A Neighborhood Guide To Tevikiye Istanbul

One of the neighborhoods within the upscale Nişantaşı quarter, Teşvikiye is known for its Art Deco style apartment buildings where Istanbul’s well-to-do families live out their lives. However, as of late, the neighborhood has also become a place of cool cocktail bars, cafés, and shops that are sprouting up on every corner. Before you set out to explore, here’s a guide to our favorite places.

Efendi

Bar, Beer, Turkish

One of the neighborhood’s coolest cocktail bars, Efendi is always crowded on the weekends, with people spilling out into the street with drinks in their hands. Decorated in eclectic tones where antique meets retro, the cocktail list features nine signature cocktails and six classic cocktails. Make sure to try the Saint Paul de Vence drink while you get down to some jazz, soul and funk music.

Doğaya Dönüş Bistro

Translating to ‘Return to Nature Bistro,’ you already know that a lot of very healthy delights await you at this casual lunch and dinner spot. With a daily changing menu, including vegetarian options, this spot is very popular at noon when the neighborhood’s locals come in for the classic, Turkish home-cooked food made with quality ingredients. You’ll also find quiches, freshly baked cookies, and pies.

Doğaya Dönüş Bistro, Ahmet Fetgari Sokak No.18/A, Teşvikiye, Nişantaşı, Istanbul, Turkey, +90 212 260 17 61

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Moro

Quite the standout because of its classic, Spanish tapas inspired by Turkish cuisine and its tasty cocktails, Moro is one of those venues where you can spend hours with your friends around a table eating and drinking into the night. Just to give you an idea, tapas include Catalan paella, crispy baby potatoes with tomato and aioli sauce, and Galician style octopus with olive oil and smoked paprika. https://instagram.com/p/BLqlVozgprX/

Cortiletto Pizzeria & Bar

Bar, Restaurant

Cortiletto’s name (which translates into ‘courtyard’ from Italian) is a small note that hints at the pretty backyard that hides behind this casual pizza restaurant. The menu has a lot of different pizza varieties, from radicchio to smoked salmon, but the real standout is the house specialty, the Cortiletto pizza with ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, and zucchini blossoms. https://instagram.com/p/BLfhPoohXZ9/

Eye Connection

Offering ‘outstanding sunglasses at a revolutionary price,’ (according to their website) Eye Connection is the perfect place to buy the latest style of shades without feeling monetarily guilty. By cutting out the middleman, the company sells the same models found at the designer level for much less, including Carl Zeiss brand lenses, and premium cellulose acetate frames made by a 150-year-old Italian company. Their latest Brooklyn Colors collection includes those colorful hipster shades from your dreams (for men and women). https://instagram.com/p/BF8hqCBjHBH/

Vesaire

Shop

Vesaire is a little boutique flower shop creating some of the most unique floral arrangements imaginable. It’s therefore no wonder that owner Ayça Girgin hosts workshops in cooperation with Kinfolk magazine. Think of rustic floral tiaras and pastel-colored flower bouquets fastened with ribbons that will make you wallow in dream-wedding fantasies. Whether you’re looking for a floral gift or a whole arrangement for an event, Vesaire is the perfect flower shop. https://instagram.com/p/BJfT7zeBFYz/