Grab a gozleme from Hawthorne’s Downtown Istanbul
Turkish cuisine is as varied as it is delicious, and just when you think you’ve tried it all along comes Downtown Istanbul to shake up the game. The minds once behind Ahmet’s in Bulimba have opened a new venue on Hawthorne Road, with a collection of sumptuous favourites and a few new must-try options.
If you’re often the designated picker of dinner destinations among your indecisive group of friends (hats off to thee, stoic burden bearer), we have a recommendation that will satisfy everyone. Downtown Istanbul is a spacious and vibrant eatery located on Hawthorne Road, offering a tantalising range of Turkish dishes that will take care of any appetite. Downtown Istanbul is a Turkish restaurant-meets-bazaar from the culinary minds of Eddie and Ulku Isik and Luke Stringer – operators of notable eateries Mucho Mexicano, Olé, The Sangria Bar and formerly Ahmet’s Bulimba, from which much inspiration has been drawn for this new venture. A corner location at Hawthorne’s gold class cinema has been converted into a striking and modern dining destination, with several stylish touches reflecting the Middle-Eastern inspiration of the menu.
Okay, on to the goods – buckle up, because Downtown Istanbul’s menu is something to behold. The offering blends modern and traditional eats, with Turkish classics and previously unseen options available. The chief of these newbies is the gozlemes. Yep, the delicious grilled flatbread normally seen at markets is available at Downtown Istanbul, filled with sumptuous stuffs like spinach and fetta, sweet potato, mushroom, chicken and beef. Other highlight dishes include the pilic sehrezat (charcoal grilled chicken), a range of authentic pides, the ali nazak (roasted eggplant, capsicum, yoghurt with your choice of protein) and the mercimek corbasi (lentil soup with mint and freshly baked bread). Picky eaters rejoice – a large portion of the menu is gluten free! The bar offers a range of beers, wines and Turkish-themed cocktails, while a retail portion also offers Turkish delight, teas, coffee and homewares. The coming weeks will see a takeaway menu added, as well as gym packs for gym-rats hungry for a post-workout feed. In the coming months, Downtown Istanbul will be opening on Saturday and Sunday mornings for breakfast, with a host of new goodies to come back and try.
If you are seeking more information, you can find it in our Stumble Guide.
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