For the most part, 90% of the restaurants and eateries in the neighborhood of Sultanahmet are sadly lacking, and although you can forgive an eatery a less than stellar meal at lunchtime, I for one can't forgive the extortion. Instead, I recommend you sample the honest home cooking at the various innocuous lokantas (dives with steam tables), particularly along Pierloti Caddesi, between the Hippodrome and Cagaloglu and in the working streets around the Grand Bazaar. In a pinch, head over to Buhara 93 (Sifa Hamami Sokak 15A; tel. 0212/518-1511) for some pretty good, cheap basic Turkish fare, and pizza that I've come to know and love. For dinner, spring for a taxi (about 6.75YTL/$5) and venture beyond the confines of the tourist trap for one of Beyoglu's more genuine restaurants or meyhanes (traditionally male-dominated taverns or pubs serving food and drink). The restaurants of Beyoglu and Taksim are more consistent in that they serve a regular stream of locals and businessmen rather than rely entirely on the tourist industry. A bit farther up the Bosphorus in Besiktas and Etiler are the five-star restaurants that attract Turkish jet-setters and consulate personnel, for the most part providing a wide selection of fresh-fish specialties, excellent service, and spectacular views.
The neighborhood of Kumkapi on the fringes of Sultanahmet capitalizes on the fish market across the highway, a year-round carnival crammed with typical tavernas. Don't walk there alone, though, as these are the streets that attract the worst petty thieves.
Restaurant dining rooms resemble ghost town eateries in the summer, but if you just continue up the steps, you'll see why. Istanbul is a city of rooftop terraces, and summer dining is almost exclusively enjoyed high above the city accompanied by warm breezes and breathtaking panoramas.
Dressing for dinner in Turkey requires the same amount of good judgment as anywhere in the Western world. Although a jacket and tie (or black dress for women) would be perfectly appropriate for a Saturday evening meal at an upscale restaurant or hotel dining room, a pair of pressed pants and a nice shirt will also do the trick in any listing indicating "dress smart." Leave the beachwear for the beach (including Bermuda shorts, cutoffs, and tank tops), and you should avoid any unnecessary faux pas.
