Chasing a Plate ... in Istanbul

It's a city where you can experience the famous Turkish hospitality - the locals are happiest when they see you embracing their culture - especially their food. Photo / Supplied

Istanbul is a city that allows you to slip into its daily rhythm with ease: Ride the ferry across the sparkling blue Bosphorus from Europe to Asia, meander through bustling markets, perch on a stool for a cup of tea and watch the world go by. It's a city where you'll experience the famous Turkish hospitality. The locals are some of the friendliest you will encounter on your travels, generous of spirit and happiest when they see you embracing their culture - especially their food. You'll fall very quickly for Istanbul's food scene. Here are some of the city's best bites to get you started…

1. Meze at Cukur Meyhane

Meze is one of Turkey's most beguiling dining traditions - there's no better way to spend an evening than whiling away the hours grazing on small plates and sipping on rakı, the national anise-flavoured spirit. Cukur Meyhane is a local favourite set back from the relentless pedestrian traffic of İstiklal, Istanbul's famous shopping street. Start with cold plates: beyaz peynir and kavun, a salty sheep's milk cheese and slices of fresh melon, a plate of marinated mushrooms, a parsley salad studded with bulgur and gem-like pomegranate seeds. Swipe pieces of fresh bread through dips then move on to the hot dishes. If it's anchovy (hamsi) season, these are a must-order, threaded on skewers, grilled and finished with lemon.

Eat it at Cukur Meyhane, Kuloglu, Turnacıbası Cd. & Kartal Sokak, Galatasaray 1/A, 34435 Beyoglu, İstanbul. Open 7 days 5pm-1am

2. Pide at Pak Pide Salonu

The spectacle of watching chefs at work is one of the reasons mealtimes in Istanbul are so enjoyable. Pide, a pizza-esque dish, is one you can watch being prepared, cooked and served within a matter of minutes.

Head to Pak Pide Salonu for a look, and a taste of this perennial Turkish favourite. The restaurant is bare bones but it's the open kitchen and the excellent pide you're here for. Watch the pide master knead and shape the dough before scattering it with toppings, brushing it with butter and sliding it into a ferocious wood-fired oven. The pide emerges golden and crunchy, its cheese filling gooey and blistered. This is undoubtedly one of the best spots to eat pide in the city.

Pide, a pizza-esque dish is golden and crunchy, with gooey and blistered cheese filling. Photo / Supplied

Eat it at Pak Pide Salonu, Mercan, Nasuhiye Sk. No:4, 34116 Fatih, İstanbul. Open Monday to Saturday 11am-4pm.

3. Kelle Sogus at Beyoglu Kelle Sogus

At first glance the ashen skull of a sheep doesn't make for the most appealing mid-afternoon snack but, trust us, order a portion of kelle sogus and all doubts will vanish. There's a reason Muammer Usta's cart hasn't moved from the streets of the popular neighbourhood of Beyoglu for the past 40 years.

Served cold, the meat is torn from the skull and sliced before being served with handfuls of fresh parsley and onion on a sheet of paper. Pull up a stool, add a few shakes of dried chilli at the table and prepare to be amazed. Each mouthful is fresh - the snap of raw onion and the slight bitterness of the parsley cut through the richness of the meat. It's like eating the best parts of last night's lamb roast. This is Turkish street food at its finest.

Kelle Söğüş (sheep skull) at Beyoğlu Kelle Söğüş. Photo / Supplied

Eat it at Beyoglu Kelle Sogus, Kamer Hatun, Huseyinaga Mah Kamerhatun Cad, Balık Sk. No 2, 34435 Beyoglu, İstanbul. Open Sunday to Thursday 10am-8pm, Friday to Saturday 10.45am-8.15pm.

4. Kebab at Abooov Adanali Durumcu

Kebabs are a mainstay of Turkish cuisine from doner kebab sliced from a vertical spit and eaten as a street snack to rich plates of lamb drenched in tomato sauce and lathered in browned butter - there are more than enough varieties to see you through your time in Istanbul. To sample a range of kebab, head to Abooov's where you can eat Adana kebab- marinated minced lamb, tavuk kanat (chicken wings) and cop sis (chunks of lamb), all fashioned on skewers and cooked over charcoal. At Abooov's the kebabs are served with stacks of flatbread, salads laced with sumac and pomegranate molasses, and pickles. Wash it all down with an ayran, a frothy, refreshing concoction made of yoghurt, water and salt.

Kebabs are a mainstay of Turkish cuisine from döner kebab sliced from a vertical spit. Photo / Supplied

Eat it at Abooov Adanali Durumcu, Acıbadem, Sarayardı Cd. No 78/2, 34718 Kadıkoy, İstanbul. Open 7 days, 11.30am-1.30am