Journey to Üsküdar: A Neighborhood at the Crossroads of History and Culture
Üsküdar, the pearl of the Bosphorus on the Anatolian side of Istanbul, takes its visitors on a journey through time with its rich cultural heritage that has been home to many civilizations throughout history. Famous for its Ottoman-era mosques, fountains, palaces and landmarks, Uskudar is one of the most authentic districts of Istanbul with its quiet streets and lively markets where sea and green intertwine.
Üsküdar is a route not to be missed for those who want to spend a peaceful Istanbul day intersecting with history and culture. In this guide, we will talk about many routes with different vibes, starting from Üsküdar, Kuzguncuk, Beylerbeyi, Çengelköy, etc.
Restaurants:
– Inciralti Meyhanesi, Beylerbeyi
– Borsa Restaurant, Kandilli
– Rigel Restaurant, Çengelköy
– Osteria Salvatore, Çengelköy
– Trabzon Kültür Derneği, Beylerbeyi
– Arze – Lebanese Cuisine, Üsküdar
– Karpi, Beylerbeyi
– Tike, Beylerbeyi
– İsmet Baba, Kuzguncuk
– Metet Döner, Kuzguncuk
– Yaşar Bafra Pide, Üsküdar
– Klas Köfte, Kuzguncuk
Workingman (Esnaf) Restaurants:
– Öz Bolu Lokantası
– Emice’nin Yeri
– İmren Lokanta
– Kanaat
– Mengen Lokantası
– Tarihi Kısıklı Fasulyecisi
Street Food:
– Barto’s Burger Place, Çengelköy
– Kuzguncuk Kelle Söğüş, Çengelköy
Breakfast:
– Hevsel Bahçesi, Beylerbeyi
– Çınaraltı, Kuzguncuk
– Pulat Çiftliği, Kuzguncuk
– Sophie Vegan Cafe, Çengelköy
– Pita, Kuzguncuk
Coffeeshops:
– Glow, Kuzguncuk
– Nou Coffee, Çengelköy
– Nuuk, Selimiye
Pastry Shop:
– L’aube Patisserie, Çengelköy
– Le Cafe Bleu, Kuzguncuk
– Seval Pastanesi, Çengelköy
– Kukis, Acıbadem
Üsküdar Square is one of the important points where many roads and means of transportation intersect. But certainly the most pleasant way to get here is by sea, i.e. by ferry or small commercial boats. You can also reach most of the places you can guess from Üsküdar pier by sea. The Golden Horn Line to the Fener neighborhood, the Bosphorus Line to the Çengelköy, Anadoluhisarı, Beykoz piers, and in a short time to Beşiktaş or Kabataş;
This square has been undergoing a big change for years. With the long renovation period of Mihrimah Sultan Mosque, Marmaray railway’s years-long opening process and other projects, Üsküdar is a bit of a construction site in the minds of those who pass by. These periods are a bit behind us, it has a more tidy look now. Of course, when we look at old photographs, we can see the big difference. The Salacak pier, which was on the sea in the 1970s, is now left behind a road. In the same way, Mihrimah Sultan Mosque is also now a bit far from the sea as the land filled;
Our favorite place to visit is the bazaar in Üsküdar where you can find quality products for your daily shopping. You can get lost in the fishmongers, bakeries, pickle shops and go to the antique shops in the back streets. First, we examined the culinary stops in and around the square. Uncular Street is also undergoing a transformation and a gastronomy street is being created here. It is still very weak, but we have a suggestion there too.
Kanaat Lokantası
was opened in 1933 by an immigrant family of Albanian origin, moved to its present location in 1955.
Being apopular restaurant, it is very important for service and service although there is some chaos , their speciality is finger kebab in a casserole, Uzbek pilaf, Elbasan tava are very tasty in our opinion. One of Istanbul’s centuries-old restaurants.
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Emice’nin Yeri
It is seen as one of the best Black Sea cuisinesin the region, It has a pleasant shop in a small square where the roads cross a little above the centre. The name Emice comes from the Laz word for uncle.
We tried black cabbage soup, corn bread, cabbage rolls with chopped meat, fried anchovies and a magnificent trio. The magnificent trio consists of Rize sauteed meat, Çayeli dried beans and pilaf. We loved everything except the black cabbage soup. There are also flavors from the Black Sea cuisine such as sauteed pickle, muhlama and Laz pastry. Breakfast is also served.
