Lacivert

Among several classy fish restaurants lined up along the shores of the Bosphorus, Lacivert has a special place, both due to its secluded location on the Asian side of the city, as well as the consistent taste and quality of the food brought to the table here. Executive Chef Hüseyin Ceylan has been at the helm since day one and spoils guests with rich flavors of the Mediterranean and Turkish cuisines. Beykoz style trotter soup, fried zucchini flowers stuffed with curd cheese, grape leaves stuffed with rice and sour cherry, seafood risotto and whole fish baked in the salt crust are just some of the specialties from the seafood-based menu. 

The restaurant occupies two modern seafront mansions with a large open-air terrace, right under the majestic Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, the second suspended bridge built on the Bosphorus. The idyllic atmosphere by the water makes Lacivert a popular spot for weekend brunches. The private boat of the restaurant shuttles back and forth between two continents, providing private transfer for guests embarking from the Rumeli Castle neighborhood on the European side.

What else is there around Anadolu Hisarı?

Just a few kilometers away from Lacivert lies Anadolu Castle (Anadolu Hisarı), which is perhaps the oldest Turkish structure built in the vicinity of the city. It was commissioned by the Ottoman Sultan Bayezid I, to control the sea traffic during the siege of Constantinople between 1394 and 1402. It was his grandson Sultan Mehmed II, though, who conquered the city in 1453. He built the larger Rumeli Castle (Rumeli Hisarı) just across the Bosphorus on the European side. Located at the mouth of Göksu River, Anadolu Castle and the surrounding neighborhood bearing the same name, offer Istanbulites a nice ground for their weekend strolls. While Rumeli Castle is open to the public as a museum, Anadolu Castle can only be admired from the outside.