Types of Restaurants in Istanbul

The simplest establishments, Turkey's fast-food joints, are the kebapci, the dönerci, and the pideci. The first specializes in kebabs -- marinated cubes of meat (generally lamb), usually grilled and cooked with vegetables on a skewer. Dönercis provide a quick meal of spicy, spit-roasted sliced lamb, served either as a sandwich or with rice. At the pideci, you'll find pide, a pizzalike snack made of flat bread topped with either butter, cheese, and egg or ground lamb and baked in a wood-fired oven. Often these eateries are little more than counters at which you belly up to the bar for instant gratification; on occasion they attain luncheonette status.

Lokantas are unpretentious neighborhood spots that make up the vast majority of Turkish restaurants. In smaller cities there may well be three or four in a row, each with simple wooden chairs and tables and paper napkins. In towns, villages, and any city with a harbor, lokantas are often open-air, the better to take advantage of the waterfront and sky, or are surrounded by flower-filled trellises. Often you serve yourself cafeteria style from big display cases full of hot and cold dishes -- a relief if you don't speak Turkish. If there is no menu, it is because the chef only serves what is fresh, and that changes from day to day.

In the more upscale restorans (restaurants), you can expect tablecloths, menus, even a wine list, and dishes drawn from the richer, "palace" cuisine of Turkish royalty, often with Continental touches. The best restorans are in Istanbul and Ankara, though others are scattered throughout the country.