Istanbul after dark: the back story

About Istanbul after dark: the back story

By the ULTIMATE Istanbul Editorial Team

Editor-in-Chief: Jai Michael

Istanbul’s night begins late and slowly, around a meyhane table, and can end at sunrise on the Bosphorus. Each district has its own mood: Beyoğlu’s crowds, Karaköy’s bars, Kadıköy’s young bar street, and the polished clubs of the shore.

Dinner first

A night out usually starts at a meyhane: meze, fish and rakı for hours, in Asmalımescit, Nevizade or by the water. Nobody hurries; the table is the party.

Rooftops and jazz

Then up to a rooftop: 360 Istanbul on İstiklal or Leb-i Derya above Galata, with the lights of the Golden Horn below. For music, Nardis Jazz Club below the Galata Tower has live sets most nights, and Babylon in Bomontiada brings local and international acts.

In Istanbul, dinner is the first act of the night, not the alternative to it.

Kadıköy and the shore

On the Asian side, Kadife Sokak, known as Barlar Sokağı, is young, relaxed and busy late. On the European shore, Ortaköy glows under the bridge, Lucca in Bebek fills the pavement, and Sortie at Kuruçeşme keeps going on the water until late.

Practical

Book for meyhanes and clubs at weekends, dress smartly for the Bosphorus clubs, and use licensed taxis or BiTaksi to get home. Prices in clubs and rooftops are high; check the menu.

Our advice: start with a meyhane in Beyoğlu, take a nightcap on a rooftop, and save a weekend night for the Bosphorus or Kadıköy, depending on your mood.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Istanbul after dark: the back story before you go.