Kızılkayalar Büfe – Islak for the soul

You’re in Taksim after a long night out and you’re struck by the sudden sensation of irrepressible hunger. You’re lucky because you have many delicious options of comforting midnight cures – from soup places to fast and greasy kokoreç (a spicy dish made from sheep intestines) joints, one can see that Istanbul cares for its party people.

There is one form of late night indulgence that is dear to many locals’ hearts and that is Kızılkayalar’s original ıslak hamburger, or ıslak (“wet”) for short. These small hamburgers are moistened with garlicky tomato paste and kept in a steamy glass box in front of Kızılkayalar. Admittedly, they’re not the most appetizing things to look at, and not something to be eaten during daytime unless you want to scare off vampires with your garlic breath. However, they’re the perfect thing to eat before you head home after a long night.

Kızılkayalar is located right at Taksim square among many other Turkish fast food places -”büfe”s, and they offer classic büfe fare such as tosts, sandwiches and juices. There’s always a huge crowd surrounding the place after midnight as people flock around the smell of ıslak and have a couple right on the spot. Try them to finish off an Istanbul night out in style.