Cihangir is home to the cool, the artsy, and the expat. Located on one of its liveliest streets is Journey—a recently-opened, cozy restaurant, only a few steps away from Smyrna on Akarsu Caddesi.

Journey reflects the character of the neighborhood that it’s located in: international, modern, cozy, and laid-back—just like Cihangir. During my first visit there—and I’ve already been three times this month—I was taken aback by the décor, which makes you feel as if you’ve mistakenly stepped into someone’s home.

With comfy sofas, coffee tables, bookshelves filled with interesting books and magazines, Journey is truly a home away from home. And, accordingly so, both first-time customers and regulars feel relaxed and at ease.

Both floors of this restaurant feature a similar style; the entrance floor boasts an open kitchen, an American-style-kitchen-turned-into-a-bar, and several small wooden tables with colorful chairs. Upstairs is even more lounge-like, featuring a couple of large sofas, coffee tables, and a communal table. The large green plants and wall decorations add that last personal touch to Journey.

The venue is often filled with familiar faces from Turkish TV shows and the big screen, as well as expats and locals who have apparently made Journey their second home. By the looks of it, many are comfortable bringing their laptop along, sitting on sofas, and working or chilling out for several hours at once.

The lounge and chill out music, which includes some surprising choices (like the Japanese song that I listened to on my first visit) is soothing and comforting, ideal for letting you sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.

Contrary to the serenity of the atmosphere, Journey’s food is quite invigorating. There is something for everyone on the menu, from classic Turkish home-cooked meals with a twist to homemade pastas and pizzas, salads, and meat dishes. They even have a breakfast plate with English scones served with jams. An easy choice for anyone looking to treat themselves with a late breakfast or brunch on a lazy Sunday.

During the few times that I went to Journey, I had the chance to try many different dishes from the menu. The fırında ballı kuzu budu (roasted lamb shank with honey) and dana pirzola (beef chops) were both juicy and tender. The beef chops came with an addictive side of mashed potatoes with mustard, while the lamb shank was served with home-made french fries, just like your mom used to make when you were little, and vegetables. But when I say vegetables, I don’t mean the boring boiled broccoli and carrots. I mean creamy zucchini flower, beans, and zuchini.

It certainly isn’t all about the meat at Journey. The çimlendirilmiş mercimekli ılık patates salatası (warm potato salad with sprouted lentils) is, quite frankly, the best salad I’ve had in a very long time. You’ll find salads with lentils in a lot of restaurants in Istanbul but you’ll rarely come across sprouted lentils, which are so very energizing. The addition of rocket, cress, and fresh coriander makes the salad much tastier and a lot less like your ordinary greens.

Another winner was the ev usülü yaprak sarma (home-made stuffed vine leaves). Even though the traditional recipe includes meat, the Journey version was vegetarian-friendly, filled only with rice and spices. The elegantly rolled stuffed vine leaves is a great fins but vegetarians as well as meat-lovers who are highly likely to go back for more.

Speaking of vegetables, the less healthy but similarly appetizing option is the fıstıklı sebze ve bulgur pilavı (vegetables and bulgur rice with pine nuts). If you don’t mind the extra oil in your diet, definitely go for this dish, which comes with fried eggplant and zucchini, pine nuts, basil, and goat cheese.

The menu doesn’t include a long list of starters, but if you’re going with a large group or if you’re not that hungry, go for one of the charcuterie plates—I strongly suggest şarküteri II, which comes with bresaola, parmesan, pickles, olive pesto, tomato pesto, avocado dip, and peasant bread from Bolu. The breads, by the way, are made partly in house and some are brought from Bolu. They all taste great, but try not to fill yourself up too much before your meal comes. You can also share one of the delicious pizzas. The keçi peyniri, fesleğen pesto, domates, roka (goat cheese, basil pesto, tomato, and rocket) pizza is a great option.

Altough Journey is strictly a restaurant, meaning it doesn’t turn into a bar after hours like many of Istanbul’s restaurants, their cocktails are delicious. Journey could be your new stop before you head down to Kiki or another Cihangir bar.