The small streets of the district of Moda in Kadikoy are the place to go if one is interested in trying out authentic Turkish cuisines and all the other gourment goodies Turkey's gastronomy sector has to offer. For a foodie like me, the al-fresco restaurants, bars and cafes serving real Turkish coffee count among the most important attractions of any visits to Istanbul. Nowadays, instead of staying over at the European side, I prefer to stay on the Asian side so that I could stay out late at one of the many coffee houses located in Moda and have a great time enjoying all the sights and sound Kadikoy has to offer.
Just a short walk from Kadikoy's ferry pier is the fresh produce market of Kadikoy. Around the corner of the rows of grocery shops and spice counters are a series of coffee houses selling freshly grounded coffee, canned Turkish coffee, as well as fresh roasted coffee beans by weight. Most of these places also has indoor and outdoor seatings, where people can have some coffee or other refreshments till late in the night. In addition to traditional Turkish coffee, these coffee houses also serve Italian and western style coffees, such as latte, cappuccino, espresso etc.
I am not a fan of Turkish coffee, but it is always an interesting experience to be in an authentic Turkish coffee shop outside of the tourist enclaves of Istanbul, order a coffee, take a seat at one of the outdoor tables, and enjoy looking at the crowds that pass by the shops. Whenever I am in Kadikoy, I always head to one of these coffee houses as soon as I have offloaded my baggage, and spend the next few hours engaging in some people-watching. On weekends, this part of Kadikoy is very popular with local diners and shoppers. For those who like to observe daily life of normal people in one of the biggest cities in the world, consider trying out one of these authentic Turkish coffee bars.
Copyrights@2012. All text and photos by YC Cheng. All Rights Reserved.
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