Downtown Istanbul

Food was amazing! The staff were attentative and very accomodating. Can not rate this enough!!!!!

Fast service, Spanish speaking wait staff, good tapas options & authentic flavours. Just 1 piece of advice - catch a cab, you'll want a jug of red sangria!

TL;DR: While it is going to be a far cry from the favourites that adorn South Bank, or a lot of the top picks down in Melbourne, Downtown Istanbul is not without a good number of factors in favour of giving it a recommendation. They have decent food, that is well portioned and it comes out good and quick from the kitchen. It is one that truly encourages an army to come in for a feed with the sheer variety that the menu has to offer. The nest was feathered for quite a while, and the design might not have the best aesthetics - however, the structure and location are on-point.

Just a stone's throw away from the cinema in Hawthorne, being owned and operated by the former crew behind Ahmets, Downtown Istanbul is less about being the finest in town and more like what it would be like dining among the bazaars in the busiest part of the aforementioned town. Not often does some place try to accommodate as much to this extent without falling short in some areas, but by golly have they done well here. For general lovers of food, this place is a must.

Once again, with a good friend of mine I manage to find some time in the week to meet up with her and go and get some good grub to eat. The ball was in my court this time around, and on the spot it was a couple of minutes I was pondering some options. What hadn't been had in a while, what was enough of a blip on the radar, and especially going for a big one. Those went through my head as I considered many ideas. Next came a shot in the dark, suggesting Turkish - which was approved - with this place in mind. That was that, and in a short while she would be around and that would become the next destination.

How the restaurant has been planned and spaced out, they give off the experience that you are right among the action of the food being cooked, with the kitchen in sight, and all the noises of cooking echo right from the doorway. Much of it comes down to preference, and that is among the more liked for me. It makes the atmosphere more exciting, and dynamic. Not bound by walls, the whole place is open plan. About the most observed interior decor takes place around the main wall with the name of the place on it - some china plates, some tea cups, and a few other things to behold. In shorter terms, they set it out so you can be seen here.

When it comes to the service, it is a'ight. It was a busy night, and I presume it is busy at any time, so the waitstaff were constantly on the go. They were pleasant enough, and busy plus knew the right times to swoop in and ask for orders. So much was going on at once, including UberEats orders being fulfilled, and much bigger groups getting tended to, it really did somewhat resemble a market place around that area. The food comes pretty quick, and they are great at organising when it all comes out. No-one is overlooked, that's for sure.

Anyone with just a bit of experience with Turkish cuisine could tell you this one thing: the cuisine is one that has sharing in mind from the get go, and like a lot of the fine Turkish places around town and the world the menu is directly set up to encourage a group - big or small - to order several bits and pieces as such. Downtown Istanbul is no exception, which is aided more by the structure of customer service.

That is apparent right off the bat. It is not often that the entrees, or in this case mezes, becomes the biggest section on the menu but this is one example. It could well be the first time for me as well. All the favourite bits and bobs present themselves, and the difficult part of it all is to decide what looks the best. A lot of it is several kinds of breads (including their take on garlic bread), various dips to have with the bread, and it just goes from there. It is hot all the way, and most of it being finger food before a couple of more substantial options in the form of soup, and baked eggplant complete the list. Like with anywhere which would have clients struggle in choosing, going for broke and getting a set mixed platter is an option.

Pretty much what I would consider a meze in many ways myself, the next star of the show is in the form of pides. Several varieties are here, mostly with the carnivores in mind and instead of merely replicating the local pizza joints' normal lot they put their own spin on it, making varieties that would be in place around the Turkish area.

They do have stuff that is more substantial on the menu. It would not be a Middle Eastern place if there was not some char grilled meats offered. As usual, lamb and chicken are at the forefront - though not the only ones - and each one comes with a pilaf and salad alongside. That is the main event right there. Also in the mains section, several more ambitious meals are there that don't quite fit any other category on the menu. These are closer to what would be cooked at home. Lunch time offers go with the finger food/sandwich sort of fare - burgers, wraps, and the classic gozleme.

