Kadikoy and Moda- The Ultimate Guide

Kadikoy

Kadikoy, the best district of the Anatolian (Asian) side and our favorite location in Istanbul. We will definitely talk about Hagia Sophia, Dolmabahce Palace, Sultanahmet, Galata Tower, and the other amazing historical places, but our motto is “acting like a local may be the greatest thing to do during a visit”. You will definitely feel like a local in Kadikoy and Moda. There are many options to do. You can get lost in Kadikoy streets, you can eat one of the greatest restaurants, you can enjoy the sea view- both Haydarpasa and historical Peninsula and many more.

Please note that there will be more articles about Bagdat Stress, Caddebostan, Bostanci, and more on even Kadikoy consists of these places. In this one, we’ll be talking about the center of Kadikoy and Moda due to being a “must do” activity rather than the other places in this para.

History and Population

During ~650 BC, Byzantines settled in Seraglio [1]. The old name of the district was Khalkedon. After the conquest of Constantinople by Ottomans [2], Kadikoy was given to Hidir Bey’s control who was the first Ottoman judge (Turkish name is “Kadi”). Kadikoy is the combination of Kadi and koy (which means village) [3, check this reference for old and great photos].

There were some attempts to improve the local population by Ottoman Sultans in the 16th century. In the second half of the 19th century, Kadikoy showed stable development. Starting from this time, major structures such as Selimiye Barracks, and Haydarpasa Selimiye Hospital have been constructed. [2]

Based on 2018 data, slightly over ~450k people live in Kadikoy. Don’t be surprised about the unbelievable reduction from 2007 to 2008, there was a new municipality founded called Atasehir by the contribution of different districts. One of the major reduction is this foundation of the new municipality.

Additionally, considering last year trends, it looks like there is no population increase. The reason is local people prefer to live out of Kadikoy region since the expenses are getting higher and higher each day especially rents. So, we don’t think that living in Kadikoy is quite necessary to enjoy this great district. Moreover, it is definitely easy to go to Kadikoy. Kadikoy is the connection point, you can both use tram line, buses, ferries from the European side, etc. even Istanbul is one of the complex cities ever.

Things to Do

Kadikoy

Pier, Haydarpasa Train Station

As the first thing, start spending some time near the sea and/or around piers before exploring Kadikoy streets. Enjoy the fascinating view of Haydarpasa Train Station and the historical Peninsula. Take some photos here.

Try to avoid gray and foggy sky [5] since it mainly blocks the view of the historical Peninsula. We recommend you to sit at Istanbul Kitapcisi Bookstore Cafe or Starbucks terrace where you can have a little bit altitude to see Historical Peninsula and Haydarpasa Train Station. Please note that there are some cafes around here also having good altitude to capture good photos.

Selimiye Barracks

Quick info about Selimiye Barracks- basically it is in Uskudar. During your ferry trips, you may notice Selimiye Barracks with four towers right North of Haydarpasa Train Station. The building was constructed by wood during III. Selim but has been burnt by Janissaries during a rebellion. After that, the building was reconstructed and renewed by two Ottoman Sultans- II. Mahmut and Abdulmecid.

During Sultan Abdulmecid period, this barracks has been allocated to English soldiers that were wounded during Kirim War. And one of the greatest stories has started. The lady with a lamp- Florence Nightingale. Because of tough war conditions and cholera secretion, there were some challenging situations. This lady always carried a lamp while she was walking and she treated to a lot of wounded soldiers with patience. [6]

You can go and check the train station as optional to take some photos, no need to get closer to barracks. Views are sufficient :).

Bonus: We are also Starbucks addicts, however, it might be a little bit different to recommend this global one where you have different local options. However, the terrace of Starbucks is amazing, at least go and take a look over Istanbul if you don’t prefer to sit at Istanbul Kitapcisi Bookstore Cafe.

Kadikoy Center

As the next step, walk towards buildings against the pier and the sea and start exploring tight streets. If you enter this region just right behind Starbucks, you’ll see a small square and church. Okay, you are at the heart of Kadikoy. You can both turn right or left the street and start walking randomly.

