The 5 Best Restaurants Where You Can Experience Italian Cuisine in Istanbul

Home to the world’s most famous flavors, Italian cuisine offers a rich variety from pastries to desserts, from meat dishes to salads. Italian food, which appeals to many tastes, is quite popular in our country, as in many parts of the world. If you cannot resist homemade pasta and delicious pizzas, how about experiencing these unique tastes in the fascinating atmosphere of Istanbul? If your answer is “Yes!”, then we have compiled the most famous Italian restaurants for you in Istanbul, where you can feel like you are in a stylish restaurant on the streets of Naples.

The Address of Different Tastes: Pap’s Italian

Pap’s Italian, which opened its doors in 2015, is among the most popular Italian restaurants in Istanbul with its delicious dishes. Located in the Historical French Passage in Karaköy, the restaurant aims to provide you with an unforgettable dining experience with its homemade pasta, sourdough pizzas, wine menu and meat and fish varieties. Famous especially for its Naples-style sourdough pizza, Pap’s Italian’s rich menu also includes recipes specific to Naples chef Luigi Mariconda’s family and local flavors of Italian cuisine. Pap’s Italian, which is appreciated for its stylish design and friendly ambiance, where wooden furniture is preferred in its decoration, will make you feel like you have come to Naples!

The second branch of the restaurant, opened in 2019, is located in Emaar Square Mall. This branch, located on the Anatolian Side, is indispensable for special occasions with its reservation option and capacity to host large groups. If you would like to spend a nice day with your loved ones and discover dishes that leave an unforgettable taste on the palate, Pap’s Italian is waiting for you.

A Unique Fine-Dining Experience: Trattoria La Scarpetta

The restaurant, which takes its name from la scarpetta, meaning “using bread to mop up the sauce from the food that is left at the bottom of the plate” in Italian, aims to give you a real Italian cuisine experience with its unique tastes. You can feel like you are in Italy in the elegant and relaxing garden of the restaurant, which is in the center of the city but secluded. Trattoria La Scarpetta, where you can experience the unique flavors created by Turin chefs, is also a good choice for special occasions and meetings with its stylish atmosphere.

Acting with the approach of good food and good service, Trattoria La Scarpetta offers its guests a wide selection of pizzas, Italian wines, pasta, and salads. If you visit the restaurant, you can also try roasted veal shank and delicious risotto, which are among the favorite dishes of Italians.

The Emergence of the Perfect Pizza: Serafina

Serafina, which was first launched in New York by Vittorio Assaf and Fabio Granato, now serves many different parts of the world. The founding story of the restaurant, which has been offering an unforgettable dining experience to its guests since the day it was founded, is equally fascinating. Two friends dream of making the best pizza and pasta in the world while struggling with hunger and cold on the day they get lost on a sailboat. They promise to make their dreams come true when they are rescued. In 1995, they fulfilled their wish and launched their first restaurant, Serafina Fabulous Pizza, in New York.

The first branch of the restaurant in Turkey was opened in Akmerkez in 2014. Serafina offers you a unique taste experience in each bite with the most popular dishes of Italian cuisine. The affluent menu of the restaurant includes many different flavors, from Italy’s famous Minestrone soup to linguine with seafood and tomato sauce. Fascinating with its dessert menu, Serafina’s panna cotta prepared with Madagascar vanilla and orange flavor Italian cream sauce offers its guests a feast of taste. Serving with four different branches in Istanbul, Serafina is a frequent destination for those who would like to enjoy Italian food to the fullest.

A Short Trip to Naples: Napoli Gourmet

Napoli Gourmet, which successfully reflects the affluent cuisine of Italy that is full of local flavors, offers its guests the chance to experience the unique flavors of Naples in Istanbul. When you order food at the restaurant, you are first served with mini cocktails before the meal, which has become a tradition in Naples.

Located in Nişantaşı, a decent district of Istanbul, Napoli Gourmet offers its guests a small tour of Naples with its architecture and presentation that reflects the culture of Naples. The menu of the restaurant, which has a stylish and traditional style from tablecloths to paintings, also includes Neapolitan-style pizzas, homemade pasta, desserts, and coffee.

The Iconic Address of Delicious Food: Pera Palace Hotel, Agatha Restaurant

With its historical texture and unique architecture, Pera Palace Hotel is a very good option for an unforgettable dinner. You can experience delicious recipes from Italian, Turkish and French cuisines at Agatha Restaurant located in Pera Palace Hotel.

In the historical atmosphere of Agatha Restaurant, which is the first main restaurant of the hotel, you can taste different Italian flavors such as melanzane pizza, scallop linguine, carpaccio pizza, asparagus risotto and tiramisu and have a unique gastronomic experience. You can contact Agatha Restaurant to learn more about the hotel and restaurant and make a reservation right away.