Discover Authentic Kadıköy

Kadıköy is the main hub of the Asian side and one of the best places to watch everyday Istanbul at work, well away from the tourist crowds. The central market area, Kadıköy Çarşısı, is a network of narrow streets packed with fishmongers, spice shops, second-hand bookstores, vintage clothing stores, and grocery stalls. Food is the district's strong suit: good street food, budget eateries, and restaurants that draw people across the water. The bar scene centers on Kadife Street, known locally as Barlar Sokağı, and spills over into Moda, where the seaside promenade fills up around sunset. Prices are lower than the European side, and the welcome is warm.

What to do in Kadıköy

• The market streets (Kadıköy Çarşısı): fishmongers, pickle shops, spice and coffee sellers, delis with cheeses and olives from all over Turkey. Güneşlibahçe Street is the heart of it.
• Eat your way through: Kadıköy is one of the best food areas in Istanbul. Try regional Anatolian dishes, simple kebab and lahmacun places, fish sandwiches and the famous Turkish desserts. A guided food walk is a good way to taste a lot in a few hours.
• Moda: a leafy, residential corner a short walk south, with cafés, ice cream shops and a seaside park where locals sit on the grass at sunset.
• Kadife Street (Barlar Sokağı): the bar street, busy with students and young locals in the evening, with live music nearby.
• Bookshops, vinyl and vintage: the streets around Mühürdar and Bahariye are full of second-hand bookshops, record stores and small design shops.
• The bull statue and Bahariye Street: the meeting point of the neighbourhood and its long pedestrian shopping street, with the historic Süreyya Opera House.

Visiting tips

• Come by ferry, not by taxi: the boat is cheap, quick and avoids the bridge traffic.
• Arrive hungry: plan at least one meal here; portions are generous and prices are lower than in Sultanahmet or Taksim.
• Late afternoon is ideal: the market is still open, Moda fills up for sunset, and the evening starts on Kadife Street.
• Tuesday market: the big weekly market in nearby Hasanpaşa (Salı Pazarı) is a fun local experience if you are here on a Tuesday.
• Combine it with Üsküdar: the two Asian-side districts are connected by Marmaray, buses and seaside walks.

What’s nearby

From Kadıköy you can continue to the Maiden’s Tower and Üsküdar, or take the ferry back to Europe and join a Bosphorus cruise. Read more in our guide to the ferry to the Asian side.

Photos: Hamdigumus, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons