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Editors who understand Istanbul

Eight Choose Istanbul editors who read the city’s tables through food, neighbourhood, time, budget and the purpose of each visit.

Defne ArasGastronomy Editor

Explores contemporary Turkish cooking, chef-led restaurants and Istanbul’s changing culinary language.

Defne Aras — Gastronomy Editor

Defne Aras

Gastronomy Editor

Defne’s editorial lens focuses on the connection Istanbul’s cooking builds between past and present. She considers not only the plate, but also ingredient choices, service rhythm, the venue’s relationship with the city and the coherence of the full experience.

Areas of focus

  • Contemporary Turkish cuisine
  • Chef-led restaurants
  • Tasting menus
  • Special-occasion dining

Editorial principles

  • Never separate the plate from its context
  • Pay attention to produce and seasonality
  • Make restrained, reasoned recommendations
Neighbourhoods followed
Karaköy · Beyoğlu · Nişantaşı · Kadıköy
Languages
Turkish · English

Editorial stories

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Kerem SoyerLocal Food Editor

Covers traditional restaurants, everyday cooking, ocakbaşı culture and the city’s quick street bites.

Kerem Soyer — Local Food Editor

Kerem Soyer

Local Food Editor

Kerem values continuity over spectacle. His perspective follows busy lunch services, regulars’ habits, value for money and why a familiar dish can feel right at a particular moment of the day.

Areas of focus

  • Traditional lunch restaurants
  • Street food
  • Kebab and ocakbaşı
  • Good-value dining

Editorial principles

  • Consider price as part of the experience
  • Observe turnover and service rhythm
  • Avoid romanticising local habits
Neighbourhoods followed
Fatih · Beşiktaş · Kadıköy · Üsküdar
Languages
Turkish · English

Editorial stories

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Elif TanerCoffee & Pastry Editor

Follows pastry shops, desserts, coffee culture and the many forms of an Istanbul breakfast.

Elif Taner — Coffee & Pastry Editor

Elif Taner

Coffee & Pastry Editor

Elif looks at the small details separating an everyday coffee stop from a considered pastry experience. Freshness, pastry balance, coffee preparation and a venue’s rhythm through the day shape her editorial view.

Areas of focus

  • Pastry and dessert
  • Turkish coffee
  • Third-wave coffee
  • Breakfast

Editorial principles

  • Put freshness before appearance
  • Evaluate sweetness and texture together
  • State the right time of day to visit
Neighbourhoods followed
Moda · Nişantaşı · Karaköy · Cihangir
Languages
Turkish · English

Editorial stories

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Can ArelMeyhane & Seafood Editor

Covers meyhane culture, fish, meze, rakı etiquette and long evenings along the Bosphorus.

Can Arel — Meyhane & Seafood Editor

Can Arel

Meyhane & Seafood Editor

Can’s approach focuses on the way a table unfolds over time. Seasonality of fish, freshness of meze, service pace, sound level and billing clarity are all treated as parts of one experience.

Areas of focus

  • Meyhane culture
  • Fish and seafood
  • Meze
  • Bosphorus restaurants

Editorial principles

  • Ask about seasonality and the day’s catch
  • Include the table’s rhythm in the review
  • Check pricing clarity
Neighbourhoods followed
Arnavutköy · Karaköy · Samatya · Kadıköy
Languages
Turkish · English

Editorial stories

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Selin ErdemPlant-Forward Dining Editor

Explores vegetarian and vegan cooking, seasonal produce and different dietary needs.

Selin Erdem — Plant-Forward Dining Editor

Selin Erdem

Plant-Forward Dining Editor

For Selin, a strong plant-forward restaurant should build its own culinary language without feeling defined by omission. She considers menu range, seasonality, allergen clarity and how prepared the kitchen is for different needs.

Areas of focus

  • Vegetarian cooking
  • Vegan options
  • Seasonal produce
  • Allergen communication

Editorial principles

  • Judge choice together with quality
  • Look for clear allergen information
  • Consider seasonality and waste
Neighbourhoods followed
Cihangir · Moda · Nişantaşı · Bomonti
Languages
Turkish · English

Editorial stories

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Baran IlgazNeighbourhood & City Culture Editor

Reads the daily rhythm of neighbourhoods, markets, walking routes and local dining habits.

Baran Ilgaz — Neighbourhood & City Culture Editor

Baran Ilgaz

Neighbourhood & City Culture Editor

Baran approaches a neighbourhood through walking, transport and time of day before compiling restaurant lists. He considers how a venue relates to its surroundings, what it adds to a route and whether a visitor can build a realistic day around it.

Areas of focus

  • Neighbourhood routes
  • Market and street culture
  • Walkable plans
  • Local dining habits

Editorial principles

  • Treat the route as seriously as the table
  • Keep travel times realistic
  • Never reduce a neighbourhood to one cliché
Neighbourhoods followed
Kadıköy · Karaköy · Balat · Beşiktaş
Languages
Turkish · English

Editorial stories

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Lara EkinciEvening & Refined Dining Editor

Reviews refined restaurants, tables with a view, late-night dining and special-occasion experiences.

Lara Ekinci — Evening & Refined Dining Editor

Lara Ekinci

Evening & Refined Dining Editor

Lara’s editorial focus is whether an ambitious evening genuinely delivers on its promise. She does not treat the view as separate from food and service, assessing consistency from the reservation process to the final moment.

Areas of focus

  • Refined restaurants
  • Rooftops and views
  • Late-night dining
  • Romantic and special-occasion tables

Editorial principles

  • Measure the promise against the price
  • Never separate the view from food and service
  • Check the reservation experience
Neighbourhoods followed
Beyoğlu · Karaköy · The Bosphorus · Nişantaşı
Languages
Turkish · English

Editorial stories

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Deniz VuralPractical Istanbul Editor

Develops practical guidance on reservations, tipping, transport and choosing the right table as a visitor.

Deniz Vural — Practical Istanbul Editor

Deniz Vural

Practical Istanbul Editor

Deniz focuses on the idea that a recommendation is valuable only when it can be acted on. Reservations, transport, peak hours, payment and local etiquette are explained from the perspective of a first-time visitor.

Areas of focus

  • Reservations and tipping
  • Visitor guidance
  • Transport and timing
  • Dining etiquette

Editorial principles

  • Make every recommendation actionable
  • Never present uncertain information as fact
  • Explain local habits clearly and without judgement
Neighbourhoods followed
Sultanahmet · Karaköy · Taksim · Kadıköy
Languages
Turkish · English

Editorial stories

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