Yeniköy , one of the Bosphorus neighbourhoods #kişnişvesaire
During the Byzantine period, it was called “komarodes” because strawberries were grown in abundance, and in time it became known as Geniköy with the settlements from the Geni region of Romania. In the 16th century, it was called Neohori according to the Greeks who lived intensively in the region.
The coastal appearance of Istanbul, where we can still see traces of Istanbul mansions and old mansions today, reached its appearance in the 18th-19th centuries with the settlement of rich non-Muslims and Levantines.
This neighbourhood, located between Istinye and Tarabya, has a pier, a synagogue, It is a favourite corner of Istanbul with its churches, mansions and mansions.
Yeniköy is a favourite place for those who want to cool off in the cool waters of the Bosphorus in summer. On the steps in front of the Austrian Consulate General , you can see a lot of people swimming. For us, sitting in the shade of the trees here and having a picnic is one of our favourite activities.
We have prepared a guide from the places we have tried in the last weeks we spent time in Yeniköy. The recommendations here are entirely based on our own current experiences.
Starting the day
– Weekend long breakfast: Apartıman,
– Croissant + coffee in a quiet corner: Bramble,
– A quick snack: Age29,
We were not very happy with Emek Cafe, which is frequently recommended for breakfast, but it has many fans.
All day long:
– A quiet corner watching the street from above: Yeniköy Bookstore,
– Meeting points of the neighbourhood: Yeniköy Kahvesi & Yeni Damla Pastry Shop,
– A walk accompanied by ice cream: Muà,
– Rustique with its gluten-free desserts and bread varieties ,
– One of the best in vegan cuisine: Bi Nevi Deli,
– A place opening to the Bosphorus on the ground floor of a mansion: Però.
Evening:
– North Aegean cuisine: The Red Balloon,
– Nikkei Cuisine: İOKİ Nau,
– Although we find it expensive compared to its counterparts in Istanbul , it is good you can choose for a kebab and lahmacun Fiko Ocakbaşı,
– The new raki-oriented restaurant of the neighbourhood: Lokanta Limu,
– It’s another restaurant we love: Apartıman.
– Raki + fish on the street leading to the pier: Yeniköy Balıkçısı,
– A fish restaurant without alcohol: Sandal Balık.
Due to the season, the Michelin-starred Araka in Bozburun seems to be closed for a while. We didn’t include it in the list because we haven’t tried it recently.
Apartıman Yeniköy: The place we visit most frequently in Yeniköy. We feel good every time we go. The freshest mushrooms, vegetables, seafoodof the season, The meats pass through the kitchen of the talented chef Burçak Kazdal and come to your table. There are some flavours that have become signature dishes for us. Such asApartıman dessert, duck tandoori between flatbread. Here‘sthe menu!
Bi Nevi Deli The Lab: One of the first vegan restaurants in Turkey. We have been frequent customers since its journey from Karaköy to Etiler. Now they have a new branch on the Yeniköy-Tarabya side, a little above the coast. I think it is the best representative of plant-based cuisine in the city. Their sandwiches, burgers, bowls and desserts always make you happy.
IOKI Nau Yeniköy: We have tried other branches of IOKI before. We visited Nau Yeniköy branch for the first time, which comes alive with ListeningBar on Friday-Saturday evenings. If you want to try a different cuisine in this neighbourhood, a good choice is Nikkei Cuisine, a synthesis of Peruvian and Japanese cuisines. We tried their products such as sushi, beef sando and taco. We didn’t find their cocktails very successful, but the food was enjoyable and the service was successful.
Yeniköy Balıkçısı: It may be one of the first places that comes to mind when you think of a meal on the Bosphorus. Tables left and right thrown on the street towards Yeniköy pier, a little raki, good seafood. Whatever is fresh here, shrimp, calamari, you can leave yourself to the chef. Seafood appetisers and starters are successful. Such as shrimp with avocado, lakerda. Takanik, a non-alcoholic venue, belongs to the same establishment.
Red Balloon Michelin award-winning young chef Ulaş Durmaz’s restaurant Red Balloon One of the most remarkable places in Yeniköy in recent years. It has a North Aegean focused cuisine and both a la carte and tasting menu are served. If you are going for the first time , it makes sense to try the 2900₺ tasting menu. On our last visit, we tried the dishes from the tasting menu that certain dishes need to be improved , even if we like them, We should also say that we expect more memorable flavours.
