Bar, Café entertainment in Istanbul
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A
Mavra
Serdar-ı Ekrem Caddesi is one of the most interesting streets in Galata, full of ornate 19th-century apartment blocks, avant-garde boutiques and laid-back cafes and bars. Mavra is a bit of everything – during the day it functions as a cafe, serving excellent sandwiches and pastries (the poğaca are excellent); at night, it reinvents itself as a hip bar that has been wholeheartedly embraced by artists, journalists and others in the creative industries. Its decor is thrift-shop chic and its shelves are full of locally designed ceramics and craft that are for sale. Nearby Building Food Lab & Apparel offers more of the same, albeit with a hard-edged minimalist aesthetic.
reviewed
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B
Yeşil Ev Garden Bar/Café
Most of the bars in Cankurtaran are rowdy backpacker establishments, so the elegant rear courtyard of this historic hotel is a real oasis for those wanting a quiet drink. In spring flowers and blossom fill every corner; in summer the fountain and shady trees keep the temperature down; and in the cooler months a flower-filled conservatory provides shelter. The drinks are expensive, but as the old adage says, quality doesn’t come cheaply.
reviewed
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C
Ada
The side streets off İstiklal may be full of great cafes and bars, but the grand boulevard itself possesses a motley range of choices. Fortunately, Ada is the exception. A cavernous place that’s half book-and-music store and half bar/cafe, it has style and substance in equal measure.
reviewed
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D
Sofa
Ten candlelit tables beckon patrons into this friendly cafe/bar just off Akbıyık Caddesi. There’s a happy hour between 5pm and 6.30pm each day and a decidedly laid-back feel. The food served here is adequate rather than inspired.
reviewed
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E
Kaktüs
Sourcing its clientele from the arts and media industries, this longstanding favourite off İstiklal is a great spot for a coffee or beer.
reviewed