Plus, with any place that goes a bit more beyond, the writers of the menu understand that there is always that inkling to beef the meal up just that bit more (guilty right here). These might be tracking away from traditional Turkish cuisine, but they still can compliment the meats very well. That, and a few kinds of salad (if that is your thing).

It is all finished of with dessert, having a few of the classic sweet Mediterranean bites, a few puddings, plus a dessert platter going in the vein of what the menu was about all this time. Right here is where the traditional coffee and tea is located.

Speaking of drinks, there is no shortage of choices right here. It is a place for a social night out, henceforth expect a big range of wines in all the varieties, heaps of beers and ciders that are both bottled and on tap, and cocktails in which you can rest assure they will conjure up concoctions not on the menu. They look after those who don't drink alcohol, with various types of soda, and the espresso-based coffees.

It doesn't have to be such a big menu for me to know I will have a hard time choosing. And when dining out with the good friend here, it is always a case of negotiating how to tackle the menu and get the most out of it. While it was a bit on the small side to what I can eat (she has far less capacity in her stomach), there was still a bit of success in getting a taste for the menu, and the entire place.

It was three rounds with this place, the first getting a couple of mezes to sample. My friend reckoned that kofta balls were always a good choice, and I have to agree with her there. So it was an order of those. For me, there were a few other ones that looked good but I ended up ordering the ege borek: in this classic pastry, the filling combination was a mixture of cheeses, seasoned with parsley, shallots, and dill.

No surprise in saying that the kofta balls were delicious. They often get the best kind of lamb or beef meat, and find a good marsala to mix in before cooking it quite well. That was the case here. Sometimes though, they serve it on the dry side. Not here, has it was covered in a delicious mint chutney that while nice enough on its own really came into vogue with the red pepper sauce. That latter one gave it a real bite that is hard to forget.

Then it was the borek. The closest analogy in brevity is a slightly toasted sandwich. Anything can be put into it, and they make for a great bite on the run. Right here, the one served had several melted cheeses that combined flavours and aromas that was brought out with the chosen herbs, in particular the under-rated dill. With a swirl of mint-infused yoghurt, and a crusty filo loaf, this is good enough as a snack as it is an introduction to a much bigger meal.

Second round, it came down to one of the classics. It is almost not a meal out with Turkish if a pide is not on the agenda. The variety that was ordered ended up being the "Ottoman: pide, which came with a combination of pastrami, chilli, egg, feta cheese, and mozzarella. It has already been said, and it is worth repeating - pides are a must try item, especially at Turkish restaurants. Who doesn't like pizza? And going from that, the similarity to pizza will draw you in. There was such a bite of spice from the chilli that made you take notice, the pastrami had a slightly different flavour to other meats of its ilk that I can't quite place my finger on, and feta is always good for both a bite, and a unique texture. Plus, mozzarella just goes on pizza - case closed. With the egg, you could barely notice it was there. Cut into soldiers, the pasty that forms the base is solid and made from a good dough, coming with a garnish of coriander and some lemon to squeeze.

I've come to a conclusion, as a sweeping statement, that to showcase how good a place really is, it can come down to how they tackle the chips. Or it is just an excuse in ordering the beer battered fries. I still rest my case that the fries can indicate their attention to detail in cooking the meals. On that note, they more than pass that test. It was most likely from them being beer-battered. These fries were surprisingly plentiful, with a good amount of salt covering them, a crispy outside, and soft inside plus aioli on the side, you can bet that these went down a treat.

We get to the third round, and as it can be expected that was the avenue in getting some coffee. None other than the Turkish variety, and that is the excuse to finish it off with a sweet. That was a Turkish delight. Taste-wise, it is pretty much what is expected of Turkish Delight - having that sweetened rose-water flavour that is a bit like strawberry but not really simultaneously. Appropriately, they were served with a sprinkling of rose petals, and strawberries on the side. Adding onto that, they were given a much more significant sprinkling of icing sugar to cover them - at some points entire surface areas were covered with the sugar, and thick at that. Soft, and delicious, with that odd flavour that is hard to pinpoint, it all went down a treat in finalising a good meal out.

