Photo via Google, Pandeli RestaurantPandeli
- Hours
- Today: 11:30 AM – 7:00 PM
- Getting there
- Upstairs inside the Spice Bazaar, Eminönü
Why it’s in the log
Pandeli Çobanoğlu, an Anatolian Greek who'd come to Istanbul to work as a porter around the Spice Bazaar, started out selling meatball sandwiches from a wooden shack before opening a proper restaurant on the same spot in 1901. Writers, politicians and eventually Mustafa Kemal Atatürk became regulars, and the restaurant moved into its current room above the bazaar's entrance after a 1955 upheaval forced it out of its original address.
The dining room is the reason people still climb the stairs: 17th-century-style İznik tiles in blue and turquoise, painted ceilings, and windows onto the Golden Horn and Galata Bridge. The kitchen runs classic Ottoman dishes — hünkar beğendi, stuffed mussels, a cold aubergine salad that's been on the menu since long before "Ottoman revival" was a restaurant trend.
Lunch only, and it closes on Sundays with the rest of the bazaar around it — plan the visit accordingly rather than as an evening stop.
“Atatürk ate here, and so did half the Ottoman-era intelligentsia — the İznik tilework hasn't dated a day of it.”
What people said recently
From Google reviews · see all 2,474 ↗
“This restaurant was established in 1901 and is located on the second floor, just above the bustling main entrance of the Spice Bazaar. Over the years, it has hosted famous figures such as Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (the father of modern…”
“Had a lovely time at Pandeli! It authentic and honest with perfectly cooked dishes and great service. Outstanding lamb shank and great kazandibi(with chicken bits which can be off-putting, but it’s tasty). Best to book in advance as it is…”
“Established in 1901, this historic restaurant is located on the second floor above the lively main entrance of the Spice Bazaar. Throughout its long history, it has welcomed notable guests, including Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of…”
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