The best local restaurants in Istanbul; Michel’s professional guide

Istanbul is a place between the two continents, which has been part of the Silk Road in the past. This has led to the influence of merchants and businessmen for thousands of years, as a place of intersection of great religions. From the Byzantine to the Ottomans, each of these historic inhabitants of the city has left remarkable architectures, unique cultural traditions and rich heritage.

Fateh Totak, a chef -born in Istanbul, has reinforced his skills in some of the best in Europe and Asia, including the three -star Michel Ryugin restaurant in Tokyo and Noma in Copenhagen. In year 2, the chef returned to Türkiye and, after a fact finding a factor who took him across the country, opened his restaurant in Istanbul, Turk. In year 2, in the first ranking of Michelin Michelin Guide, he won two stars Michel.

According to Totak’s conqueror, the Turkish cooking of a diamond mine has not been discovered. In the early 1980s, Turkish food was known as a type of street food, especially in Europe. In Europe you can make a barbecue, very low quality, and no one can understand. The correct cooking of Turkish food is very hard. Totak believes that in Istanbul, different people from all over Türkiye each cook their local food; Therefore, the city can be considered as a large boiler in which different cultures are mixed.

Totak at the Turk restaurant gives the old Turkish baking order, a modern and advanced mood. However, when not in the kitchen, it prefers to go to more cozy places. He has a special strictness in this regard and always tries to go to local restaurants in Istanbul; Where food is made of high quality and amazing raw materials.

• Position: Masalak neighborhood, Darabovo Street
• Instagram:@ ahmetustamocakbasi

Istanbul visitors will probably notice the word “Ocakbaşı” on many restaurants. The word in Turkish means “beside the grill” and is a name given to the grill restaurants; Where the chef carries the barbecues on hot and melted charcoal. Oujakbashi is one of the most popular methods of cooking in the city, and according to Totak, Ahmad Ustam Ocakbaşı is the best of these restaurants.

Totak has a recommendation for customers. She says:

Try local restaurants that are not tourist. The restaurant must be old and already set up for a long time. Never trust the social media. In my opinion, if a restaurant promotes too much on social media, you will be disappointed when you go there.

Totak says about Ahmad Austam’s restaurant:

This restaurant is where I go on holiday. Ahmed Avestam chefs have a traditional way of preparing barbecue; The barbecues are crushed by hand and used different types of meat slices. They make the best barbecue and grille barbecue as well as chicken wings, salads, barbecue vegetables and lavash names.

Totak’s view, just food is not important; Rather, the overall experience is important. His opinion about Ahmed Ostam’s restaurant is:

Chef Ahmed has been doing this for nearly five years and is very professional. You sit in front of the grill and he cooks there; Like Japanese robotayaki. Also, eat a variety of Turkish drinks at this restaurant. I recommend not leaving there without eating Adana’s barbecue.

Totak considers Adana’s kebab the best barbecue. Adana Kebab, probably the most popular type of barbecue in Türkiye, is made from minced meat that has been sprouted and tastes with red pepper. This barbecue derives its name from the city of Adana in southeastern Türkiye.