In this small square, you’ll see Surp Takavor Armenian Orthodox Church. This church was constructed in the 1720s. There were multiple restoration activities in previous centuries and its style is a bit different than standard Armenian style.

Bull Statue

The symbol of Kadikoy… Located in Kadikoy Altiyol (Six roads in English). Could be the best meeting point for local people.

Alsace-Lorraine territory was one the important location due to having rich coal reserves. This bull statue was designed by French sculptor- Isidore Bonheur in 1860s., commemorating the French victory against Germans. Several years after, after re-capturing of Alsace-Lorraine by German General Bismarck, the statue was taken by Germans. During I. World War (1914-1918), Germans and Ottomans were allies and the bull was sent to Ottoman General Enver Pasa as a gift. In the following years, this statue was abandoned for years after Enver Pasa’s leave. The statue was moved to Istanbul Hilton Hotel in 1955. At the beginning of the 1970s, the statue moved from the European side to Asian and has been placed in front of Kadikoy’s Municipality. In 1990, the statue was moved to its current location [7].

Bahariye Street

Bahariye Street is the most important and popular street in Kadikoy. A big portion of the street is closed to traffic and this street is also called as “Beyoglu and Istiklal of Anatolian Side”. While you walk on the street, you will also see Kadikoy-Moda tram.

There are a lot of stores you can do the shopping and a lot of restaurants you can eat. This street is always alive and crowded. The most important building is the Sureyya Opera which was constructed by Sureyya Ilmen Pasa. This opera has been used as a cinema for a long time. The opera is Kadikoy’s and Anatolian side’s first opera. Furthermore, it is the sixth opera in Turkey. You can attend good events in the Sureyya Opera.

Bonus: Soccer/Football in Kadikoy

Do you want to feel one of the hottest and craziest soccer/football atmosphere? Fenerbahce is one of three biggest sports clubs of Turkey and plays home games at Sukru Saracoglu Stadium. Their slogan is “Burasi Kadikoy, burdan cikis yok!” which means “This is Kadikoy, there is no exit!!”. You can easily understand how Kadikoy is important for Fenerbahce fans too. The team has an amazing competition with Besiktas and Galatasaray, the other two biggest football clubs. If you want to scream with 50k people, definitely go and live this crazy atmosphere.

Moda

The Square

Alright, while you walk on Bahariye you can understand that you are definitely in Moda when you see this square. You can rest on these benches and feed the birds.

Moda Pier

The pier is a good place to relax and enjoy this amazing view. Actually, this place is always good regardless of the season.

If you walk further, you are about to reach Fenerbahce and Kalamis. But it takes minimum 30 minutes by walking depending on your tempo.

Moda Streets

Walk thru tight Moda streets. If you pass Moda Tea Garden, you’ll see some good gaps to capture great pictures.

Be careful when you walk and try to check the ground. You’ll see some quotes of a fantastic figure of Turkish literature, Nazim Hikmet Ran. He was a poet and a novel-writer. He was condemned and exiled for a long period due to his political perspectives. Here is one of his best quote written on the marble from “Bulut mu olsam/Shall I be cloud?” poetry. It says “Man should be a sea my son with its cloud, ship, fish, and moss”.

Just opposite of Moda Tea Garden, you’ll also see some trees that have lacework. These are the Turkish style designs.

As optional, you can check the house of Turkish music legend- Baris Manco who passed away at the end of 20th century.

Bonus- Fenerbahce

Fenerbahce and Kalamis are one of the nicest parts of the Anatolian side. You can walk parallel to the sea and this part of the district has very good views.

You already notice that “there are a lot of animals such as cats, dogs living on the streets in Istanbul”. This park is the cats’ paradise. If you like cats, you should definitely visit the Fenerbahce park.

Murals

There are many buildings, walls reflecting Street Art. Why did we put only two photos? Because it is up to you to explore the others.

Kadikoy and Moda are the most famous districts about murals. You can see two photos below showing Kadikoy signatures, The first one shows Haydarpasa Train Station, tram line, sea, and ferry.

