One of the marvels of architect Sinan, the Suleymaniye Mosque has recently been re-opened after a very long restoration period. This mosque is usually a part of the full day İstanbul tour and honestly for me is one of the gems of the city. Yes the architectural structure is mind blowing but there is another factor that grabs my attention when Suleymaniye is involved. It is the kuru fasülye (cooked Haricot Bean) that you need to taste in one of the restaurants lined up just across the mosque.

These restaurants are experienced in kuru fasülye, one of the major traditional dishes of the Turks. It’s basically cooked haricot bean with tomato paste, spices, garlic and red pepper. Of course the cooking process is very important but I will not dwell into it here as I am not an expert. But the taste is just fabulous. You need to consume this dish with a plate of fresh yogurt and rice (pilav) as documented in the photo. This is all you need for a lunch and believe me it will take you through the day.

If you in any way have a chance to visit Suleymaniye Mosque you must make sure you are there during lunch time to have this meal. If a name has to be declared then I would definitely suggest Kurucu Ali Baba Kanaat Lokantası (Kuru Fasülyeci) restaurant. Here you will get great service, worth the money lunch and smiling faces.