Vegan in Turkey

Bisected by the Bosphorous Strait, the city formerly known as Constantinople bears the unique distinction of spanning two continents (Europe on the left, Asia on the right), and it once served as a major port and as capital of the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman Empires. The overlapping of empire and religion—the Byzantines were mainly Christian and the Ottomans, Muslim—has left an unrivalled heritage, and though Turkey’s now considered a secular democracy, Istanbul’s unique legacy draws millions of tourists and immigrants each year.

Turning onto a side street to escape the rush-hour crowd, we stumble upon the 350-year-old covered spice market known as the Misir Çarsisi, or Egyptian Bazaar (so-called because most spices were imported from Egypt). A chef’s dream, the market’s 100 stalls display tubs of salt-covered grape leaves and tangy olives, pungent sacks of finely-ground curry powder, paprika and chili peppers, and rows of nuts and dried figs. A glance down its thoroughfare shows a veritable rainbow, an artist’s palette of colors. We browse the stalls and sample several flavors of lökum, jellied candies flavored with pistachio or rose water known as Turkish Delight, and giggle at the pistachios wrapped in pastry labeled “Turkish Viagra.”

Next, we visit acclaimed restaurant Çiya Sofrasi, one of three establishments run by world-renown nouveau-Turkish cuisine maestro, Musa Dagdeviren. With the aid of a tiny phrasebook, our waiter helps us choose from a generous selection of vegan offerings, including the tomato-based Ezogelin soup, falafel, eggplant salads and, for dessert, slices of pumpkin sprinkled with walnut. As the meal ends, the sun begins to sink and the mosques’ loudspeakers crackle with the evening Adhan, heralding the end of the day, and giving us much to look forward to tomorrow.

Destination Details:
Çiya Sofrasi
Guneslibahce Sokak 43 Kadikoy
Ciya.com.tr