My favorite restaurant in Istanbul: Ciya Sofrasi

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Because I had a bit of a reputation as a foodie back home in Hawaii and now having spent more than nine years exploring the various regional dishes in Turkey, I’m often asked for my favorite restaurant in Istanbul. The question makes me nostalgic!

I can remember the exact moment I fell in love with Turkish food. The exact bite, to be exact!

It was a beautiful spring day in Istanbul and I had been in Turkey for nearly two weeks out of the two months that I’d originally planned. I had been enjoying spending my days catching ferries up and down the Bosphorus, people watching at the pazars and cafes and petting all the cats.

I was falling in love with the place a little more each day.

But there was one mystery that I couldn’t quite solve – there was a small, green plum that had shown up on the street carts of the vendors around the city. I’d been told they were called “erik” and when I finally bought some, my mouth puckered as I bit into the tart little unripe fruit. It was sooo sour! I just couldn’t understand why everyone was so excited and appeared to be buying them by the kilo from the vendors whenever they passed.

Cut to my lunch at Ciya (see above) when I noticed the tiny green plums in a kebap up with the rest of the daily specials. It was a stew made of lamb meatballs, tender spring garlic and the green plums. Minutes later, a silver bowl arrived at my table. One bite and I was in heaven!

I’d later learn that was quite common in Ottoman palace cooking to use fruits in savory dishes and I’d come to love others – visneli (cherry) kebap in spring, or ayvali (quince) kebaps in winter. But the way that the tiny, sour fruit softened into a bright note with the garlic and lamb was a revelation to me.

Fast forward to nine (yes, nine!) years later, and I often find myself again at Ciya. Some things have changed over the years. For one, alcohol is no longer served there! (No worries, there are countless other bars nearby in Kadikoy waiting to sell you booze!)

Besides the Yemek ve Kultur magazine that has been produced since long before my first visit, Chef Musa Dagdeviren has finally published his cookbook, and it’s an absolute masterpiece! More than 500 recipes including many which are difficult or impossible to find in English previously, along with stories that give context such as which region the recipe comes from or whether it’s part of a cultural tradition, consumed at a specific time of year, etc. I often use it to cross reference whatever was on the daily menu at Ciya Sofrasi or in my research.

I’ve enjoyed bringing so many friends with me over the years and giving them an introduction to Turkish cuisine beyond the kebaps, doner, fish and meze you’ll find at most places. Ciya is regional and seasonal home cooking that you really don’t see on menus very often. I especially love letting people guess ingredients in some of the dishes, including the desserts!

How to get to Ciya Sofrasi

Ciya Sofrasi is located in Kadikoy on the Asian side of the city. The easiest (and most scenic) way to reach it is by ferry from the European side ports such as Eminonu, Karakoy or Besiktas – don’t forget to look for dolphins on your way over!

Reservations are not needed, just walk in and choose your items after viewing them in front. Enjoy!

Ciya Sofrasi
Caferağa Mahallesi, Güneşli Bahçe Sk. No:43, 34710 Kadıköy/İstanbul
Tel (0216) 330 31 90 | Open 11am – 10pm daily
website | Instagram | Google Maps

>> For photos from a few of my visits to Ciya, check out my Ciya photo gallery. (Keep in mind that the dishes rotate based on what is fresh and seasonal, so you’ll find a different selection each time you visit!)

Watch Chef Musa Dagdeviren on Netflix’s Chef’s Table

Some “homework” before you visit Ciya: I highly recommend watching Season 5, Episode 2 of Netflix’s award-winning series, Chef’s Table. This episode features the backstory to the chef, his restaurants, his passion for preserving regional dishes, and even a beautiful love story.