I’ve annoyed my friends a million times by repeating this, but I like to tell people that the reason I moved back to Turkey is the fabulous yoğurt they put in everything here. So, what better destination for a bacteria culture-lovin’ gal like me than the quiet, seaside neighborhood of Kanlıca, where the yogurt is famously tasty and served with pudra şeker (powdered sugar)?
The trek over to Kanlıca takes a bit more thought than a hop on the tram, so I was skeptical if this yogurt could really be worth it. But I went, I ate and I was pleasantly surprised. Though not something I would recommend if you’ve only got a 4-day stint in Istanbul, Kanlıca makes for a nice stop if you’re looking for a relaxing, quiet destination on a day off.
Some lowdown on the white stuff: Kanlıca yogurt is thick. At one point, it was transported as blocks and cut with a knife. What makes Kanlıca yogurt so tangy, creamy and special is the cow milk-sheep milk combo.
Where to get it: At the ferry dock there are some nice-looking cafes that serve the famous Kanlıca yogurt with dishes of powdered sugar (4.5 TL) and honey and jam ( 6 TL).
Along the main road right next to the ferry dock you’ll find the amca-approved, recommended-by-locals Kanlıca Kıvanç Cafe, which serves the just-as-legit Ahmet Nazlı brand Kanlıca yogurt for almost half the price (2.5 TL). You can grab it to-go from the man at the stand, he’ll heap a ton of powdered sugar on top for you, and then nom while sitting on a bench along the water.
If yogurt isn’t enough to entice you all the way past the second bridge, the walk up to Hıdiv Kasrı (Khedive Palace, where Khedive Abbas II of Egypt and Sudan lived), is pleasant, and the view of Istanbul takes on a whole other perspective. From here, the Golden Horn is invisible, the Bosphorus could be a bay and Istanbul looks like a much smaller, calmer city.
Getting to Kanlıca: There are two ferries that stop in Kanlıca, the oddly timed Çengelköy-Istinye ring (normal ferry price) and the Full Bosphorus Cruise line (15 TL one-way). Another option is to take Bus No. 15 or a Beykoz-bound dolmuş from the Üsküdar ferry terminal (about 20 min., I recommend getting a seat facing the water).
A nice way to get back to the European side is to take a small motor boat across the Bosphorus to Emirgan (5 TL, boats leave to the left of Kanlıca Iskelesi).
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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Probably the best yogurt in Turkey, and Turks know how to make yogurt.
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