Yeldeğirmeni, one of Istanbul’s historic neighborhoods, is perhaps one of the places we enjoy most in the city.
In this neighborhood, whose name comes from a grassy hill with several windmills about a hundred years ago, it is rumored that shepherds used to graze their flocks.
This traditional neighborhood since the 15th century, it has been home to different ethnic groups such as Armenians, Jews and Greeks; Nowadays, it is possible to see traces of different cultures in Yeldeğirmeni, where many Russians and Ukrainians live.
Yeldeğirmeni is also known as the neighborhood where apartment blocks were first built in Kadıköy.
After 2015, with the initiatives of Kadıköy Municipality, many buildings were restored in the neighborhood and nowadays there is a very lively life.
We prepared the Yeldeğirmeni guide with pleasure, because we love wandering through the narrow streets framed by bay windows leading down to the beach. You can easily discover the unique character of the neighborhood in its giant murals, art spaces, workshops, historical buildings and good food stops.
In this guide we have listed these stops we loved to visit and our new discoveries.
Restaurants
Our favorite Breakfast, Bakery and Coffee Houses:
One of our favorite places in Yeldeğirmeni is Salepepe, a pizza bar that is actually one of the newest in the neighborhood. We have been visiting frequently since its opening days.
Salepepe first catches your attention with the icons of a cat kneading dough used in its logo and signage. Located at the end of Karakolhane Caddesi near Ayrılık Çeşme, this small shop has only 4 stools.
After choosing from a menu of 9-10 types of pizza, it is quickly prepared in front of your eyes and cooked in seconds in the Gozney Roccbox oven specially designed for this type of pizza.
Among the pizzas we tried Margherita, Butcher Pepe, Mushroom Bianca, Patato and Jam Session. Margherita is recommended for classicists and Butcher Pepe with beef bacon sausage for those who prefer meat. We can say that Patato is our favorite among pizzas.
Jam Session is a completely different pizza experience. The dough is baked empty and topped with the Italian delicacy Stracciatella cheese, homemade cherry jam and fresh basil. Although our preference is usually for savory, let’s add that they offer a very pleasant dessert option.
Fermented for 24 hours, the pizza dough is prepared and rested the day before. For this reason, the limited-edition dough can sell out quickly, so there is no fixed closing time, it is announced on their Instagram page when it is sold out. Be careful not to be late so as not to miss out. Check before you go too.
Don’t forget to share with your loved ones and save for later.
🍽️ Sonne Cafe is a sweet little place that combines delicious cheeses from Kars (the hometown of the founder Ms. Esra) with homemade and natural products. Hidden in a corner in the back streets of the neighborhood, it has only been open for 5 months.
🍳 In the breakfast menu, omelettes prepared with dried apricots or pestil caught our attention. Tried and loved the apricot omelette. We also like places that produce unique products, that are not content with producing standard dishes that you can find everywhere. The roasted meat sandwich was delicious, and the products were accompanied by a fresh salad, which was very filling.
🌱 There are also vegan options on the menu. It is also a pet-friendly venue. The places in Kadıköy and especially in Yeldeğirmeni are welcoming to everyone. I think this is one of the main reasons why it is loved and preferred by those who migrated to Istanbul.
🌞 Sonne Cafe was a pleasant discovery that we will want to visit again and again. Don’t forget to save and share with your loved ones.