The Second photo is about Malala Yousafzai. This wall might be the most inspiring among all murals of Kadikoy and Moda.

Malala Yousafzai [8] is a Pakistani education advocate. She became the youngest person to win the Nobel Prize. She was born in 1997. On the 9th of October, 2012, she was shot by a gunman while she was returning home from her school with her friends. Fortunately, she survived after her treatment in the UK. After her speech to the United Nations, she published her first book, “I am Malala”. In 2014, she won the Nobel Prize.

In this mural, a good quote was written. “One kid, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world.”

Bonus: Ok, we are hearing from you. Just one more photo and that is all. This is a good one, but you’ll be able to see a lot of similar walls.

How to go to Kadikoy and Moda- Transportation

Kadikoy

Kadikoy may be the easiest district to go. You can use:

• Ferries from Besiktas

• Ferries from Eminonu

• Uskudar by yellow minibus (Turkish name is dolmus)
• Bostanci coast by yellow minibus
• Taksim by yellow minibus
• Atasehir by yellow minibus

• Buses from most of the locations from the Anatolian side

• M4 metro line which is on E-5 (D100 is the official name)

• Marmaray from Uskudar to Ayrilik Cesmesi and then M4 to Kadikoy
• Taxi since the prices are cheap because of tough transportation competition in Istanbul.

Moda

Passing through Kadikoy streets, you can walk towards Moda. Actually, there are several options to reach Moda and come back to Kadikoy.

• Walk towards Moda bypassing these tiny streets and come back with this way. If you want to feel how crowded a city can be, choose this option.
• Another way to reach Moda is to catch a tram near Kadikoy Pier. Basically, it depends on how tired you are, we are aware that would be a good idea to use this one and make some observations!
• Walk towards Moda/go by tram and return by using the road parallel to the sea. Drink Turkish tea at Moda Tea Garden. 
• What about combining all of them? Catch Kadikoy-Moda tram and get off the tram at anywhere on Bahariye (we know that this is 15 minutes by walking, however, you can also enjoy this tram). Just walk around, see the bull statue, take some photos and start walking on Bahariye towards Moda. Come back by using the road parallel to sea after moving up by colorful stairs and enter tiny Kadikoy streets.

Top 5 Shopping Stores in Kadikoy and Moda

1- Look

Kadikoy is a well-known district about having an alternative style. This one proudly presents Kadikoy style and it has good t-shirts, sweats, jackets, and accessories. Additionally, this shop is extremely cheap.

2- Shoko

A good and kind place selling products mostly on house decoration. There are many different things here, however, we most like Istanbul perfume.

3- Ece’nin Takilari (Ece’s Accessories)

An accessories shop including well-designed necklaces, earrings, etc. relatively cheaper prices. The shop is on the Bahariye Street.

4- adL

This is a global one, it is not a local shop specific to Kadikoy. But, this store is big and we believe you can find a lot of good things about women. There are very popular Turkish designers working for adL.

5- Uzak Isiklar (Accessories & Collections)

An accessories & collections shop like Ece’s Accessories including well designed and unique necklaces, earrings, bags, wallets, etc. This shop is on the Bahariye Street too.

Top 5 Gift Shops in Kadikoy and Moda

1- Cok Guzel Olacak (“Will be very good or gonna be alright” in English)

This shop is on Bahariye Stress and selling different products such as Retro camera lamps, wooden handmade robots, wall clocks, and well-designed house decoration stuff.

2- Nane and/or Kostebek

An alternative two shops representing Kadikoy good enough. You can find good t-shirts and house decoration products.

3- Atlantis

Another good shop having miniatures, bags, and mugs.

4- Limon

Wood and metal plates are amazing. Colorful socks are also good.

5- Istanbul Kitapcisi Bookstore Cafe

There are a lot of good products. You can find specific Ottoman style figures, Galata tower, coffee cups, mugs, and more specific products regarding Istanbul. The prices are also satisfactory.

