Locali in Istanbul

Contemporary Anatolian cuisine in the legendary Ciragan Palace

Retro-boutique hotel bar at the marina entrance, seasonal cocktails

Exclusive Bosphorus seafood with panoramic bridge views

Boğaz-narrowest fish house with full bar program since 1967

Over-water fish-meyhane on the Baltalimanı seam.

Brasserie-attached cigar room on the Vadistanbul side

The Stay's small rooftop above Bebek Hotel, intimate, signature cocktails, fairy-tale Bosphorus straight onto the bay.

Villa dining in the old Tribeca space, homemade-syrup cocktails, open-kitchen ambition

Kempinski's waterfront aperitivo terrace, Italian spritz ritual over the Bosphorus

Bağdat Caddesi's 30-year award-winning institution

Cem Mirap (Lucca) brasserie at İstinye Park, designed by Roman & Williams

Wood-panelled clubby signature bar at the Ottoman palace, elite spirits library

Istanbul's first true Italian since 1993, on imported flour and stone-oven pizza

Grand Tarabya's second-floor bar, a Bosphorus-bay cocktail terrace.

Sarıyer Çarşı fish-meyhane known for kalkan and meze depth.

İstinye Bay fish lokantası in the old Süreyya Restaurant building since 2004

Wide Bosphorus terrace lounge for sundown cigars and the city's best afternoon tea

After-work cocktail room on Büyükdere for the Levent towers

Cognac, cigar and Friday-night jazz inside the Ottoman shipyard

Authentic Japanese by Chef Horikoshi with omakase by reservation

Late-night Kireçburnu fish-meyhane open until 02:00.

Glass-domed rooftop cigar room over the historical peninsula

Lobby brasserie and terrace at Hilton Bosphorus, all jewel-box finishes and crafted drinks

Shangri-La's lobby bar, jewel-box interior, sharing plates, signature cocktails until 1am

Istanbul twist on Raffles Singapore's original Long Bar, nightly live music

Historic 200-year-old han with lokanta lunch and meyhane evenings

A park-keeper's hut built over the water, windows on three sides, classic mezes and full rakı/wine bar

Kireçburnu waterline fish house, rakı nights the neighborhood still uses.

D-ream's accessible-quality Italian since 1995, wood-oven pizza and signature pasta

Belle-Époque hotel bar where Agatha Christie drank, literature nights, Friday live jazz, Istanbul-narrative cocktails.

Turkish fine dining with Anatolian recipes and extensive wine cellar

The Tarabya fish crescent local without the tourist markup.

Panoramic CVK lounge with live performers and a proper bar program

Ground-floor hotel bar where the Foxy crowd spills over for DJs and late drinks.

14th-floor sushi-and-cocktails bar overlooking both continents

Hilltop Baltalimanı panorama, bar open until 2am.

Palazzo Corpi ground-floor lounge, the only Soho House bar open to the public, meze-and-cocktail anchor of Meşrutiyet.

Sipping bubbles at the water's edge as the call to prayer echoes

English gentlemen's-club style bar with whiskey, cognac and live music six nights.

27-storey Ataşehir tower with a proper lobby-bar cocktail hour

Bosphorus-mouth fish-house where the strait opens to the Black Sea.

Marble columns, Bosphorus terrace, Ottoman cocktails by the sultan's harem hall

Gault & Millau-listed yalı for marinated lüfer and rakı

Ottoman-motif velvet lobby bar inside the Akaretler row-house W, late DJ sets

Wabi-sabi sushi room with chef Rodel Javier off the İstinye coast road

Four Seasons Bosphorus lounge on one of the best terraces on the water

Chef Kaan Kayhan's waterfront meyhane on the Yeniköy pier.

Bosphorus-pier classic since 1949 under century-old plane trees.

33 years of rakı-sunset at the mouth of the Bosphorus

Tarabya marina fish-house with a working bar program.

Upscale Italian dining in the luxury Glens Palas Hotel on Abdi Ipekci

Elevated seafood in a restored 180-year-old han with panoramic Bosphorus views

Haute couture-inspired French bistro at Turkey's premier fashion house hotel

Hagia Sophia-and-Marmara cocktail terrace at Four Seasons Sultanahmet

The Nişantaşı 1980s power-lunch institution moved Bosphorus-side, 30-plus crowd, private pier, classic cocktails

St. Regis lobby bar where the Misty Mary is poured under dry ice