Nar Lokanta

Just outside of the Grand Bazaar on the top floor of the Armaggan store is Nar Lokantasi. With a more upscale feel than most other places in the area lunch (or dinner) here is a nice rest from a day of shopping. The food is Classical Turkish and some dishes have a more contemporary twist. One has the option of choosing a selection of small dishes (meze) from the open buffet or ordering from the menu. Everything is very tasty. The bread that is baked on site right in the dining room is delicious. The decor is plain but soothing and one has the option of either sitting in the dining room or outside on two different terraces.

On the fifth floor of the gorgeous Armaggan store you’ll find the NAR Gourmet restaurant. This was the prettiest and tastiest spread of mezes I enjoyed during my stay in Turkey. I especially loved the fresh young wheat, pomegranate and mint salad and the dolma.

On the fifth floor of Armaggan is the NAR Gourmet restaurant. This selection of akide sekeri (Turkish hard candy in the middle), Turkish delight and pistachio and almond pastes ended our meal. The pistachio paste (little green cylinders) were my absolutely favorite. Maybe the best thing I put in my mouth when I was in Istanbul. I was so obsessed I had to get a whole box. The ingredients are just pistachios, sugar and egg whites, but the soft creamy texture and intense pistachio flavor bely the simplicity of the recipe.

Common wisdom is that old Istanbul is lacking in truly great restaurants and you should head to Beyoglu after your visit to the Hagia Sophia or the Blue Mosque. Nar Lokanta, however, which is just a short walk from the 18th-century Nuruosmaniye Mosque and the Grand Bazaar, will impress even the most discriminating gourmet. Here historic Turkish and Ottoman dishes are served in a contemporary setting, complete with a vertical garden, to the city’s fashionable set. From the mezze that cover the table at the beginning of the meal, including pide (Turkish pizza) and an assortment of seasonal vegetables and salads, to the honey and nut laden treats at the end (with baklava a specialty), eating here provides an opportunity to sample the best of traditional Turkish cuisine. If you are inspired to recreate some of the classic dishes at home, stop at the restaurant’s Nar Gourmet shop before you leave. While other stores may sell olive oil for less, few can compete with Nar Gourmet when it comes to the variety and quality of their selection. Take flight on Turkish Airlines newest route, from Miami to Istanbul, beginning this month.