Place to Go
Kadıköy Antiques Street
A multi-century journey in one short street, eye up Persian carpets, dusty gramophones and porcelain tea sets between steaming cups of Turkish tea with convivial shop owners.
Tellalzade Sokak, Kadıköy
Kadiköy Antikacılar Çarşısı
No:12/96 Kuşdili Cd.Kadıköy Antiques Street
A multi-century journey in one short street, eye up Persian carpets, dusty gramophones and porcelain tea sets between steaming cups of Turkish tea with convivial shop owners.
Tellalzade Sokak, Kadıköy
Stroll by the Bosphorus
The Moda Sahili (Moda Seaside) is perfect for strolling by the Bosphorus and looking out over Istanbul from a different angle. You’ll see locals riding their bikes or jogging here, no matter the time of day, but on weekends, the tea garden is always full of people who enjoy the view from a shady spot under the trees.
66 abantu bendawo batusa
Moda Coastal Park and Pathway
No:21 Küçükmoda Burnu SkStroll by the Bosphorus
The Moda Sahili (Moda Seaside) is perfect for strolling by the Bosphorus and looking out over Istanbul from a different angle. You’ll see locals riding their bikes or jogging here, no matter the time of day, but on weekends, the tea garden is always full of people who enjoy the view from a shady spot under the trees.
All Saints Church
no:8 Yusuf Kamil Paşa Sk.Süreyya Opera House
No:29 General Asım Gündüz Cd.In Turkey, the tea garden, or çay bahçesi, is the most popular gathering place for locals who want to get together for a conversation or catch-up over a never-ending stream of tiny cups of Turkish tea. One of the most famous tea gardens in Istanbul is the Moda Tea Garden, a waterfront tea garden in Kadikoy with lots of large trees to provide shade, and glimpses of the Marmara Sea below. The Moda Tea Garden is very large, so even if you don’t see a waterfront table when you enter, keep walking further and further into the gardens and you’re likely to find a front-row seat somewhere!
23 abantu bendawo batusa
Moda Aile Çay Bahçesi
Park İçi YoluIn Turkey, the tea garden, or çay bahçesi, is the most popular gathering place for locals who want to get together for a conversation or catch-up over a never-ending stream of tiny cups of Turkish tea. One of the most famous tea gardens in Istanbul is the Moda Tea Garden, a waterfront tea garden in Kadikoy with lots of large trees to provide shade, and glimpses of the Marmara Sea below. The Moda Tea Garden is very large, so even if you don’t see a waterfront table when you enter, keep walking further and further into the gardens and you’re likely to find a front-row seat somewhere!
Kadikoy’s most famous museum used to be the Florence Nightengale Museum (near the Haydarpasa Train Station) but with reports that it is now permanently closed, there’s all the more reason to check out one of Kadikoy’s more unique museums: the Baris Manco Museum. Baris Manco was a Turkish musician in the 1970s and 1980s (check out one of his videos here) who pioneered Turkish rock and hosted a Turkish television program for children. He passed away in his house in 1999, and a few years later the building was reopened as a museum celebrating his life and works.
25 abantu bendawo batusa
I-Museum ka-Barış Manço
No:5 Yusuf Kamil Paşa Sk.Kadikoy’s most famous museum used to be the Florence Nightengale Museum (near the Haydarpasa Train Station) but with reports that it is now permanently closed, there’s all the more reason to check out one of Kadikoy’s more unique museums: the Baris Manco Museum. Baris Manco was a Turkish musician in the 1970s and 1980s (check out one of his videos here) who pioneered Turkish rock and hosted a Turkish television program for children. He passed away in his house in 1999, and a few years later the building was reopened as a museum celebrating his life and works.
Ferit Tek Sokağı
Ferit Tek SokağıPiri Çavuş Sokak
Piri Çavuş SokakYemek ortamı
With past lives as an iron sculptor workshop and painters studio, this three-storied Anatolian mansion has been reborn as an elegant new restaurant-slash-cocktail-bar. Its creative spirit endures thanks to an experimental drinks menu and eclectic décor of mid-century furniture, art deco detailing and lashings of petrol blue and dusky pink velvet. Bow-tied barmen whip up hot pomegranate margaritas and pumpkin spice espresso martinis at its ceramic-tiled bar, whilst upstairs, a stylish crowd dig into sharing platters like topik, a traditional Armenian meze. Feeling adventurous? Order the grilled lamb intestines with chilli pepper jam, and (for added kick) their ‘Oh Eliza’ cocktail, blended with Jalapeno-infused Tequila.