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Bonus: Galleries- Safir and Muhsin Bilyap

Safir has mirrors, mirror frames, paintings from different artists and calligraphy. Muhsin Milyap is a Turkish painter and exhibits his paintings in Kadikoy. We are aware that it would be hard to travel with these products, however, check those places if you are an art addict.

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Top 5 Restaurants in Kadikoy and Moda

1- Ciya

Ciya is getting more and more popular after the original Netflix series Chef’s Table season 5 episode 2 [9]. Established in 1987 by Musa Dagdeviren. There are three Ciya restaurants on the same street.  

It has an unbelievable menu that serves all great Anatolian foods. The menu is being changed day by day, (Check this daily menu [10]. You can prefer our favorites, Sevketi Bostan, stuffed meatballs, Siveydiz, Eksili Kebab, leaf wrapping (which includes rice), lentil soup, and more on. Whatever you prefer to eat is great at Ciya. This is a promise. You’ll not regret it.

2- Tatar Salim (Tatarian Salim)

As mentioned in Evliya Celebi’s travelogue, Tatarian people were good at cooking lamb meat. This restaurant only serves doner with thin pieces and its background comes from this Tatarian tradition. The standard sides are salad, chips, and onions. Order ayran- the traditional Turkish beverage which is the liquid salty version of yogurt. You can also eat Firin Sutlac which is made from milk and rice as dessert.

3- Cigerci Hulusi

Order lamb liver (kuzu ciger in Turkish) and ayran. Can be preferred as either lunch or dinner. The fresh liver comes from Balikesir which is located in the Marmara Region. The sides are good enough and the liver is pretty delicious.

4- LazIstanbul

The best Kadikoy restaurant serving the Black Sea region foods. It is near the Bull Statue. Cayeli-Rize haricot bean, mihlama, and pide are very delicious. The portions are very big. There are various types of pide available. We love eating Karadeniz pides at this place. You can also try different desserts baklava, kunefe and kadayif here. If you are a vegetarian, arrange all other your activities around LazIstanbul. The restaurant’s foods may be the best one after Ciya’s vegetarian foods.

5- Viktor Levi

Viktor Levi is a good wine house which produces its own wine. The house was opened by Viktor Levi and operated by himself till 1967. After his death, his cousin operated the house till 1985. It was closed for a long period. Fevzi Buyukerol purchased it and started serving good wine with delicious foods. We like all starters, entrees (Pacanga boregi is a good one) and Cafe de Paris Steak.

Bonus 1: Aida- Vino E Cucina

An Italian effect in Moda streets… This one is our favorite place if we want to enjoy Italian style foods. The restaurant owners are pretty kind and they had a chance to live in Italy. The restaurant is quite new, but it filled a great space of a missing piece in Kadikoy and Moda- serving good Italian food. Do not forget to drink red wine beside these delicious foods. As a kind remember, make a reservation at the beginning of the day, do not directly go to the restaurant for dinner. It has not many tables available, so it is important to make a reservation.

Bonus 2: Borsam Tasfirin

Borsam has three branches in Kadikoy. Established in 1968. Our favorite is “lahmacun” very thin Turkish pizza covered with seasoned minced meat and onions. Prefer Borsam Tasfirin if you don’t want to lose a lot of time with fine dining.

Top 3 Breakfast Places in Kadikoy and Moda

1- Naga Putrika

Our favorite breakfast place. Kind people, fresh air and great foods. It is generally full of people and some people waiting in the queue, so don’t be late in the morning and be there before 10 a.m. especially for the weekend. It is relatively empty in weekdays compared to weekends. We prefer to order “Velika” which is a Bosnian word that contains Bosnian borek or Zuga which contains a specific Black Sea Region food “mihlama”.

2- Moda Recel

Moda Recel is the Naga Putrika’s neighborhood. It is also a restaurant, you can try burgers, beers during day-time. The place has a good garden. You can order a mixed breakfast and it is delicious.

3- Munchies Crepes & Pancakes

Alright, the restaurant motto is “F*ck diet, eat pancake!”. Please also go there early at the weekends, you may lose a lot of time in the queue. As you can understand from its name, you can eat crepes & pancakes with salty and sweaty sides.

