Reviews | ComaBeba EU

Spago – Istanbul

by Ollie O | Dec 8, 2021 | Best Upscale, Istanbul Full Review, Reviews

International celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant, Spago, recently opened in the St Regis Hotel in Nişantaşı, making it only the second upscale international restaurant in the city. The décor, menu, service, and execution of the menu are underwhelming, especially considering the hefty price tag of the menu items by local standards. Consumers apparently agree. It only garners 4.2 stars on Google Reviews. Still it’s one of only a handful of restaurants in the city that claim to be “upscale”.

Restaurant 24 – Georges Hotel – Istanbul

by Ollie O | Dec 8, 2021 | Best Breakfasts, Best Traditional, Best Upscale, Istanbul Full Review, Reviews

Restaurant 24 is the rooftop restaurant of a small boutique hotel near to Galata Tower. The menu elevates Turkish dishes and ingredients to gourmet level. The décor is upscale. The service staff friendly and efficient. Great spot for a romantic evening meal overlooking the Bosporus. Also a great place for an early morning breakfast, opening at 8:00 am and offering both a Turkish breakfast spread or scrambled eggs for the less adventurous.

Cafe Firuz

by Ollie O | Dec 8, 2021 | Best Breakfasts, Best Burgers, Best of Pages, Istanbul Full Review, Reviews

Café Firuz is the only restaurant making our short list of published reviews in Istanbul’s Cihanger neighborhood. The restaurant opens at 8:00 am, offering a customary Turkish breakfast or your choice of several western breakfast favorites, including omelets, French toast, and crêpes. Also one of the best places in the city for western pop-culture items, from burgers to pizza.

Develi – Istanbul

by Ollie O | Dec 8, 2021 | Best Traditional, Istanbul Full Review, Reviews

Restaurant chain Develi, with a dozen restaurants located throughout Turkey, mostly in affluent suburbs, has built the city’s most successful restaurant dynasty. Develi has made its mark by serving traditional Turkish cuisine in an upscale ambience, albeit one that’s a bit tacky and gaudy by western standards. The only location of relevance to the city’s foreign visitors is the location in Nişantaşı, in close proximity to several international hotels. The food is good. Service is acceptable but not very amiable.

Lokanta 1741 – Istanbul

by Ollie O | Dec 7, 2021 | Best Traditional, Best Upscale, Istanbul Full Review, Reviews, Top 10 in City

Located in the same building as one of Istanbul’s most prestigious Turkish spas, Lokanta 1741 is perhaps the most upscale and sophisticated of all the restaurants in the city offering traditional Turkish cuisine. Although there is indoor dining, the outdoor terrace with impressive lighting highlighting the ancient surrounding buildings is more popular with diners. The restaurant offers a multicourse tasting menu offering diners the ability to sample a wide variety of the chef’s creations.

Nişantaşı Başköşe – Istanbul

by Ollie O | Dec 7, 2021 | Best Traditional, Istanbul Full Review, Reviews, Top 10 in City

Located within walking distance of several of the city’s top hotels, Nişantaşı Başköşe offers traditional Turkish cuisine in a contemporary setting with slate gray walls, black leather upholstered benches and chairs, and ceramic tile floor with a diamond inlay. About the only vestige of Turkish décor are colorful hand painted plates stylishly displayed in white picture-box frames in stark contrast to the gray walls. The traditional menu is well-executed. And service, friendly and responsive.