Antiochia — Restaurant in Beyoğlu

I lived in Istanbul for over a decade and this place has some of the BEST food I have ever had in the city (or possibly anywhere). The flavors are incomparable; every ingredient is incredibly fresh, the portions, imo, are perfect. There's no food quite like this, from meze to meat to kunefe. I've taken many international guests to many top-rated restaurants in Istanbul, and while we enjoyed them all, this is the place everyone remembered and talked about. So thank you to Antiochia for feeding us some amazing meals and for giving my guests some wonderful memories.

That being said, I want to say something about the service. The service can be inconsistent; which over the years I didn't mind, because this place can get really packed, and it can be noisy, and the servers speak English, for which my guests and I were always grateful. But last year, they began to add one item on to the bill that we did not order, and which I suspect tourists probably overlook: the simit and zaatar.

This happened not once, not twice, but threetimesinarow with this same item when I visited the restaurant. Lavaş bread is served with the meals; we are not fans of bread; we never ordered the simit on any occasion. The first time, it was brought to our table and left there. I said we did not order it, and sent it back, but it was left on our bill and I had to get the server to take it off. The second time, the server would not take it back (!) and I had to urge him several times to return it to the kitchen, and we had an argument about it, and then I had to have him take it off the bill. The third time, the simit was never on our table, but it was added to the bill. That also provoked an argument with the server.

I know the economy has crashed. I know many tourists wouldn't notice this on the bill, or shrug and just pay it anyway. It's not terribly expensive. But this behavior seems dishonest and unpleasant on principle. I don't want to be treated like that. It is frustrating and awkward after eating one of the best meals you've ever had to have the server argue back with you about something you didn't order, and treat you and your group as if you are dishonest, and all over a piece of bread.

Please, stop doing this to your guests. It would be an impeccable dining experience if the arguments over the bill were not so troubling. Raise your prices if you must, but don't keep...

I found this place @antiochiaconcept on 4 different food blog websites and they all said how amazing it was. Luckily we managed to get a reservation on a Saturday night.

My first impression was the staff, they were welcoming and so well informed on the food, we knew the flavours before we even tasted them.

Going by the advise on their reviews we chose the 8 mezze platter to start, which was incredible. The flavours were out of this world but also exactly how I'd always imagined Turkish food to taste like.

THE MAINS......WOW. Can I just point out that the fine staff at @antiochiaconcept advised me to have 2 mains on one plate.

Now I'm a huge fan of lamb, and would say that I can cook it to a high standard over coals. I am now doubting my abilities of cooking and also my insistence that Welsh lamb rules the world. All the meat here is sourced from the east of Turkey and this particular lamb was like nothing I have ever tasted and was cooked to perfection.

Out of pure advised greed I had them add the beef wrap to my plate which was an amazing ground beef kebab wrapped in their own special spicy flat bread (you need to go here to understand how good that bread was)

All the side garnishes were so fresh and flavourful I nearly gave up meat for salad until I got a grip of myself.

My final input is the wine, I've never tried Turkish Red before but I definitely will again, the merlot they served was wonderful.

If you ever find yourself in Istanbul and looking for an amazing food experience in a cool and hip area of the city, then look no further.

@antiochiaconcept is the...

I arrived about an hour past opening on a weekday, the place is not crowded and was seated immediately. Friendly staff kindly welcomed me even as a party of one.

Food I ordered grilled lamb chops and beef tenderloin with mezes - truly chef’s kiss! First, the lamb chops, I am usually not a fan of lamb, but after seeing the reviews, I decided to try and I may have been converted into a fan (with this place being the exception.) The meat was mildly charred nicely for that outer texture, while internal meat is succulent, tender, and flavorful. The steak was really tender as well and perfectly cooked to my liking. I guess my eyes had a bigger appetite because I struggled to finish not because it wasn’t good but because I was so full from filling up on their amazing meze earlier on in the meal along with their spicy bread. Quite frankly, everything was delicious!

Ambiance I hope someone shares their music playlist from this establishment because I discovered some great Spanish music that added to the allure of the place, making it feel so warm and inviting.

After the meal, they provided complimentary tea, which was perfect for balancing out all of the delicious food I ate. If I were in the area more often, I’d probably dine here every day. I absolutely recommend this place and if I could give this place more than 5...