Top 5 Cafes/Patisseries in Kadikoy and Moda

1- Baylan Patisserie

Eat Kup Griye (Coup Grillet) and drink Turkish tea.

Here is the story of Baylan. An immigrant in Istanbul… Filip Lenas is the founder of this patisserie. The first branch has been opened in Beyoglu (the first name was Loryan), and then the founder opened the Karakoy branch. In 1939, Baylan chocolate factory was founded. After eldest son returned to Istanbul and invented Kup Griye. One of the reasons for this popularity is “Baylan fans” which include famous poets, artists, litterateurs met in the Beyoglu branch. Finally, Kadikoy branch was opened in 1961 and Beyoglu branch was closed. It’d be good to be aware of this place’s history. It is not a new generation and it’ll be more meaningful to taste “Kup Griye (Coup Grillet)” right now.

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2- Montag Coffee Roaster

Drink Americano- our favorite or whatever you want and take a look over Kadikoy. There are different types of coffee in this place and they serve great coffees. It is on the first floor of a building, entrance is a little bit weird, but it’d be good to take a look over Kadikoy while drinking Montag’s delicious coffees.

3- Istanbul Kitapcisi Bookstore Cafe

A secret place for even local people. The cafe is on the second floor of Eminonu-Karakoy Pier. Price/performance ratio is over expectations. You can enjoy the Haydarpasa Train Station and Historical Peninsula view. Since this is a pier, you’ll see the ferries circulation and this will be a great experience. If you come in a winter period, you can drink “sahlep” in this place. Otherwise, you can prefer to drink Turkish Tea. Especially, we like to sit and enjoy the warm weather in spring and fall.

4- Kurukahveci Yavuz Bey (or Yavuz Bey- Mr. Yavuz)

Our favorite place to drink Turkish coffee.

The place is very small. The tables are very close to each other and do not hesitate to sit at any available table. Basically, there are four types of Turkish coffee. Coffee without sugar (sade in Turkish), coffee with little sugar (az sekerli in Turkish), coffee with medium sugar (orta in Turkish) and coffee with a lot of sugar (cok sekerli in Turkish). If you have no experience, try “coffee with medium sugar”. Since Turkish coffee is served with small Turkish deserts, you can also try “coffee with little sugar”.

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As a kind reminder, Fazil Bey is also a good place to drink Turkish coffee. Qualities of Turkish coffees are close to each other. There are some good cafes which make Turkish coffee on embers near the square. It is also worth to try.

5- Moda Tea Garden

Drink Turkish tea and enjoy the magnificent view. Find an available table just near the sea to increase pleasure.

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Bonus 1: Baraka Cafe

There are several restaurants and cafes close to each other in Fenerbahce. This one is near the sea and has a good view. Foods, teas, and coffees are good. The air is fresh, be careful when you visit this place in winter due to being windy. You can also try Romantika close to Baraka.

Bonus 2: Balon (Balloon) Cafe/Restaurant

One more cafe which has a good view. However, food and service qualities are average. You can drink your beverage and get some rest here. The restaurant had a stable balloon before and took around 30 people. The balloon could rise till 200 meters. You could enjoy this view easily, however, due to some conflicts between restaurant and municipality, that balloon has been removed.

Top 5 Pubs in Kadikoy and Moda

1- London Pub

The pub is located on the “umbrella street”, that is how we call it.

The amazing atmosphere over the night, crowded street and a lot of types of beer are available at this place. Try Turkish beer. Both Tuborg and Efes products are good, but Bomonti Filtresiz (not filtered) is our favorite one. If you are a tough guy, taste standard Efes or Tuborg. Again, the tables are very close, but we believe you are getting used to it. Do not hesitate to sit at any available table.

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2- Baykus Pub

Another good one on the same street like London Pub. There are good cocktails at Baykus. If you can’t find an available table in London Pub, come and drink a good cocktail.

