Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
LITTLE URFA
In recent decades, the Laleli and Aksaray neighbourhoods west of the Bazaar District have deve-
loped a reputation as being the centre of İstanbul's main red-light district, home to seedy nightclubs,
petty crims and prostitutes from Eastern Europe. A sad fate for areas where
valide sultans
(mothers
of reigning sultans) once commissioned ornate imperial mosques and Ottoman merchants built huge
hans
(caravanserais)
,
and mansions to flaunt their wealth to the world.
There is, however, another claim to fame that this area possesses. For decades, Aksaray has been
home to a large concentration of immigrants from the southeast of Turkey. Many of these residents
have opened food stands and restaurants serving dishes popular in the southeast, and the streets im-
mediately north of the Aksaray metro station have become known as 'Little Urfa' after the city on
the Turkish-Syrian border.
Every adventurous foodie should be sure to eat here at least once during their time in the city.
Head to the streets around Sofular Caddesi and enjoy a sit-down Syrian-influenced feast at
Hatay
Aksaray) or at
Akdenız Hatay Sofrası
( 212-444 7247;
www.akdenizhataysofrasi.com.tr
;
Ahmediye Caddesi 44; Aksaray) . Alternatively, pop in-
to
Şanlı Urfa Zaman
(Simitçi Şakir Sokak 38; Aksaray) for a
ciğer
(liver) kebap;
Ehli Kebap
(Simitçi Şakır Sokak 32; Aksaray) for a delicious and filling bowl of
bayran çorbasi
(thick
lamb-based soup);
Tarihi Onbaşı Kebap & Lahmacun Salonu
(Sofular Caddesi 5a; Aksaray)
for a crispy and spicy
içli köfte
(bulgur shell filled with mincemeat and spices); or the small tradi-
tional bakery on Ragıb Bey Sokak for crispy
lahmacun
(thin pizza) straight from the oven.
Alternatively sign up for the evening 'Kebap Krawl' run by the passionate and knowledgeable
foodies who put together Culinary Backstreets (
CLICK HERE
)
, a fantastic blog that covers eating in the
city.
The mosque was named after Molla Zeyrek, a well-known scholar who lived during the
reign of Sultan Mehmed II.
Until recently the building was included on the World Monument Fund's (WMF) list of
the world's 100 most endangered cultural heritage sites. It is now undergoing a slow res-
toration that was instigated and initially funded by the WMF.
