Istanbul’s best food & drink

Built in 1892 at the terminus of the legendary Orient Express, the Pera Palace Hotel is a historic monument and the most famous hotel in Istanbul – this is where everyone from Alfred Hitchcock to the Kennedys bedded down in the golden age of travel. Room 411 is where Agatha Christie wrote Murder on the Orient Express.

For a refined escape from the bustle of the city, and to experience old imperial Istanbul, stop in for traditional English afternoon tea in the hotel’s atmospheric, red-velvet, gilt-edged Kubbeli Salon. Join the Istanbul elite, who lap up French pastries served on rare Christofle silver, to the accompanying sounds of a live Schiedmayer grand piano.

The legendary Pera Palace remains an icon of imperial grandeur.

Chef Musa Dagdeviren’s temple of traditional Anatolian cuisine in Kadikoy is a must – he has been collecting recipes for over 25 years, and the daily-changing menu offers the chance to try dishes from all over Turkey.

It’s the oldest shopping mall in the world, and possibly the biggest, with 5,000 shops to browse through. Glittering like Aladdin’s cave, Istanbul’s Covered Market or Grand Bazaar consists of 66 streets covered with stone vaulting and enclosed by a wall.

All of Turkey’s treasures are on display, but it’s an everyday market too, selling everything from diamonds to dishcloths; during peak times there are as many as half a million people inside its walls. Maybe not the best place for bargains, but an unparalleled treat for the senses, and an essential part of the Istanbul experience.

Located on the Asian side of the Bosphorus, Kadikoy Market is Istanbul’s foodie central, a gastro-riot of local produce including seafood, fruit and vegetable stalls, herbs, spices and cheeses. There’s also a flea market mixed in, selling antiques, second-hand goods and surprising curiosities in over-filled stalls. Tuesdays and Fridays.

One of the world’s best restaurants, Mikla is headed up by chef Mehmet Gurs, father of the New Anatolian Kitchen culinary movement. Situated on a rooftop terrace in Beyoglu, all meals come with spectacular views.

Built in the 17th century, Istanbul’s second largest bazaar is a colourful, fragrant wonderland and a must-visit for anyone curious about Istanbul’s east-meets-west culture.

Once the last stop for caravans arriving on the Silk Road from China, the Spice (or Egyptian) Bazaar now only deals in spices, nuts, honeys, teas, hennas and sweets, including dozens of flavours of lokum (known elsewhere as turkish delight), which was invented by an Istanbul pastry chef in 1776.

A historic shop founded in 1876, this is the place to try boza, an ancient fermented drink, made from water, barley and sugar and garnished with cinnamon and chickpea powder. In summer, sira a local grape juice is also served.