Sıdıka‘s famous fresh herb olive oil dishes, perfectly grilled seafood and casual but fine atmosphere set it apart from your typical modern meyhane. Hidden on the ground floor of an unassuming apartment building in Beşiktaş, it’s a glimpse of the Aegean, a fish and meze haven, if you will. On any given evening, you can see its owner Sıdıka Hanım roaming the intimate restaurant’s tables, taking orders and making recommendations based on the daily menu.
There are some classics but the menu changes depending on the produce – all locally sourced and sustainable. Start with the herb plate: all green, olive oil based good-for-you-food with a decent dose of garlic. Move on to the grilled octopus: so tender and juicy that it’s possibly the best in town. From the perfectly salty sardines wrapped in vine leaves to the famous dark chocolate dessert “Abidin”, everything at Sıdıka is well worth discovering.
Sıdıka Meze Restoranı
Şair Nedim Cad. No: 38 Beşiktaş, İstanbul – (0212) 259 7232
Hours of operation: 17:00 – 00:00, closed Sundays.
