Istanbul has more than its fair share of great views, but to be able to enjoy so many of them from one spot is a bit of a treat. The fact you can get a cracking plate of food to munch on while you gaze slack-jawed at the architectural wonders and stunning landscapes makes FerahFeza in the Karaköy neighbourhood a bit of a gem.
On one side of the restaurant lies Istanbul’s historical city center, Galata and Beyoglu, while on the other side is the city’s Golden Horn peninsula, surrounded by the Bosphorus and the sea. There’s a terrace on either side to maximise those blockbuster views, and floor-to-ceiling windows means the guests inside the open plan dining area can also enjoy them. Design consultancy I-AM Istanbul deserve the plaudits for its work here; our favourite bits of the contemporary décor include the parquet flooring, the slanted brass plates reflecting light down onto tables and the irregular geometrical light fixtures over the bar. The well-received cuisine is upscale Mediterranean – we’d opt for the sea-bass as an accompaniment to those views, we’re not brave enough to tackle the grilled octopus quite yet.
