Basta street view

©Jennifer Hattam/Lonely Planet

Basta! Street Food Bar

Kadıköy


Grabbing a dürüm (grilled meat in a flatbread wrap) on the go in İstanbul is a quick way to refuel, but Basta offers a very different eating experience. Young chefs Kaan Sakarya and Derin Arıbaş bring their fine-dining training to this humble street food, offering red meat, chicken and vegetarian versions, as well as kuzu (lamb) burgers and delicious hummus.

Wash your meal down with a organic limonata, a bracing şalgam (pickled turnip juice) or a soothing ayran (salted yoghurt drink), and don’t forget to save room for Basta’s luscious take on sütlaç (rice pudding) for dessert.