Taxi drivers who spend most of their time by driving and dominate the streets are the ones who know the most favorable taste stops in Istanbul. We asked the taxi drivers, “Where can we eat the delicious and affordable food?” Here are the flavor/taste stops of Istanbul...
Father and Son from Gaziantep are in the Kitchen
Located at the end of Fulya Ayazmadere Street, Konak is one of the places frequently visited by taxi drivers. The owner Mehmet Muhacir (52) is originally from Gaziantep. He and her son Emre Muhacir (24) who gained competence in cooking thanks to his daddy, started to serve in the restaurant they took over four years ago, and have been together since then. In fact, cooking is a tradition for them handed over by their ancestors. “Everyone eats to live but, we live to eat as people from Gaziantep” they sincerely added.
People get socialized here
After a few years Muhacir family took over the restaurant, taxi drivers began to visit that place. They claim that the street is lively and crowded in weekdays in contrast you can see few people on it at the weekend. One of the taxi drivers suggested us to make the place known and popular among taxi drivers which will add to the popularity of our restaurant. Then, our place gained popularity. The social life of taxi drivers is almost non-existent. They drive a car for the whole day. They take the car at the noon and leave it in the morning. They sleep until noon. The only places where taxi drivers get socialized are restaurants like ours. It's not just eating and drinking tea. They're meeting with friends as groups.
The restaurant is open from 16.00 p.m. to 00:00 a.m. The fact that there is an area for car park in front of the restaurant is also a factor in the choice of the taxi drivers. Six people work in Konak, each one knows all the taxi drivers around and treat them like their brothers.
There are 15 kinds of home-made meals, doner, grill and fish every day in the menu, but drivers’ favorite dish is the chef’s plate. On this plate, everyone chooses what they like from the dishes of the day. There are no limitations. Price is 15 TL.
Tea is one of the most important features of this place. After the meal, offering unlimited tea service is makes Konak more preferable among taxi drivers. Mehmet Muhacir adds: Sometimes, we have guests who drink 10 cups of tea. Enjoy! In some restaurants after you drink 2-3 tea the waiters imply you should leave there. Our tea is also tasty. Every day we brew an average of 1 kg of tea.
“I'm here every day to eat“
Necati Pektezel (60) has been a taxi driver for 36 years. Originally from Tekirdağ, he lives in Bayrampasa. After 10 years as an auto repairer, he decided to be a taxi driver. Pektezel is eating “iskender kebab” adding that I have lunch here every day. We asked him the reason why he eat at Konak every day. He replies that firstly, it turned into a habit. Instead of eating fast-food I prefer homemade food because it is healthier. Also, we come together with our friends. Everyone knows each other here.
Taxis from Nisantasi Stop
Zeki Kartal (40) having meal at Konak every day after leaving Nisantasi taxi stop which is far away prefers the chef’s plate. Bulent who is the headwaiter states that we are like a family with taxi drivers.
Hygienic, delicious and of good quality
Muhittin Önal and Ferhat Atlı the taxi drivers were having dinner at another table. We asked for permission to join them. These taxi drivers who were eating fish prefer this place because it is clean, and it has delicious and of good quality food. The kindness of the environment, the friendliness of the employees and the fair prices are the other factors. Taxi drivers suggest this place to others. We have just 1-hour break time. So, we come together here to eat, have conversation and relax. We talk about our experiences within the day. They sincerely add that we also gossip behind some people we are angry with for some reasons.
What would you like: meatballs or toast?
Taxi Kiosk in Tophane, as the name suggests, is a very small but a tasty restaurant where taxi drivers visit frequently. The tables inside and outside of the restaurant are full in the lunch time. Roasted toast, beans and rice are among the most preferred dishes of the restaurant.
Another taste stop is Kofteci Erol (meatball restaurant) in Fulya. The place is located in a nice area which is full of trees covering the restaurant. They have regular meatball and meatballs with cheese. Haricot bean salad and other types of salads are also worth tasting. Meatball in bread is 12 TL. To taxi drivers, it is an affordable and alternative place compared to other places in Fulya.