Plus, the Turkish coffee is always something to behold. From the way it is presented, to the sheer strength that it could raise the dead, you won't soon forget the experience. The cup is around the size of one in a doll's tea party set, maybe even a bit smaller perhaps. However, what it might be lacking in size it will make up for in strength - as it was already implied. Beneath the strong punch is a slight cardamom taste, which settles in the longer you linger around. More credit is given right here to presentation; the cup was put in a holder which looked like a warrior's helmet from an ancient civilization. You don't have to be ten years old to know how cool that is.

This part of town is blessed with such a variety of fantastic places, and exotic bite as far as the eye can see. Downtown Istanbul is yet another one of them in a long line that will continue drawing folks back time and again. Whether it is like the real deal or not, the portions here are pretty decent and come out quickly. In one way, it is almost like eating at a Turkish place in Melbourne where they focus less on the decor and more on the social aspect about going to one of the trusty locales. Adding onto that, with the proximity it has to everywhere, the central location just adds more to the whole vibe, and allows it to come across as one more ideal place to hit on a whim with a hungry crew in tow.

Final rating: 4.0 - solid in pretty much every area, though it is nothing mind-blowing.

I had lunch here for my birthday recently and it was beautiful.  I had the chicken shish plate and everything was fresh and flavourful.  The meals are all beautifully presented and the restaurant is very light and airy.  I had not enjoyed Turkish food in Brisbane before I tried this restaurant!  So good! Can't wait to go back!

We've been here twice and both times, really good. I ordered the Pilic sehrazat and my partner always orders different items each time. While the seating can be cramped, really what do you expect, this is Hawthorne and there is minimal space left anywhere in the better suburbs. Staff have always been friendly and attentive, although the first time it did take a while for our alcoholic drinks to come out. This didn't stop the deliciousness of our food. My food is always amaze balls! Both times, perfectly tender and juicy chicken with very flavourful and spot on rice as well as a beetroot dip/relish that is to die for.....and I do not even like beetroot! Our entree was the bread with three dips, hummus, olive and mutabal. Really good. I would definitely recommend this place and will definitely go back. For those who complain about limited space, flies, etc, this is Australia and the restaurant is in Hawthorne, either live with it or go elsewhere.

Had a great catch up dinner on a weekday here. Food were absolutely generous in portion and not lacking in flavour either we were all happy campers after the great feast. Will be coming back soon!

We went to Downtown Istanbul for the first time as recommended by a friend. It was located the opposite side of suburb where I live. But it was worth the drive. My family thoroughly enjoyed the food. The food and service was a delight. The servings were huge. We had the meze platters and the King Adana Mixed Grill. Huge array of dessert on offer. We had the hazelnut baklava. Definitely unique. Ambience was excellent. Highly recommended ✨️ ✨️✨️

Fantastic service, the staff are very professional & highly attentive. They made our meal & dining experience extra special. The food is fresh, full of flavour & delicious. The menu is extensive with lots of options for different diners, we stayed for lunch and will definitely return and try the dinner experience. We loved the huge bifold doors, which are opened up to provide the restaurant with a lovely alfresco feel. The decor & fit out adds to the dining experience. I know I will enjoy my return visit soon!

Cannot say a bad thing about this restaurant!! The food is divine and service is great. Delicious fresh food made in house. Try the Baklava with a coffee if you have room!! Best I’ve tried. Thanks we’ll be back soon along with our friends and family.

I've eaten here many a time, as it's quite local. Tonight I brought new friends here for their first time. They were running late and we were late for our reservation. The restaurant very kindly both accommodated our lateness and reshuffled things to facilitate our unhurried and full length dining. Much to my dismay though, the restaurant seems to have instituted a no bill splitting policy, which was incredibly disappointing. I'm now much less inclined to bring new friends here as a result.