The most tasteful of the Bosphorus bunch. Anjelique's assets include stunning views, above average food at the refined Da Mario restaurant, and delicious apple martinis. There...

Once you get past that name - the Turkish word for 'love' drawn out into a lisping 'assk' - this place has a lot to recommend it. To find it, follow the unmarked staircase down...

A modest, single-room venue just off Tunel Square, Badehane began as an eaterie, but quickly evolved into one of the most popular bars in town. Smarter after a recent...

Bar Bahce has been a fixture on the gay nightlife scene for over a decade, but it stays fresh by reinventing itself every couple of years. In its latest incarnation, you have...

Fans of colonial watering holes tend to head for the bar at the Pera Palas Hotel (currently closed for renovations); that's because they don't know about the Buyuk Londra....

The decor at Buz, a decadent chain of nightspots frequented by Istanbul's bohemians, is nothing if not eccentric: there is almost as much furniture and glassware stuck to the...

Behind the Galatasaray Lycee, this fabulous 19th- century building was originally a school for the Italian Workers' Association. Beautifully converted into a glamorous bar and...

Akbiyik Caddesi is backpacker boulevard, all cut-rate travel agencies, hostels and last-ditch diners. Bars are as transient as their clientele, but Cheers has been around...

A shopping mall may seem like a strange place for a bar, but Nisantasi's Milli Reasurans Carsisi is full of them. Corridor has a lively but laid-back atmosphere, without the...

One of the few late clubs that is open all year. Cosmopolitan thirty-somethings get down to hardcore techno, then chill out in the enclosed garden bar. Besides a roster of...

Drolly named after the cafe's designer, Ali, this relatively new addition to Ortakoy's nightlife absorbs the overflow from its noisier neighbour, the House Cafe, especially for...

It may be small, but Dogzstar proves that size doesn't matter: this diminutive club in Beyoĸlu has garnered quite a reputation. Although owners Koray and Kutayare planning to...

It may be in the heart of Beyoĸlu, but the decor at Dulcinea is straight out of SoHo. So it's no surprise that the downstairs space at this bar/restaurant is a good place for a...

The neighbourhood around the Galata Tower is getting a major facelift: streets have been repaved and cafes have spread their tables across the spruced up square surrounding the...

Arnavutkoy's coolest new venue is housed in aconverted Ottoman yali, which stands out from the throng of nearby fish restaurants with its burgundy facade. If you can't grab one...

The only way to tell this place apart from the dozens of other establishments on Nevizade Sokak is by the '27' crudely painted on the wall. There's a mellow bar on the ground...

This no-nonsense bar is a big hit with the young locals of Moda, many of whom are expats. The red-brick interior features a random assortment of brightly coloured furniture, a...

This Egyptian-themed bar, with wall paintings and statues, is incongruously located in a converted three-storey townhouse. The top-floor wine bar holds regular tastings...

The first and only Irish pub in Istanbul. The decor is predictably cliched, but the punters are a mixed bag of worldly Turks, expats and tourists who come for the decent range...

Kaktus' elegant dark-wood interior owes a great deal to the classic French cafe. Its patrons do their best to recreate the ambience of a Godard movie by chain-smoking and...

This much-loved haunt in the heart of Kadikoy's bar strip is known for three things: alternative music, cheap beer, and fine art. The music policy can only be described as...

This karaoke club near Taksim Square consists of a small bar and two private rooms that are available for hire - the intimate, red-leather Tokyo Room and the larger, darker...

Opposite Tunel station, an elaborate iron gate leads to an enchanting 19th-century arcade overgrown with potted plants. Of the handful of cafes lucky enough to share this...

A more sophisticated alternative to its popular predecessor around the corner on Kumbaraci Sokak. The new premises, on the sixth floor of the Richmond Hotel on Istiklal...

Currently the place in Cihangir where you're most likely to have to queue for a table, Leyla is wildly popular at peak times. The cafe is unpretentiously cool, with a relaxed,...

Part-way down the precipitous slope of Yenicarsi, Limonlu Bahce is set in a big, bucolic back garden. This pretty setting draws a self-conscious young crowd who loll on...

The tiny facade facing Tunel Square is deceptive: inside is a long, lofty space with Wedgwood blue walls. Famous for its selection of coffees and resident grey cat, Lokal Tunel...

If you're caught in a traffic jam in Bebek, the likely cause is the string of SUVs double-parked outside this neighbourhood hotspot. Sleek society girls pick at plates of...

The Nu Pera complex is known for great modern Turkish cuisine (Lokanta) and amazing views (Nu Teras). Come winter, the action moves downstairs to this intimate basement club,...

On the rooftop of the Nu Pera building, Nu Teras is the epitome of hip Istanbul - with the backdrop of a stunning view of the Golden Horn. The area behind the bar is given over...

Old City has been a late-night haunt of nocturnal Istanbullus for years. It remains to be seen whether the recent renovation from its former dark and pokey state has stripped...

Over a century old, Pano is an Istanbul institution. This atmospheric wine bar is like an updated take on a typical Greek taverna, with wood-panelled interior and rows of giant...

The uncluttered decor and gallery-style mezzanine create a sense of space where there isn't much at all. Ornate mirrors and a single George Grosz print set the tone. This is a...

Another lively but laidback venue with dozens of stools and tiny tables packed into the small space outside, from where a predominantly younger crowd watches the world go by....

Sefahathane's obscure location in Atlas Pasaji, does not stop it being perennially popular. During the day, customers grab a coffee before shopping or catching a movie next...

This relaxed refuge off Istiklal is one of the most stylish all-day cafe-bars anywhere in Istanbul. Hipsters hang out in the retro front room, where low seating and low...

Traditionally, Cihangir's favourite hangout has been the cluster of teahouses by the mosque, where local loafers can spend a whole day or evening ensconced beneath the plane...

The North Shield transports its regulars to sub-urban middle England, circa 1975. Think tartan carpets, Famous Grouse mirrors, etched glass screens, wooden benches and a dark,...

Touchdown manages to successfully recreate the atmosphere of an American corner bar, despite the fact that it's in a shopping small. It's a popular spot for drinks after work;...

This idyllic garden of towering laurel, linden and horse chestnut trees belongs to the quaint Yesil Ev guesthouse. It's the finest place for an aperitif this side of the Golden...

Despite the gruff bouncers manning the red velvet entrance, Zoe is actually a relatively laid-back bar/restaurant that puts equal emphasis on food and drink. It's one of many...