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Öz Bolu
Öz Bolu is an artisan restaurant opened in the late 90s. They have juicy dishes, döner, iskender and desserts. The spicy Ankara tava, soups and desserts such as incir uyutması (a dried fig pudding) are delicious. The doner is also highly praised but we have not tried it before.
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Mengen Restaurant
One of the old restaurantsin the bazaar is Mengen. The shop, which used to be in the arcade, has grown towards the street over time. It is located in the alley leading to the bakery in the bazaar. Serving for 40 years, an artisan restaurant where you can find the classic flavors of Turkish cuisine. Here we tried boiled meat, doner kebab and desserts of semolina halva and bread kadayıf. A restaurant to go back again and again, especially for the boiled meat and kadayif.
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Arze
Notan artisan restaurant but in the centre again, Arze is a Levant cuisine located in Uncular Street, opened 3 years ago.
Compared to other Syrian-Lebanese kitchensin the city , their falafel and hummus are really successful, The only thing we tried and didn’t like was batata harra which we found too sour. Clean, simple and generally good service. A small and popular venue, it can be difficult to find a seat. Therefore, we recommend that you go on calm days and hours.
I’ve come all this way, pickles from Unal Pickles in the bazaar and buns from the bakery next to the pickles and cookies and you can taste halva in Şekerci Caferzade Aytekin Erol.
Kuzguncuk Guide 📍 A neighborhood on the Anatolian side of the Bosphorus, a district of Üsküdar that smells of history and tolerance. Historic wooden houses, colorful narrow streets and orchards make it a place we can’t get enough of. The places of worship of different religions are proof that life here has been in harmony since time immemorial.
In Kuzguncuk, Orchard, Fethi Pasha Grove, its small beach and pier are the places to visit. If you climb up the slope a bit, you can also see Nakkaştepe and Abdülmecit Efendi Mansion.
There are many workshops and art spaces in Kuzguncuk. You can explore these workshops, attend events at Hugin and Munin Culture-Art Platform, visit Yirmiyedi Kuzguncuk, a design shop, go to Kastamonu Village Market for natural products or the neighborhood market on Wednesdays.
Breakfast:
– Çınaraltı Cafe, our favourite breakfast place, tea, eggs, cheese, cold cuts , such a simple breakfast.
– Pulat Farm, both as a shop selling quality products and as a A place that serves all day long with its wide menu.
– Pita Kuzguncuk is an address we have loved for breakfast for years. We love their pastries. It can also be preferred for lunch with home cooking.
– Le Cafe Bleu is one of the newest in the neighbourhood. It stands out because of its design and is always crowded. You can choose it for croissants and pastry products. It differs slightly from other places in Kuzguncuk.
Cafes:
– Glow Coffee is a stop we visit for its coffee and we love to watch the street.
– Nail Kitabevi is a peaceful place with its book-cafe concept.
Food:
– Metet Döner, is one of Istanbul’s favorite döner restaurants with its meat doner cooked on embers. One of our favourite places in Kuzguncuk.
– Klas Köfte, a good meatball restaurant located right on the main street in the neighbourhood, the meatballs are famous but we think the piyaz is better, the prices are a bit high for a shabby place.
– İsmet Baba, this fish shop right next to the pier is one of the places you can go to enjoy raki-fish on the Bosphorus. The fish varieties are successful, we think the appetizers are not at the same level, but it can be preferred on a quiet day. Alcoholic options are limited in the region, the alternative to this place is the Mülkiyeliler Union, but we did not visit it after it moved to its new location.
We continue from the historical neighborhoods of Üsküdar along the Bosphorus.
Historic palaces, mansions, stunning views, narrow streets, wooden mansions and peaceful groves. It is not surprising that Üsküdar has attracted the attention of many painters throughout history because it has perhaps the most beautiful views of Istanbul.
Beylerbeyi:
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–İnciraltı Meyhanesi, one of the best taverns we have been to. Appetizers according to original Greek&Armenian recipes. Some of the flavors can be unorthodox, but their sea bass in vine leaves is legendary.
-Hevsel Bahçesi, this newly opened shop in Beylerbeyi is also a breakfast place. It has only recently opened , but Hevsel Bahçesihas been open since 2016. A food brand that brings together producers in Diyarbakır since. Definitely stop by.
-Karpi, Trabzon flavours, pita bread and dried beans on certain days.
-Trabzon Kültür, a good address for Black Sea cuisine. We tried cabbage rolls and anchovies. They also have breakfast.
