When you think of the food options in Ortaköy, a few key staples come to mind. Most famously, you can get a kumpir the size of your head, with all sorts of toppings and a side of salesmanship (the people in those stands will do just about anything to get your attention). Or you could patronize one of the many kokoreç stalls on Dereboyu and get a big hunk of bread filled with spicy sheep intestines, the perfect treat after a night of drinking.
But what if I told you that one of the best restaurants in Ortaköy is actually a pizza joint? Pizano Pizzeria, tucked away in the residential part of Ortaköy, serves up the best pizza I’ve had in Istanbul to date (yes, even better than Miss Pizza). How do they put out such a succulent pie? Well they imported their pizza oven from Italy, so there’s that. Plus, they use a wide variety of cheeses and fresh ingredients. My favorite is the pizza al pollo bianco, a white pizza that uses cream cheese for a base and is topped with mozzarella, chicken, mushrooms, roasted red peppers, spinach and green peppers. But their pork pizzas are also out of this world, and they are liberal in their use of the hard-to-find meat (the pizza solo prosciutto is basically a plate of pork – it features copious amounts of prosciutto cotto, prosciutto parma and pepperoni).
In short, their thin-crust pizza would rank highly even in the fancy-pizza-obsessed States. Luckily for me, it’s just a short jaunt down the road rather than a plane ride across the Atlantic. The restaurant itself is small, but cozy, and the owners are there everyday to make sure you get quality service and delicious pizza.
So the next time you’re in Ortaköy and looking for a bite to eat, back away slowly from the tourist-filled coastal area and cross over to the other side of the sahil yolu. There you’ll find an unassuming little pizzeria serving the best pies in the city.
Pizano Pizzeria
Mecidiye Mh., Eski Bahçe Sk No:17
Ortaköy, 34347
Istanbul
Insider Trading is our new column sharing expats’ secret finds in Istanbul. These recommendations are unsolicited and uncompensated. Have a place you want to share? Send us an email at emma@yabangee.com.
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Sounds good. The problem I find with kumpir is that the potato gets beaten to an unappetising puree, and the jacket (the tastiest part of the potato) is inedible.