Pero Yeniköy : This is a small place overlooking the Bosphorus. Although it is mostly preferred for cocktails in the evening , it can be visited all day long. During the day you can have a pleasant coffee break and even watch dolphins if you are lucky.
Lokanta Limu: One of the newest restaurants in Yeniköy. Previously with Aheste Pera and Lika Bodrum A place where Sara Tabrizi, whom we know, is one of the founders. The menu stands out with its raki accompaniments and raki cocktails. Acem Kebab, Meyhane meatballs and çakır lakerda were our favourite dishes.
Fiko Ocakbaşı: This place is often recommended for a good lahmacun. We only tried their branch in Yeniköy. On our last visit, we tried their lahmacun, appetisers zaho, boiled stuffed meatballs, shashlik and Adana kebab and found them delicious. There were some minor problems in the service. Obviously, there was a moment when 6 waiters could not reach 4 tables. The prices are quite high, you can eat better kebabs for half the price in Istanbul, but still, the products were more delicious than the other kebab shops we tried in Yeniköy.
Sandal Fish: A non-alcoholic, clean and delicious fish restaurant. It is just on the road coming from Istinye. The place does not have a view, and being on the roadside is a bit of a disadvantage, but the products are generally successful. They don’t take reservations. Here is their menu. We tried fried sardine and fish kebab. The starters were generally successful. Sardine and rocket salad was also delicious.
There are a few places in Yeniköy that have become the meeting point of the neighbourhood and which we also like. Yeniköy Bookstore, Yeniköy Kahvesi and Yeni Damla Patisserie. Yeni Damla Patisserie’s ‘Yalı Çapkını’ dessert is also very famous. Emek Cafe, which is frequently recommended for breakfast in Yeniköy, was a disappointment for us. Normally, we like shabby places, the understated breakfasts are the best for us. However, we found the ingredients used in this place unqualified and the place was insufficient in terms of hygiene for us. Apartıman can be considered for a long weekend breakfast, Bramble for a quiet croissant + coffee pairing on weekdays, Age29 for a quick snack. Rustique, which has a pleasant atmosphere on a side street, is another place you can consider here. We think that the dishes served at Rustique should be improved, but the bread and gluten-free desserts are delicious.
The restaurant we visit most often in Yeniköy: Apartıman.
As someone who was born in Istanbul but did not grow up here, I met many of its neighbourhoods / districts much later. These days, when we often come here for Yeniköy guide, I found myself asking the question “when was the first time I came to this neighbourhood?”. It was probably in 2017 when Apartıman opened. In my childhood, it was one of the most valuable neighbourhoods of Istanbul, which I only knew from Monopoly cards 🙂
This cosy restaurant opened by Burçak and Murat Kazdal brothers in 2017, I am sure it became the reason for many people like me to come to Yeniköy. While it was not a prominent place in terms of gastronomy before, we can say that it has turned into a rich route as a food and beverage route with places such as Michelin-starred Araka and award-winning young chef Ulaş Durmaz’s Red Balloon restaurant.
Apartıman is a cosy and intimate restaurant where we, as its guests, leave feeling good every time we come here and don’t need an excuse for a special day to eat here. Every time we visit, we find both an innovation to inspire us and a flavour we miss. The menu includes both creative flavours (but never tiring us) and dishes that make us feel the warmth of the kitchen in our family homes. The chef’s experience and talent in different cuisines, the fact that he does not turn his back on the traditional but is open to new things, the freshness of the ingredients, the unpretentious and cosy atmosphere of the place are the elements that make this place unique. Even though it’s been a long time, it’s a kitchen that sticks in the palate with its flavours that we haven’t forgotten. Potatoes with sage, duck tandoori and Apartıman dessert are among the memorable ones we tried when they first opened.
During our visit a couple of weeks ago (again after a long break), the favourites of the table were the scallops with fingerlime and the puff tenderloin tartare. There are many options from seafood to meat dishes on the changing menu.
Apart from a good wine list, there are many options for Negroni lovers like us. Negroni sour is number ten. Apartıman also serves a quality breakfast at the weekend. It is also one of our favourites in Istanbul for breakfast.
