They are witty, cool, and love to discover Istanbul. Meet the town’s newest residents. These guys can spot what’s in, what’s out, and what’s edgy in Istanbul. We asked them about their favorite spots in town and here is what they had to say.

Alex Varlık (Businessman)

Perfect casual dinner: Karaköy Lokantası, Karaköy

“Beautiful street terrace, excellent mezes (Turkish-style appetizers), and very good service! I love the streets of Karaköy!”

Perfect drink: Delicatessen, Nişantaşı

“Delicatessen is like my second living room, my favorite place in Istanbul to have a glass of wine and a cheese plate.  Great place, great location, and very interesting cosmopolite customers! Elif and Barış are doing an excellent job.”

Favorite for seafood: Cibalikapı Balıkçısı, Haliç

“Cibalikapı has a beautiful location by the Golden Horn, very charming place, good service, and very different and tasty mezes and fish.”
 

Ray Rizzo (Yoga Trainer/ Healing Arts, MAC)

Most relaxing night out: Having fish and meze in Yeniköy

“Great food, no crowd, no traffic.”

For a massage: Nu Spa, Bebeköy/G-Mall/Kanyon

“That’s where I work and the therapists are great.”

Favorite grocery store: IstinyePark Bazaar

“IstinyePark Bazaar is more expensive but the quality is amazing.”

Daniel Stork (Cultural Attaché, Embassy of the kingdom of the Netherlands)

Favorite place for a beer: Otto Sofyalı / Otto Santral

“Otto Sofyalı and Santral are the best places for a beer with their great interiors, good lighting, good live music, and delicious pizzas. Also, Sofyalı is right in the middle of the best neighborhood in town right now. The crowd is a nice mix of hipsters, artsy folks, and foreigners with the odd Galatasaray player.”

Best gallery: Gallery NON

“Run by Derya Demir and Barış, NON is a gallery in the burgeoning gallery street Boğazkesen, small but with a great selection of Turkish artists. Many of the shows are very engaged and rather political, which makes them quite interesting. As a nonconformist gallery, NON has showcased some foreign shows including many by Dutch artists—there is also one coming up in September during the Biennial.”

Best clothes shopping: Mavi

“If I need something I usually go to Mavi, which is cool, good-value, and fine quality.”