Hasan'in Yeri (Deniz Restaurant) is my first choice when I want perfectly grilled fresh fish. I especially come here for çipura, levrek, and sinarit, as fish like these can easily lose their flavour and juiciness if a little overcooked.
Hasan Bey, the owner, has been standing at the grill since I was a child. In all the years I have been coming here, I cannot remember him ever leaving that responsibility to anyone else.
Nearly 20 years ago, this was a small local seafood restaurant. Today, it is especially popular with Istanbul’s more sophisticated dining crowd.
The seafood and meze are just as impressive as the seafood, but my order is always simple: octopus salad, haydari, and a green salad to start, followed by fried calamari and a good fish for the main course. For dessert, oven-baked helva is a fitting finish to a classic “rakı, meze, and fish” evening.