Caferağa Mah. Şair Nefi Sokak No:14 Kadikoy, +90 216 338 72 72
7 abantu bendawo batusa
Rita Moda
No:14 Şair Nefi Sk.With past lives as an iron sculptor workshop and painters studio, this three-storied Anatolian mansion has been reborn as an elegant new restaurant-slash-cocktail-bar. Its creative spirit endures thanks to an experimental drinks menu and eclectic décor of mid-century furniture, art deco detailing and lashings of petrol blue and dusky pink velvet. Bow-tied barmen whip up hot pomegranate margaritas and pumpkin spice espresso martinis at its ceramic-tiled bar, whilst upstairs, a stylish crowd dig into sharing platters like topik, a traditional Armenian meze. Feeling adventurous? Order the grilled lamb intestines with chilli pepper jam, and (for added kick) their ‘Oh Eliza’ cocktail, blended with Jalapeno-infused Tequila.
Caferağa Mah. Şair Nefi Sokak No:14 Kadikoy, +90 216 338 72 72
Big Chefs Moda
No: 1 Moda Mektebi Sk.aralık
No:6/A Ressam Şeref Akdik SokağıMy Chef
24 Sakız Gülü Sk.Thales Cafe, Kadıköy
No:7 Hacı Şükrü Sk.Zapata Burger
1 Sakız Sk.Ten years passed between my first meal at Ciya Sofrasi in Kadikoy and my most recent two visits, and it’s just as good as I remember. Specializing in regional, rural and historic Turkish recipes, you can make like me and load up on appetizers (meze) or you can order a proper multi-course Turkish meal (including both meat and vegetarian options for your main dish). There are two locations on the same block and the only difference is the ambiance. If you’re like me and prefer to sit outside, people-watching in Kadikoy, make your choice based on which table has the best view!
187 abantu bendawo batusa
Çiya Sofrası
Güneşli Bahçe SokağıTen years passed between my first meal at Ciya Sofrasi in Kadikoy and my most recent two visits, and it’s just as good as I remember. Specializing in regional, rural and historic Turkish recipes, you can make like me and load up on appetizers (meze) or you can order a proper multi-course Turkish meal (including both meat and vegetarian options for your main dish). There are two locations on the same block and the only difference is the ambiance. If you’re like me and prefer to sit outside, people-watching in Kadikoy, make your choice based on which table has the best view!
Burrito Shop Moda
No 10 A Sakız SokakSinop Mantı
8 Sinan Paşa Köprü Sk.Biber Burger
No:11 Çırağan Cd.Football
Take in a Turkish Football Match
This is the home stadium for Istanbul’s popular Fenerbahçe football team (soccer, if you’re joining me from North America!), with space for more than 50,000 fans to watch the game. While I didn’t attend a football game myself, it’s easy to pick up tickets online during the football season. I’m writing this during the Coronavirus shut-down, but my understanding is that when things get back to normal it should also be possible to book a stadium tour if you’re very interested in the building or the football club’s history.
37 abantu bendawo batusa
I-Stadium ka-Şükrü Saracoğlu
2 Bağdat Cd.This is the home stadium for Istanbul’s popular Fenerbahçe football team (soccer, if you’re joining me from North America!), with space for more than 50,000 fans to watch the game. While I didn’t attend a football game myself, it’s easy to pick up tickets online during the football season. I’m writing this during the Coronavirus shut-down, but my understanding is that when things get back to normal it should also be possible to book a stadium tour if you’re very interested in the building or the football club’s history.
Live Music Concerts
Ağaç Ev Kadıköy
No:13 B Osmancık Sk.Rock-Blues Live Club
Dorock XL
3C Neşet Ömer Sk.Moda Kayıkhane Cafe - Bar & Event Hall
194 Moda Cd.Bar
Arka Oda
No:18/A Kadife Sk.Kadıköy-Moda isn’t (yet at least) a hotbed of high-quality or interesting places to stay, but the Sarnıç Boutique Hotel in the heart of the neighbourhood is a charming and eminently affordable exception. In a large, renovated Turkish-style house on a cobbled back-street, Sarnıç has lovingly decorated and furnished rooms (all six of them), famously friendly staff, an excellent location and a well-regarded restaurant with free-flowing raki and meze and, on occasion, live music.
