In 1996, the funeral of the classical Turkish Music singer who was
very popular from 1950's until 1990's was crowded by thousands and
there were live broadcasts for days on all TV channels.
Dramatically, he died during a TV show on the state television. He
never publicly accepted to be gay and his exaggerated queenly
dresses were accepted as a necessity of being an "artist" ...
16:00
- 02:00 (more busy in the evenings) ADDRESS: Istiklal Caddesi, Yesilcam Sokak No:
25 (Yesilcam Sokak is a lane opposite of Sine Pop cinema, the venue is at
the left end of the street)
A nice cafe-bar open from 4 pm till 2 am, but expected to be busier in the
early evenings and around midnight. Recommended for those who avoid to
wait for after midnight bars and clubs that plays loud techno/underground
music , and do not want to stay up until morning. Visit their website for
more information, location map and contact information:
Website: Gay Cafe Bar Istanbul
Sugar Cafe is a small but trendy venue
SUGARCLUB CAFE
12:00-01:00
ADDRESS:
Istiklal Caddesi Saka Salim Cikmazi no: 3/A Beyoglu Istanbul.
This small but nice gay cafe & restaurant is located on a narrow lane on
Istiklal Avenue, somewhere opposite of St. Antoine Church. There is a
sign-board of the cafe with rainbow flag colors at the entrance of the
lane (Saka Salim Sokagi)
In summer they put table outside. There is free wireless internet
connection in the area. The prices are very reasonable and various foods
are available from 13:00 till 22:00 o'clock. Attended by nice gay men, and
there are no hustlers or rent boys usually. CILEK CAFE
BAR
14:00-02:00
Address:
Istiklal Caddesi, Balo Sokak. No:20 Kat:3 (3rd floor) Beyoglu.
Balo Sokak is a street connecting to Istiklal Avenue; the one before Cicek Pasaji
(a very famous venue housing many fish restaurants in Galatasaray), with
respect to Taksim Square.
This is a comfortable cafe bar supported by Be
Club gay organization, a quiet and friendly place on the 3rd floor of the
building, where you can chat with your friends, or meet new people there.
Gay-friendly cafe and restaurants:
COOKING ALATURKA
Address:
Akbiyik Caddesi 72a, Sultanahmet, Istanbul
Tel: (90) (212) 458 5919, Fax: (90) (212) 458 5999
A very gay-friendly restaurant on a lovely street in Sultanahmet. The
owner is Dutch lady who has been living in Istanbul for many years,
who was also former manager-owner of gay friendly Sarnich Hotel.
The concept is basically to offer a miscellaneous menu of all
authentic Turkish dishes, some Ottoman classics, some home-cooking and
some regional specialties. It is open only for lunch and prices are mid-range,
not very cheap, not expensive, around 35 YTL for a menu of 4
courses for example.
In addition to the restaurant, popular cooking classes of the owner
have attracted world wide attention and have been covered by the
printed media including New York Times.
Please visit their home page for more information about the cooking
classes:
http://www.cookingalaturka.com
BESINCI
KAT RESTAURANT
( "The Fifth Floor") 09:00 – 02:00
Address:
Siraselviler Caddesi, Soganci Sokak, No:7, Kat:5 (5th floor) Cihangir - Beyoglu
Soganci Sokak is the street opposing Taksim Ilk Yardim Hastanesi (state hospital)
This roof restaurant-bar is on the 5th floor of the same building with
the senior gay club called Barbahce. Meals are not very cheap but
still reasonably priced when you consider the painstakingly prepared
meals and breathtaking view of Bosphorus straight and Asian part of
Istanbul. Its also has a small bar usually busy in the evenings and
open until around 01:00 am. Drinks at the bar is cheaper than most gay
clubs. It would make you feel special to know you are eating your meal
or drinking a cup of wine on Europe , while watching the beginning
of Asian continent laying in front of your eyes.