3- Kaldirim Pub

This pub is at the connection point of Kadikoy and Moda. If you like Rock Music, this place would be a good option. But their song list mostly consists of the US and European based rock and metal groups.

4- Dorock XL

Great place to listen to Turkish Rock Music during nighttime. This is a brand new one, most of the weekdays, there are famous Turkish singers/groups singing here. You can buy your ticket at the entrance. In day-time, you can also come here and hang-out, but it’ll not be crowded enough. You can also eat at Dorock, just keep in mind.

5- Zeplin

There is one more Zeplin Pub on Bagdat Street that you can go. This pub has good decoration and is always crowded during the whole week. Moreover, we do like its playlist.

Top 15 things to do in Kadikoy and Moda

Before you leave Kadikoy, do not forget to do the following items.

1. Enjoy the sea, Haydarpasa, and historical peninsula view. You can both enjoy the views from Istanbul Kitapcisi Bookstore Cafe or the terrace of Starbucks.
2. Eat at one of the top restaurants mentioned above.
3. Drink raki at Fishermen’s Street. As a kind reminder, we prefer to drink at Bostanci or Caddebostan. If you plan to drink raki at another place, skip this step.
4. Get lost in Kadikoy streets
5. Explore Street Art.
6. Drink Turkish coffee at Yavuz Bey or if it is full, try Kahveci Zeynel Bey just opposite of Yavuz Bey. We are sure that you’ll like Turkish coffee, in case of any problem due to being a stronger one, drink Americano at Montag right behind of square and church and take a look over Kadikoy’s heart.
7. Take a selfie/photo in front of the Bull Statue.
8. Walk on Bahariye Street.
9. Catch Kadikoy-Moda tram.
10. Do some shopping at Bahariye Street.
11. Enjoy your drink at Kaldirim Pub or London Pub. If you want to listen to Turkish Rock Music, go to DoRockXL.
12. Eat Kup Griye at Baylan Patisserie.
13. Have breakfast at Naga Putrika.
14. Drink Turkish Tea at Moda Cay Bahcesi (Moda Tea Garden).
15. Watch Fenerbahce football game.

Bonus: Start your Bosphorus trip from Kadikoy. The operator is Turyol and it takes around 1.5 hours. Additionally, you can buy your tickets from box-office inside of Eminonu-Karakoy pier.

One day in Kadikoy and Moda

• Breakfast at Naga Putrika
• Walk towards Fenerbahce and Moda, return and drink Turkish tea at Moda Tea Garden
• Walk thru Kadikoy streets
• Visit the Bull Statue and walk thru Bahariye towards Moda
• Eat at Ciya Restaurant
• Drink Turkish coffee at Yavuz Bey
• Eat Kup Griye at Baylan Patisserie
• Enjoy your drink at London Pub or drink raki at Fishermen’s Street

Timing

It would be good to spend at least 1 to 1.5 days in Kadikoy center combining with Moda. If you are planning to arrange more time, try to enjoy Caddebostan and Bagdat Street.

Conclusion

We struggled to stop writing about Kadikoy. We hope we didn’t exaggerate anything since we are in love with Kadikoy and this is our favorite place. It’d be OK to complete 50% of top things to do, this list can be pretty extreme and intensive for 1 or 2 days. Don’t say anyone that you visited Istanbul if you miss Kadikoy and Moda.

See you soon in the best place on the Asian side of Istanbul!!

References

1. http://www.oikodomos.org/workspaces/app/webroot/files/deliveries/aela45248_362_background-history-poster.pdf
2. https://www.istanbulfantasy.com/istanbul-history/
3. http://www.kadikoy.gov.tr/about-kadikoy
4. https://www.nufusu.com/ilce/kadikoy_istanbul-nufusu
5. https://www.istanbulfantasy.com/best-time-to-visit-istanbul/
6. https://listelist.com/selimiye-kislasi-florence-nightingale/
7. https://listelist.com/kadikoy-boga-tarihi/
8. https://www.biography.com/people/malala-yousafzai-21362253
9. http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/anatolian-dishes-expand-to-netflix-137573
10. http://www.ciya.com.tr/?menu