Defne
In a city full of Turkish restaurants, Defne stands out for its exquisitely prepared food, friendly service, and pleasant setting. Beyond simple kebabs, the fresh and healthy menu here includes a selection of hard-to-find fish dishes from the Bosphorus, such as acili ahtapot (spicy octopus served with mushrooms and olives in a white-wine-and-tomato sauce), as well as delicious meze and typical Turkish dishes like "the Imam Fainted," stuffed eggplant with tomatoes, peppers, onions, mushrooms, and pine nuts.