Sarnic Suits & Kitchen
No:12 Dumlupınar SokakKadıköy-Moda isn’t (yet at least) a hotbed of high-quality or interesting places to stay, but the Sarnıç Boutique Hotel in the heart of the neighbourhood is a charming and eminently affordable exception. In a large, renovated Turkish-style house on a cobbled back-street, Sarnıç has lovingly decorated and furnished rooms (all six of them), famously friendly staff, an excellent location and a well-regarded restaurant with free-flowing raki and meze and, on occasion, live music.
Another venture from the people behind Arkaoda, Havuz/Bina is a four-floor social hub: in the basement there’s an excellent bar with a charming water feature; the ground floor is a restaurant, upstairs is Havuz, a bar and music venue owned by the urban culture, arts and music magazine Bant Mag. On the top floor, there are film screenings, talks and smaller-scale gigs. This is another of the places that keeps Kadife Sokak so interesting, despite the sometimes stressful volume of people lining the street at weekends.
62 abantu bendawo batusa
BİNA
26 Kadife Sk.Another venture from the people behind Arkaoda, Havuz/Bina is a four-floor social hub: in the basement there’s an excellent bar with a charming water feature; the ground floor is a restaurant, upstairs is Havuz, a bar and music venue owned by the urban culture, arts and music magazine Bant Mag. On the top floor, there are film screenings, talks and smaller-scale gigs. This is another of the places that keeps Kadife Sokak so interesting, despite the sometimes stressful volume of people lining the street at weekends.
Revolte Cafe Pub
Arayıcıbaşı SokakGerman Style Pub
Offenhaus
No:70 Moda CaddesiEnglish Pub
Rock'n Rolla
20 Moda Cd.Punch
No:33 Kadife Sk.İnizio Cocktail
145/2 Moda Cd.Piraye Taş Plak Meyhanesi
Turkish Bar
Night Club
Whu
70 Moda CaddesiEskici Kadıköy
No:104 Serasker CaddesiCoffee
Grab a Coffee at an Iconic Coffeeshop
I feel like it’s cheating to list “drink tea” and “drink coffee” as two separate items on this list, but I’m going to exercise some restraint by not listing “drink beer” as a separate item, so there’s that. Kadikoy and Moda are known for their coffee scene, with some of the city’s top coffee shops dotted around their streets. I am not a coffee aficionada so I went for the kitsch option at Walter’s Coffee Roastery, a Breaking Bad-themed cafe that is well equipped for digital nomads to spend a few hours getting work done. If you are more concerned about the origins of your beans than the WiFi speed, Montag Coffee and Coffee Manifesto are both good options. If I’m not working, I always prefer to grab a seat outside, as this really is the perfect part of the city for people-watching!
13 abantu bendawo batusa
Küff Cafe
No:9/B Ali Suavi Sk.Grab a Coffee at an Iconic Coffeeshop
I feel like it’s cheating to list “drink tea” and “drink coffee” as two separate items on this list, but I’m going to exercise some restraint by not listing “drink beer” as a separate item, so there’s that. Kadikoy and Moda are known for their coffee scene, with some of the city’s top coffee shops dotted around their streets. I am not a coffee aficionada so I went for the kitsch option at Walter’s Coffee Roastery, a Breaking Bad-themed cafe that is well equipped for digital nomads to spend a few hours getting work done. If you are more concerned about the origins of your beans than the WiFi speed, Montag Coffee and Coffee Manifesto are both good options. If I’m not working, I always prefer to grab a seat outside, as this really is the perfect part of the city for people-watching!
Walter's Coffee Roastery
21 Bademaltı Sk.Study and Coffee House
Mars Espresso & Cafe
No:3 Zuhal Sk.Study and Coffee House
Fatcat Moda
22/A Atıfet Sk.Montag Moda
No:22/A Bademaltı Sk.Böcek
17/A Bademaltı SokakDem Moda
9/1 Şair Nefi Sk.Caffè Nero
No: 255/ B Moda Cd.Starbucks
No:180 İstiklal CaddesiI-Cultural Center kaNazım Hikmet
No: 7 Ali Suavi Sk.Kronotrop Moda
No:14 Dr. Esat Işık Cd.