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Kadıköy has some excellent choices for food and drinks. Most of my experience is in Central Kadıköy (Merkez) and Moda, but there are also decent places along Bağdat Avenue (Bağdat Caddesi) in Caddebostan and Suadiye.
This entry does not include Çiya, which is my favorite restaurant in Istanbul and deserves it’s own page. You can check out my other page for Kemal Usta Waffles as well.
Semolina
I met a few friends in some drinks, and after getting hungry, we decided to pay a visit to Semolina for dinner. It’s in a cozy little spot in Moda with just six tables available. There are several very appealing pasta dishes on the menu, all reasonably priced, along with salads and a few starters.
We started off with fresh warm bread dipped in an olive oil and vinegar mixture. There was a touch of olive tapenade and some pomegranate extract mixed in.
For dinner, I ordered the fettuccine akdeniz (Mediterranean fettuccine), which was generously filled with fresh tomatoes, mushrooms, black olives, basil, and topped with parmesan cheese.
Civan and Pippa both tried the semolina fettuccine, with a pesto sauce, crushed walnuts, garlic, and parmesan. Bree had the simple pesto fettuccine. We each ordered a bottle of Fuller’s beer to wash down our meals.
On a future visit, Marisol had the fettuccine akdeniz and I had the fettuccine de Norma, which included roasted eggplant, basil, tomato, and fresh parmesan. We also had the chocolate soufflé for dessert, which takes 25 minutes to prepare.
I was expecting the typical average pasta dish that I usually get in Istanbul, either on the chewy side or overcooked with some bland extras mixed in. Instead, I was very surprised by the flavor, texture, and the amount of care that was put into each dish. It does take quite while to get the food, but it’s well worth the wait. I consider Semolina to have the best pasta in Istanbul.
Reks Kokoreç
Civan introduced me to Reks Kokoreç on Kadife Sokak, conveniently located right next to a row of bars and across the street from Rexx Cinema in Moda. If you’re looking for a good late night treat after the bars, this is a great place to stop into. It’s also great for lunch. If you don’t know what kokoreç is, you might want to read up on it first.
Naan Bakeshop
I met Cath and Evan for breakfast one morning at Naan Bakeshop in Moda. It’s a cozy place with fresh baked breads, pastries, sandwiches, salads, and breakfast. I had the menemen, which is delicious, and a coffee. I’d love to go back again to try one of the sandwiches.
Baylan
You can’t pass up a visit to Baylan in Central Kadıköy. This famous pastry shop has been around since 1923, when Filip Lenas moved to Istanbul from the mountains between Albania and Greece and opened the first branch in Nordstern Han at Karaköy Square. It’s definitely a nostalgic place that seems stuck in time.
The house specialty is the Kup Griye, which was invented in 1954 by Filip’s son, Harry Lenas. It’s vanilla ice cream topped with almonds and other nuts, caramel sauce, whipped cream, and a lady finger. The Kup Griye is an Istanbul original and a true gem.
Shine Terrace
Shine Terrace has nice views, friendly service, and a menu with a good selection. We stopped by for drinks with Deniz and Ali one night. We all shared a couple mixed snack plates with our beers.
Naturel Sam
On another night, I met Deniz and Ali for drinks at Naturel Sam. It’s a bar situated in a historic building with plenty of outdoor seating. Service is excellent and the waiters are friendly. They don’t get upset if someone orders a water, and they’re quick to give you a refill whenever you’re running low on beer.
Cookshop
I visited Cookshop for coffee with my friend Duygu. This branch is located on Bağdat Street in Suadiye, but there are several others all over Istanbul.
We shared an order of churros and each had a Turkish coffee. Both were great. The rest of the menu has lots of variety, including breakfast, burgers, pasta, pizza, salads, and main dishes.
Le Pain Quotidien
Finally, Duygu also took me to a branch of Le Pain Quotidien for breakfast. I wouldn’t normally visit an international chain, but they did have decent Turkish breakfast selections. I had the menemen, a pastry, and Turkish coffee.