Besides Gitane Cafe there are many
nice and friendly cafe shops in the French Street
GITANE (12:00- 24:00)
Cezayir Sok No:3 Galatasaray Beyoglu Tel.+90 (212) 2459262
Elegant, naive and feminine cafe-bar-restaurant, like the owner Cemil
Ipekci who is one of the most famous gay fashion designer of Turkey, and
fairly famous internationally. Salads are said to be great here. There
is also a hair dressing and beauty center section of the venue. It is
worth visiting just to see recently renovated popular "French Street"
(Fransiz Sokagi, officallu named Cezayir Sokak) it is located at, which consists of elegant and
Parisian style cafe bars and restaurants. French Street is somewhere
down-behind the Galatasaray Lisesi, which is a reputable high-school
in Turkey, located on Istiklal Caddesi, just in the middle.
CHILL OUT CAFE
(12:00- 24:00)
Istiklal Cad. Balyoz Sok. No:17 Beyoglu Tel.+90 (212) 249 47 84
Gay friendly cafeteria. The cafeteria is at the entrance of the 5
storey hostel.
PAZARTESI
CAFE -12:00-02:00
Istiklal Cad. Abdullah Sok. No:9 Beyoglu Tel.+90 (212) 292 07
47 (Abdullah Sokak is a lane opposing the
entrance of the big Greek Orthodox Church near Taksim Square)
This 3 floor
cafeteria of the feminist magazine
"Pazartesi" is also very gay and lesbian
friendly. The place is not exclusively gay or lesbian but it may be a
good place if you want to see some young Turkish intellectuals and "liberals".
Beer is much cheaper than gay&lesbian bars and they also sell house-made
food in the evenings.
Cruisy venues. Not
specifically gay
or gay-friendly
There are several
straight venues around Taksim square which are like meeting places for
gay men usually before going to gay bars/clubs., or early in the day
time. They are mostly self-service cafe-restaurants and the
managers/staff are not very gay-friendly in real meaning. But probably
because of their location, especially some gay-men living in the
neighborhood would always be around. But there will also be many rent
boys and bad hustlers in and around these venues, so please be
selective with the people you may encounter.
HACI
BABA & JIMMY'S FRIED CHICKEN : 09:00-01:00
Cumhuriyet Caddesi, Taksim Square, Next to Mc Donald's-Taksim.
Former Han cafe-restaurant was transformed into a self-service
restaurant in early 2008, half of which offers Turkish style
fast-food (Haci Baba) the other half is Jimmy' Fried Chicken, but
there is not even a wall separating both. Probably because of its
location just at the center of Taksim, it is still a little cruisy in
the evenings, just as it was when it was Han Cafe.
Mc
Donald's Taksim on a summer day
MC DONALD'S TAKSIM 09:00-01:00 Near Taksim
Square.
Frequently attended by the gay people and some escort boys especially
in the Summer evenings. Beware of cheap hustlers in the neighborhood.
BIRAHI FAST FOOD / CAFE : 09:00-01:00
At Taksim Square next to Taksim Mc Donald's. More gay in the evenings
and weekends. It is attended by gay man only because of its location
and the management does not like any visible gay action so it is
recommended to be a little discreet. BURGER KING
TAKSIM 09:00-02:00
Istiklal cad. NO:1 Taksim (At Taksim Square)
You can rest for a cafe and observe fewer gay-related people. It's as
cruisy as any self service cafe could be near Taksim square. But there
may be rent boys or some tourist hustlers hanging around inside and in
front of the entrance.
SIMIT
SARAYI 09:00-:00:00
Cumhuriyet Caddesi Taksim (across the Taksim Mc Donald's)
A Turkish style fast-food cafe restaurant, mainly selling traditional
Turkish pastries. These pastry shops are named after simit , a
traditional ring-shaped bread covered with sesame seeds. which was
once sold on the streets by the street vendors only. In recent years
these "Simit Houses" because popular, competing with Mc Donald's and
the like. We recommend you to try simit and Turkish tea menu at
least once.
