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Area We are situated in a Beyoglu, Taksim quarter Çukurcuma which is known for its eclectic aesthetic much admired by artists, writers, actors, intellectuals, that is the bohemian Istanbulites. Rightly called the Soho of Istanbul, this area plays host to a buzzing cafe culture, a jumble of galleries, vintage stores, restaurants and chic boutiques.
Home to many European and traders of the world, the prominent and affluent population modernized this part of İstanbul, allowing for influxes of technology, fashion, and arts. Today the eclectic mix creates a dynamic cultural fabric unparalleled by other cities. The theatre, cinema, patisserie and café culture that still remains strong in Beyoğlu dates from this late Ottoman period.
Beyoğlu was one of the first parts of İstanbul to have telephone lines, electricity, trams, municipal government and even an underground railway, the Tünel, inaugurated in 1875 as the world's second subway line (after London's Underground) to carry the people of Pera up and down from the port of Galata and the nearby business and banking district of Karaköy, where the Bankalar Caddesi, the financial center of the Ottoman Empire, was located.
The foreign communities also built their own schools, many of which went on to educate the elite of future generations of Turks, and still survive today as some of the best schools in Istanbul.
The rapid modernization that took place in Europe and left Ottoman Turkey behind was symbolized by the differences between Beyoğlu, and the historic Turkish quarters such as Eminönü and Fatih across the Golden Horn, in the Old City.
Friends & Neighbours
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CAFE CUMA - www.cuma.cc
Çukurcuma Caddesi No:53A Beyoğlu +90 212 2932062
Open 09:00-21:00, Tuesday – Sunday, closed on Mondays
The perfect place to stop and have a break during a tour of the Çukurcuma neighborhood (or a relaxing lunch out), Cafe Cuma offers a daily changing menu of healthy dishes as well as baked goods that are all homemade. The outside seating area is a casual place where different languages can be heard from the tourists and expats that make up the population of our changing city. Inside, a cozy space with wooden tables, little windowsill decorations, and potted plants make for an ambiance you will want to linger in for a long time.
Read more about it in Culinary Backstreets blog.
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THE MUSEUM OF INNOCENCE - www.masumiyetmuzesi.org
Çukurcuma Caddesi, Dalgıç Çıkmazı 2, Beyoğlu +90 2122529738
Open 10:00 – 18.00 Tuesday – Sunday, until 21:00 on Fridays, closed on Mondays
First there was the novel, now comes the museum. Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk has taken his post-modernist literary project to the next level with a real world display of the artefacts collected by his protagonist and narrator as sentimental reminder of a love lost. The museum’s collection will continue to grow into an exhibit of daily life in Istanbul in the 20th Century.
Read Andrew Finkel’s review of the museum on the NY Times latitude blog.
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ÇUKURCUMA KÖFTECİSİ - www.cukurcumakoftecisi.com
Hacıoğlu Sokak 1/A, Çukurcuma, Beyoğlu +90 212-245-0833
Tucked into the heart of Beyoglu’s antiques district, lunch at Çukurcuma Köftecisi is a perfect midday show: good cast, good food, and a punch line that everyone gets – a great lunch for less than ten dollars.
Read about it in Istanbul Eats, a serious eater’s guide to the city.
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A LA TURCA - www.alaturcahouse.com
Faikpasa Yokusu No 4, Cukurcuma Phone: + 90 212 245 29 33
Cukurcuma district, located in the back streets of Beyoğlu and often called the SoHo of Istanbul, hosts over 150 antique shops, owned generally by minorities and Levantines, who have been living there for many years. A La Turca is a chic and sophisticated antique store located in Çukurcuma. Housed in a multi-storied building, this dimly-lit store features an exclusive collection of antique carpets and kilims from Anatolia, suzanis, Ottoman embroidery textiles, kaftans and pillows, pottery, ceramics, frames, pieces of furniture, accessories, and more.
Read more about it in Café Fernando’s blog.
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PEYMANE - www.peymane.com
Tomtom Mahallesi Boğazkesen caddesi No:65/1 Beyoğlu Phone: +90 212 2933136
Peymane revolves around the ocakbaşı tradition of Turkish cuisine (a meat restaurant with an open grill in the middle). Housed in a 5-storey historical building, the restaurant includes an indoor-seating area, a garden facing the historical facade of what used to be a French orphanage, and a bar. A VIP room is also available downstairs for those looking for a private area for their special occasion lunches and dinners that includes its own bar, waiter, sound system, a projector and screen, and a cozy sitting area facing a fireplace.
The restaurant also serves Italian style pizza in their garden during the day, and in their street-level guest room after 6pm.
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