Vegan Lokanta

Until three years ago I used to check every ingredient on a plate before ordering. Being vegan and asking “Is this vegan?” was in vain. My questions followed one after the other “Is there any milk on it? No. “How about cream, or butter?” No. Definitely not. “Egg white?” Hmm, let me check with the kitchen. Two minutes later: No, no egg. At that point, I knew the waiter was getting impatient with me and I hoped there was no honey in the sauce. I would order a salad bowl, finally. Seitan, coconut, oat or almond milk was unknown to the Istanbul restaurant scene.

Since then a lot changed. Now I can occasionally devour a vegan toast at Tamamen Organik Tost, Moda; have a bite of lentil or soy based lahmacun at Çinili Taş Fırın, Kadıköy. Vegan Bakkal is one of the pioneers of this transformation. That was the place where we could buy "sigara böreği" (salty pastries filled with almond cheese and parsley), tofu, nutritional yeast and chocolate. This year, they opened a casual dining space next door, a safe space for plant-based foodies, and vegans, where one can eat without realizing there is a hint of beef bouillon in the soup.

Hünkar Beğendi

What to order? “Mantı” stuffed with soy and chickpeas. Also “Hünkar Beğendi”, which is a traditional Turkish eggplant dish. Don’t forget to save space for lavender New York-style Cheese Cake.

Where: Soğancı Sokak, no 8/D, Cihangir

Heads Up: It’s closed on Mondays. Also, don’t be impatient, the orders can take up to 20-25 minutes. It’s a small kitchen, everything is lekker and made on spot.