During a two week stay in Istanbul, without a doubt this was the best local food that we had on the entire trip. If you can get the waiter to bring you a sampling of dishes for dinner from the stove, you will be as lucky as we were. Each one was wonderful with slow cooked mingling of local spices... more

Great food in a less touristy neighborhood; a good value. This was the only restaurant we went to in Istanbul that I felt like locals might actually go to. The area around the restaurant is definitely worth exploring. The process for ordering was a bit confusing for those who did not speak Turkish, but it was all part of the... more

Our dinner at Ciya Sofrasi was delicious and easily our best meal in Istanbul. The meze bar alone was worth the trip and vegetable-lovers should consider making a meal just from there. (But remember to have them weigh your plate before eating -- we thought it was an American-style all-you-can-eat deal, which it is not!) My only disagreement is with... more

This little gem has gathered fame on travelling forums and food magazines but seems to be unspoilt by it. Tucked on a little alley in Kadiköy, near the pier, it may be hard to find but it's well worth the effort (if you have any problems, just ask the locals, they'll know where it is). The meze (appetizer) buffet has... more

We were in Istanbul for ten days, which was not our original plan. In those ten days, we ate out every single meal, which, frankly, was a little tiresome. Where was the flavor we expected The well-roasted meats, the intense flavors, the fresh ingredients? We found the food dull, for the most part. The whole time, we kept avoiding going... more

Without any doubt the nicest meal I had during my recent 6 day stay was at CIYA Sofrasi..the restaurant and its sister restaurants are in Kadikoy on the Asian side and are fairly difficult to find ..but eventually worth the trip. Incredible choice of fresh salad to start with (charged by weight)), a good choice of original Turkish dishes (apart... more

We went to Ciya Sofrasi with high expectations, given all we read about it before our vacation in Turkey. We were not disappointed. The ferry ride to Kadikoy on the Asian side was great as were the amazing views on the return trip. Finding the restaurant was a challenge but we were helped by friendly locals. We chose to eat... more

Food is top quality and delicious. Service is fast and neat. Waiters are polite and friendly. They explain all of the meals accurately (As most of the people don't know what the foods are 'cos it's local, they do a good job). No parking place around 200 meters of restaurant. As the street it's in is traffic restiricted. Leave a... more

We had lunch at Ciya based on the recommendation of a colleague who frequently travels to Istanbul. It absolutely lived up to the recommendation - we shared 4 "little bowls" which allowed us to taste a few different things. One of the best meals we had. The waiter patiently described each dish to us doing his best at speaking English... more