The path between Beşiktaş and Ortaköy is a familiar one to anybody who has hosted a traveler to Istanbul and spent time roaming the streets on foot. It’s a brief enough walk, connecting two of the most iconic areas of the city, usually thriving with traffic and pedestrians, and offering quite a bit of to take in along the way in regards to the Bosphorus and historic buildings, universities, and famous hotels. Nearer to Ortaköy, tucked away behind the old, familiar walls between the main road and the strait, is nestled one such destination – the unassuming Feriye. The name garners recognition first and foremost as one of the former Ottoman palace buildings, dating back to the 1800s, and well known to anyone with a sincere interest in the city’s history. Today, while embracing that very same rich history, Feriye is a hub offering a unique and varied scope connecting the worlds of culture, art, entertainment, education, and gastronomy.
Having only once visited Feriye many years ago for a beautiful, memorable wedding, I had wrongly assumed that the palace was reserved for such lavish occasions. I was happy to recently learn that I was quite mistaken, in that it has much to offer in regards to cultural and social life for a wide-ranging audience – from kids, to students, to families, and of course to those who might want a fancy evening out. In addition to the lokanta that I came to visit on a still warm October afternoon, there was a cinema, a pier, a foyer area, a park, a cafe, and more to all take in. Looking through their program, it was lovely to find that Feriye incorporates a diverse selection including festivals, concerts, art exhibitions, screenings, theater performances, workshops for people of all ages, outdoor activities, and more.
Passing Feriye Cafe from the main road, descending the stairs leading to the coast, and circling behind the eye-catching main building that dots the Bosphorus with its imposing stature, I arrived to my day’s destination – Lokanta Feriye. With Ortaköy’s illustrious mosque seemingly waving at me in the background, I entered into the restaurant, feeling as though it was made of glass with every wall transparent and offering a full view of the bobbing water and quintessential Istanbul skyline. I had anticipated something fancy, and while it certainly lived up to expectations in regards to the decor, it also felt distinctly accessible – a point quickly confirmed after being seated and looking over the menu which was more than reasonable considering the area and vibes.
The menu is a fairly large one, with plenty of cuisines for every palette, changing every few weeks to match the season and freshest ingredients available. Despite the mid-afternoon timing, I also couldn’t help but find myself captivated by the rather impressive full cocktail bar island that loomed in the middle of the restaurant. Following up the food menu with a quick look at the special, admittedly enticing, cocktails on offer, it seemed appropriate to embrace the occasion and experiment with the full range of offerings.
After a quick dance with several fresh types of bread, alongside a rich olive oil and sweet balsamic, our first two starters arrived to much fanfare. Going with the sauteed shrimp on a white bean mash, covered in delicious spiced sauce, there was much wisdom in balancing it alongside a lighter oven-baked okra salad with purslane and chickpeas. The shrimps were quite the sensation, even appealing to those of us who aren’t particularly fond of seafood, and were quite possibly our favorite dish on the day, as they were seasoned to perfection. The oven-baked okra was lovely as well, definitely delicious all the while leaving room for future dishes.
Breaking things up a bit, we opted to indulge in some cocktail magic as well. Feeling festive and wanting to keep things light, our first round of drinks consisted of a ‘Suicide Soda’ (gin, cucumber, basil, lemon, and mineral water) and a ‘Bogota’ (66 spices Jameson, Fernet Branca Anngustra Bitter, honey syrup, and lemon juice), both which earned five stars out of five both for presentation and taste. As many a yabancı would tell you, it can be hard to find a decent cocktail in this city, and while we certainly would return to Feriye for the food, we also would definitely return for a night of proper cocktails and good views.
The transition to our main courses saw us go for something that would be easy enough to share, like the pistachio köfte and homemade chips, alongside the vine wrapped sardines in tomato sauce. Both were delivered on their plates with a certain culinary aesthetic that made them particularly alluring, and we were eager to indulge. Köfte is of course a simple enough dish, but the pistachio was a much welcomed touch and they were appropriately light and moist, with the homemade chips being crispy and not too oily. The vine wrapped sardines were not too fishy, while still satisfying the seafood lover among us. The tomato sauce that accompanied it was especially revered, and paired splendidly with the chips.
We would be remiss to not give a special shout out to our oft hilarious and amicable server, Ferhat, who was a pleasure to interact with throughout the course of our meal. As the proceedings concluded, he gave an excellent recommendation for the “gozleme” desert, which we were apprehensive about considering our preconceptions of what gozleme is, but of course our host knew best and it ended up being a delicate delight with just the right amount of sweet and plenty of light flakiness. As a final bonus, it came with a heaping scoop of ice cream.
To put the final touches on a fantastic afternoon, we added two more cocktails to our repertoire in a Kuzu Kulağı Gin (gin brewed with thyme, sorel, lime, and sweet & sour honey) and a Tell Me Tuesday (Captain Morgan spiced, Ottoman pumpkin sauce, lemon juice, and egg whites). Both of course solidifying the conclusion that this is certainly one of our favorite cocktail destinations in Istanbul.
It was an exceptional meal, and while we were certainly happy to experiment and try a variety of items from the menu, we also felt it would be quite easy to return and be approached on a budget while still offering much to enjoy. Most of all, in addition to the memorable views, great food, and noteworthy cocktails, the complex itself left quite the impression and we’ll certainly be returning to experience much of the rich, vibrant program that they have on offer.
Feriye, and their full schedule of events, can be followed via their official site, as well as on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
This article was originally published on November 4, 2019, by Tarik Yassien.
