cold stewed fruit), ayva tatlısı (quince dessert), keşkülü fukara (an almond-based milk pudding), and ekmek kadayıfı (pudding made of bread and clotted cream), Frequented by foreign tourists, Hacı Abdullah Lokantası is the address of a flavor tradition with its original recipe and permanent quality. 

KANAAT LOKANTASI

When it comes to Üsküdar, we bear one of the eating customs in mind, Kanaat Lokantasi. It was opened by the Albanian Kargılı Family, immigrating to Istanbul due to the Balkan Wars in 1933, in Üsküdar. the restaurant that moved to another location in Üsküdar in 1955 has been run by the third_generation representatives since then.

Kanaat Lokantasi is one of Istanbul's eating-drinking classics. There are lots of delicious dishes prepared with their original recipes on their menu. Especially beğendili kebap 8kebab with eggplant puree), tandır kebabı (tandoori kebab), kuzu Kapama (a shoulder of lamb stewed vegetable spices), Orman kebabı (lamb stew with mixed vegetables) kuzu ciğer dolma (lamb's liver with rice and spices), kadınbudu köfte (an Ottoman dish made battered meatballs with rice dipped), çoban kavurma (meat cubes with mixed vegetables), Elbasan Tava (an Albanian dish of lamb and rice baked with a mixture of yogurt and eggs to a roux), sac kavurma (sauteed lamb spiced lamb), hindi dolma (roast turkey with herbed stuffed), etli kurufasulye (white bean stewed with meat), You should taste especially beğendili döner (döner with eggplant puree), Uzbek pilaf and j-kestaneli tekkeKanaat Lkoantasi is one of the one the special pots of the city.  pilavı (pilaf with chestnuts) are the must-eat flavors of Kanaat. From olive oil dishes imambayıldı (eggplant stuffed with onion garlic and tomatoes), From desserts irmik helvası (semolina halva), ekmek kadayıfı (pudding made of bread and clotted cream), keşkül (an almond-based milk pudding), are the indispensable recipes. 

BANKALAR LOKANTASI

One of the most important tourism districts of Istanbul, Beyoğlu, where its historical neighborhoods, Galata and Karaköy are located, was the region of the banks and bankers from the Ottoman time untill the first 50 years of the Republic of Turkey. Bankalar Lokantasi named 'Voyvodo' formerly, takes its present name from Bankalar Caddesi, (the street of banks) Bankalar Lokantasi was started up by an Armenian citizen of us, Gasper Yazıcı, in 1947. The restaurant run by Artin Biçmen in 1960 was taken over by Recep Karacan ,n 1987. Today Recep Karacan's sons Rüstem and Serdal Karacan run the restaurant with the same studios' attention. The original recipes of te year 1947 are still prepared in the place. The restaurant functioning as a stamping ground of some important bank managers and employers due to its location in the region of banks during its start days is one of Istanbul's unique restaurants.

Bankalar Lokantası offers service only by midday. The restaurant changes its menu every day and has been making an Armenian desert called Havidz and spinach puree especially on Fridays for years. In the restaurant kadınbudu köfte (an Ottoman dish made from battered meatballs with rice dipped), karnıyarık (eggplant stuffedd with a mix of auteed chopped onions, garlic, black pepper, tomatoes, optional green pepper, parsley and ground meat), pilaki, grilled dishes, olive oil an stewed dishes, and also various meat and vegetable dishes and types of soup are special flavors

PANDELİ LOKANTASI

It is a must to give Pandeli Lokantası, covered in the previous issue, a coverage again on the page in which Istanbul's oldest restaurants are covered. The restaurant established by Pandeli Çobanoğlu in 1901 is on the second floor at the entrance of Historical Spice Bazaar which is a tourism classic of Istanbul. The restaurant captures the attention of locals and tourists thanks to its decoration and delicious food. The most special dishes in the restaurant are hünkar beğendi (an Ottoman dish made from smoked and spiced eggplant with sauteed meat), kuzu incik (roasted lamb thigh), and sour cherry trit prepared by soaking broken up stale bread in a broth prepared from offal, the resulting mixture then being seasoned with sour cherry, ground pepper, and onion),