ISTANBUL CITY GUIDE / WHAT & WHERE TO EAT?

There's lots of things you can do when in Istanbul (read all about it here), but the main thing is food. Yep, it's a fact! Turkish people love to eat and the tourists follow this custom with love (at least I do). For example, breakfast seems to be a very big deal in here. On every corner on every street, in every district and at every time you can find cute little restaurants and good street food. It can be hard finding your way through this excess of yumminess (or should I say food heaven?!). So here's my second Istanbul city guide on... What and where to eat! 

Mado, Kocatepe Mh. 34437 - if you'd ask me, this is the best place to eat the very sweet and famous baklava. This typical Turkish delight is rolled in phyllo dough and filled with walnut or pistachio nuts. Oh lord! 

Turkish delight - talking about Turkish delight... Just find a supermarket nearby and get yourself a box of these sugar sweets (also nice to buy as a gift)! 

Fish Sandwich Boat, Galata Köprüsü - everyday fishermen bring their catch from the Bosphorus to the Galata Bridge. They cook the fresh fish and offer it for sale and ready-to-eat right on the boat! They shout 'Balık ekmek! Balık ekmek!', which simply means fish in bread. It's delicious (and it'll only cost you like 2 euros)!
Wonderland Cafe, Rumeli Hisarı Mh. 34470 - a good place to have a cheap and very tasty salad and a glass of lemonade. Seriously, they serve your lemonade in a mason jar including a happy straw. I spent like 8 euros for a main course (meat in yogurt and grilled veggies), extra chips and one drink. Super cheap, right? By the way, in Turkey an ordinary lemonade is usually a mix of citrus, orange juice, sugar and fresh mint... My new favorite drink! 

OTTO, Sofyalı Sokak 22 - this is where you'll eat the biggest breakfast you've ever eaten! Expect olives, eggs, sausages, different kinds of cheeses, spinach rolls, chocolate, bread, fried tomatoes, cheese sticks, grilled aubergine and much much much more... As you can imagine, no need to take lunch afterwards!

Turkish stuffed mussels - believe it or not, but in Istanbul it's a tradition to eat mussels after a good night out. In front of almost every night club you'll find a so-called musselman. The mussels are stuffed with rice and lemon. Yep, it's a bit strange, but quite tasty as well (even though it was 4 in the morning...). One mussel is 1 lira, so 35 cents. 

Roasted chestnuts - there are lots of chestnuts vendors out in the streets of Istanbul. They hold a special place in Turkish cuisine, although I didn't like it so much... 

Setüstü Çay Bahçesi, Cankurtaran Mh. 34122 - this tea garden is not only very famous for it's tasty Turkish tea, but also for it's beau-ti-ful view! I mean, look at the last photo and judge for yourself. A little detail: the only way to get here is to walk through the fairy-like Gülhane Park.

Street waffles, Ortaköy - Ortaköy is the king of waffles! Turkish waffles are fresh and made-to-order with your choice of (often unlimited) sweet sauces, fruit toppings, chocolate and nuts. But there's more...The waffles are finished with sprinkles. Hallelujah! Don't eat it as a snack though! It feels more like a supper...