Divan Bebek Istanbul
Best Cafe & Restaurant at sea level
Emre from Istanbul
Divan is a local Hotel, Patisserie and Restaurant chain in Turkey that provides more than decent service in all these areas.
My favorite location is in Bebek. There are two floors, the bottom floor serves as a restaurant at sea level which makes you feel like you're on board a small boat. The upper floor is the patisserie where you can take away desserts and cookies for your walk by the sea.
The restaurant serves brunch on Sundays for 75 TL, which is in my honest opinion, expensive for the variety that is served. However, the lunch & dinner menu is more appealing. Divan aims to serve signature dishes of the Turkish Cuisine like vegetables in olive oil as starters. My personal favorites are lamb with mashed eggplants, slowly cooked beef and kebap with yogurt. Also, they are one of the few places that serve good Schnitzel. And of course the dessert menu with Turkish coffee is a must. Please notice the cups that they serve Turkish coffee in, they are fine collector's pieces.
Good food, view and ambiance combined with the best service is what you get for an above average price but I believe it's worth it.
Do not forget to make reservation for a table by the sea.
Istanbul Spotter Emre
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