Atilla Usta is your classic old school butcher. He always does excellent work and glad to tailor…read moreyour order. He's friendly and always has our orders delivered in short time. It's easy to order by stopping by or a quick phone call. His prices are competitive, and he's taking orders for organic turkeys for New Year's!

Serdar Usta keeps it simple: he sells fresh artichokes (cut up if you like), home made preserves,…read moreand home grown spices all from the back of a pickup. Everything is all natural without preservatives. Best home made molasses (üzüm pekmezi) around!

A visit to Istanbul is incomplete without a visit to the Asian Side. And this is the best area to…read moredo so. The Kadiköy Market is the highlight of the area.... After you arrive here by ferry you're pretty much there already. Just a few steps away you will find dining and shopping choices a-plenty. The most interesting streets would be Mühürda Caddesi, Yasa Caddesi and of course Günesli Bahce Sokak where you also will find the small but wonderful Kadiköy Market with lots of fresh fruit, veggies and fish. Lots of good and authentic restaurants and Coffee Shops and stores with good prices. In general: You will spend a lot less on food and drinks here than in Sultanahmed or Beyoglu. A great place to get some Börek would be the "Kadikoy Merkez Börekcisi" on Mührürdar Cadessi. Great Mezze and other fresh food you can enjoy at the "Gözde Sarküteri" on Günesli Bahce Sokak. Walk into the small shops and stores. Many products are not found easy in the other districts. We also bought some turkish wine in a shop - for about half the price what we paid in Sultanahmed. We enjoyed our time here very much. It just feels more real, authentic and personal here. And people were lovely.... don't miss out on it!

Kadiköy is on the Asian side of the Marmara sea, and is certainly worth the crossing for its food…read moremarket. It is very close to the piers where the boats from Besiktas, Kabatas, Eminonu and Karakoy arrive. Kadikoy Market is a place where Turkish people live in Kadikoy region like to shop and because of its central location and accessibility, the place is somehow a passage way and it is always crowded. Once you entered the market first the colors of the fresh produced fruits and vegetables capture you. Then you are embraced with the smell of the products such as pastrami, olives, cheese and many more from the delis. It is famous with the fish stores where the fish is cleaned and produced. It is definitely not a tourist spot but a good place to watch Turkish people. There are lots and lots of fast food joints and cafes and taverns and bakeries, patisseries in Kadiköy Market, I recommend Yanyali Fehmi, Ciya Sofrasi for food, Beyaz Firin and Baylan for patisserie. Just live, feel, watch, smell, taste in the environment and let its atmosphere drags you in the vividness of the market ...