From Bazaar to Auto Shops: Lunch from Levent to Maslak

1. 01
   History

   Drop by Levent Bazaar's Historic Pastry Shop

   Visit Tadal Pastanesi in Levent Çarşısı, a pastry shop that opened in 1953 during the neighborhood's early years. Levent was built over open land through a bank-led project begun in 1947, with the first section completed in 1949–50. The shop was founded by Apostol, a Greek master baker; it was later run by Yeşilçam dubbing artist Marko Buduris, and has been in the hands of Hüseyin Meriç since 1975.

   Tadal Pastanesi, Levent Çarşısı, Istanbul, Turkey
2. 02
   Local

   Find the Place That Began with a Billiard Table Story

   Stop at Namlı Kebap in Levent, founded in 1971 by three partners from Elazığ. According to the story, one of them, Kamil Kırbaç, came to Istanbul to buy a billiard table and never went back. After 1988, the business briefly experimented with French cuisine. Since 1996, the restaurant has operated inside a former Levent house.

   Namlı Kebap, Levent, Istanbul, Turkey
3. 03
   Local

   Track Down the Pilaf That Moved from Cart to Shop

   Head to Maslak Pilavcısı inside Atatürk Oto Sanayi. For many years it operated as a street cart under a bridge, where office workers and auto-shop mechanics queued side by side. In 2014, a newspaper reported that nearly fifty kilos of pilaf were being served daily, and that same year the business moved into a proper shop. Sources differ on exactly how many years it has been here.

   Maslak Pilavcısı, Atatürk Oto Sanayi, Istanbul, Turkey
4. 04
   Local

   Look for Adana-Style Rib Craft in the Industrial Zone

   Visit Kaburgacı Cabbar in Atatürk Oto Sanayi. The family business began in Yüreğir, Adana, and in 2020 was described as being sixty-two years old. This branch is much newer, having opened in 2019–20 inside the auto-repair district. Three generations of rib-making craftsmanship now continue on an industrial street a few hundred meters north of the towers.

   Kaburgacı Cabbar, Atatürk Oto Sanayi, Istanbul, Turkey

Check opening hours before you go. Hours, access conditions and weather can change.