-TikeRestaurant, a not bad Ocakbaşı in the neighbourhood.
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Reflecting Ottoman architecture ,Beylerbeyi Mosque is a 19th century summer palace.century summer palace Beylerbeyi The palace and the small beach are a must -see in this historic neighbourhood.
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The historical plane tree , one of the symbols of the neighbourhood in Çengelköy, You can seethe surrounding mansions and mansions. When you follow the beach, the majestic Kuleli Military High School welcomes you in front of its fishermen. You should also visit Vaniköy mosque while you are here.
Çengelköy
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-Sophieis an impressive vegan kitchen that only serves on weekends, it’s hard to guess that they are vegan.
-L‘aube, one of the city’s impressive patisseries, good croissants and French patisserie products.
-Seval Patisserie, one of the oldest patisseries in Istanbul. Tryacibadem cookies, macaron and coco.
-NouCoffee, has good breakfast products compared to the places near the beach.
-Ismail‘s Has Bread Bakery
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-BartosBurger, one of our favourite Burger places. Although criticized from time to time, we have yet to eat a bad burger here. Don’t go on busy days.
-Kuzguncuk Kelle Söğüş, head trotter soup & A good address for cold cuts.🐟🍝
-RigelRestaurant is a modest place with a magnificent Bosphorus view. The service is very very good, the appetisers are delicious, the seafood can be better.
-OsteriaSalvatore is a stylish Italian restaurant with a pleasant Bosphorus view. The cocktails are classic but not bad, we didn’t find the cuisine very impressive but overall delicious.
We are in Kandilli, one of the last stops on our Üsküdar route. This is the only restaurant in Uskudar that caught the attention of the Michelin guide. It is on the recommendation list.
Borsa Restaurant, one of the oldest restaurants in Istanbul, today serves in Adile Sultan Palace with a magnificent view of the Bosphorus.
This place, which stands out with its Turkish cuisine classics, also has a very interesting history. Opened in 1927 in Bahçekapı, Istanbul, the restaurant takes its name from the Zahire (grain) Exchange that was located there at the time.
In 1983, the restaurant moved to Sirkeci and when it was about to close down, the brothers Rasim, Tahsin and Ali Reşat Özkanca bought it and brought it to the present day.
In addition to their restaurants, the brothers also opened self-service branches in Beyoğlu, Taksim and Eminönü. Today, most Istanbulites know the Borsa from those self-service branches.
Borsa Restaurant starts its life in Adile Sultan Palace in 2006 with the theme of Turkish and Ottoman Cuisine.
The firm is leavingin 2012, and Tahsin Özkanca continue to provide self-service at Borsa Lokantası, Rasim Özkanca Borsa Restaurant continues its life in Adile Sultan Palace.
The restaurant has been a subsidiary of Doğuş Holding since 2013.
As for the food, we can say that kebabs, tandoori and döner, which have become classics of Anatolian cuisine, are the highlights of the menu.
The starters include a wide range of olive oil dishes, appetizers, keşkek (a dish of coarsely ground wheat), liver, quail, etc.
Among the ones we tried, we liked the liver and muhammara (a meze). The Gönen eggplant pate was a weaker dish. Among the main dishes, “Tarsusi” vegetable kebab and lamb tandoori were successful. The most enjoyable dish we tried was the Borsa-style fig dessert with dates.
– L’aube: Located in the inner part of Çengelköy, this new generation patisserie is one of the best places to go for croissants and desserts. The desserts in the form of fruit , which we ate at Cedric Groletin France, are also very successful.
– Trabzon Kültür: An alcoholic establishment serving both breakfast and dinner among the greenery in Beylerbeyi. There are classics of Trabzon cuisine, cabbage rolls and anchovies were successful. Laz pastry could have been better.
– Imren: An artisan restaurant located in Valide-i Atik. The döner was successful and the pumpkin dessert was very delicious. The only thing missing was clotted cream 🙂
– Yaşar Bafra Pide: A shabby place opposite Doğancılar Park. Try their chicken soup and crispy Bafra pita.
– Inciraltı Meyhanesi: It was our favourite tavern in this area. Vine leaf sea bass and appetizers are successful. They prepare mezes, which are becoming the same everywhere, with old unique Istanbul recipes. Therefore, it may be different from what you are used to, especially in terms of spices.
– Tarihi Kısıklı Fasulyecisi: An address we go for dried beans, a classic place with juicy dishes.
– Tike: A not bad Ocakbaşı/restaurant for Beylerbeyi. The appetisers and küşleme were delicious.
– Osteria Salvatore: Italian restaurant of a group that also has a seafood place, it has an exquisite view by the sea. The flavours are not impressive, but it would be a good option for those looking for a different and stylish restaurant in the region.
– Rigel Restaurant: Rigel is the name of the star that helps captains find their way in the Atlantic Ocean. A restaurant with an impressive view between Çengelköy and Kuleli. Very successful in terms of service. This is one of the oldest venues in the area, although the location has changed. We went there because there were delicacies such as seafood kokoreç, fish ravioli, fish adana on the menu. Some were unfortunately not available, while the cold appetizers we tried were more successful.
Üsküdar is perhaps the most deserving district of Istanbul to be called “golden city”…
Üsküdar, one of the most rooted and historical districts, was called “Chrysopolis” in ancient times, which means “Golden City”.
Rumours about the nickname “Golden City” are as follows:
The Persians founded this enriched city with the spoils they brought from Anatolia and the Greek peninsula, and the definition of gold came from this richness.
Another rumour of the name “Golden City” is that Üsküdar shines in golden colour from Sarayburnu at sunset. Who can argue against this beautiful parable?
When the Ottomans arrivedin 14 53 , the name of the region was called ‘Scutari’ from the 11th century.
Later, it becomes’Uskudar’ in Turkish.
From time to time throughout history, the Persians, occupied by the Arabs and the Ottomans and used as a base When we look at the word meaning of Üsküdar , which is used as; Persian means”menzil”,”passage” or “messenger station”.
And worthy of its name, this golden district, the “Chrysopolis” of the Persians, the “Scutari” of the Romans, the “Old Dar” of Ottoman traveller Evliya Çelebi and the beloved Üsküdar of the Turks… has been the transit point of trade and migration since ancient times…
A journey following strong women in the history of Üsküdar. The first place that comes to mind when it comes to Üsküdar and Women is of course the Maiden’s Tower, one of the symbols of the city.
Rumors about the Maiden’s Tower are many, it is thought that there has been a structure here for about 2400 years. According to a legend, after Damalis, the wife of the Athenian General Khares, died, a monument was built in her memory on the site of the Maiden’s Tower.
One of the most common stories begins with Emperor Constantine driving his daughter to protect her from a prophecy. The ruler hid his daughter in a tower he built in the middle of the sea. But he cannot avoid fate. A snake hiding in a basket of grapes bites the girl to death.
The name of the area where the Harem bus station is located It comes from the harem section of the Ottoman palace located here.
Selimiye Barracks is also the place where the story of a woman who changed history was written. This building, where British soldiers were treated during the Crimean War, is the hospital where Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, worked. There is also a small museum in the barracks dedicated to her work.
There are also powerful sultanas behind the most important works of Mimar Sinan in Üsküdar. Mihrimah Sultan Mosque, and Valide-i Atik Mosque built by Nurbanu Sultan. Yeni Valide Mosque, one of the buildings in the square, was also built by a sultana. (Emetullah Râbia Gülnûş Sultan) Among the historical mosques in the region, the Çinili Mosque, which we find the most impressive, was built by Kösem Sultan, who also played an important role in Ottoman history. The mosque and hammam are preserved with their tiles and are quite impressive. At that time, mosques built in the name of female sultans were allowed a single minaret. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule. Unlike the others, Kösem Sultan had the Çinili Mosque built with a single minaret.
After visiting Çinili, we also visit the church of Surp Garabet. The most detailed information about the memory of the Armenians who once lived here comes from Zabel Yesayan, a revolutionary woman writer. The Silahtar Gardens, Yesayan’s account of the years she lived here, is also a book recommendation for those interested.
Adile Sultan is another sultana who kept her name alive in two palaces in Üsküdar. The building in Kandilli was purchased in 1856 as a summer residence for Adile, the daughter of Mahmut II. Adile Sultan, who is known as the only female poet of the Ottoman Dynasty to have a divan, was donated her palance in Kandilli to a girls’ school in 1899 because she was particularly interested in education. It was used as Kandilli Girls’ High School for a while. There is another palace in Validebag Grove in the name of Sultana. This building, where the first movie series of the Hababam Class was shot in the 1970s, was also gifted to Adile Sultan as a summer palace.
