I met Anemas Café last weekend thanks to their invite for us to make our board meeting of Turkey’s Traveller’s Club in their location. And what a good decision that was as I learned so much good things about this place and want to share it with you immediately!
Located in Ayvansaray, an area where you can find many historical places close to each other, Anemas café is just near the Anemas dungeons its name came from. From terrace you have a great view of southern shore of Golden Horn and much more!
The view includes freshly restored Ayvansaray Kazaasker Ivaz Efendi Camii built in 1585, which is one of the first works of famous architect Mimar Sinan, Anemas Dungeons – though their restoration continues so it will be a while until you can visit, and many historical wall remains which are used in old Turkish historical movies and of course Golden Horn shores…Need I say more 🙂
First I will talk about the café part then I’ll mention the boutique hotel part!
Place has both large interior and outside area so even on cold days you can still enjoy your food or drink. Owner Mr Seçkin and kitchen manager Mr Giray are both multi skilled people, and they are doing this café/hotel as their hobby. Owner Prof.Dr. Seçkin Dindar is a dentist and academician in İstanbul University. He has always been a people loving, cares to give person and his service to people continues out of hospitals. Few years ago he bought and saved a soon to be ruined building and start restoring it and surroundings. He is determined to make this area more presentable. Kitchen is trusted to Giray Karanlık, who is known for his author, journalist, TV program manager, editor and so on works and who has also worked in the editorial 
board of Gastro 2000 magazine (kitchen culture) for some time. His passion for food and food culture is coming alive in this café. Olive oil dishes have a special place for him and he shows extra care for the olive oil used in his dishes. He only buys them in places he knows and trust and sometimes even go to witness oil extract process himself. By the way, he covers not only Turkish olive oil dishes, for example I tried a zucchini with rice dish there which belongs to Kavala district of Greece. (I should have asked the origins of celery with orange!). He also tries to make dishes in accordance to the season products and try to use as much as local and organic products as possible. Another thing to keep in my about the café part is that, if you will be visiting as a group you can contact to arrange a menu special to your group. Usual menu varies all the time, like I said depending on season products but to get an idea of their classic menu here’s a link to their website.
Alright, let’s talk about hotel part! Actually original plan was to make it for tourists but right now mostly Erasmus students stay here. And why shouldn’t they! For example last summer in the interior garden which is open till night, an international singing contest with over 150 people held, there is a separate kitchen area for people staying to cook their own food with all equipments and that area is also used as a gallery for paintings and statues! Of course there is laundry and I already mentioned terrace area view! Also all these, including water, gas, electricity, internet bills prices start as cheap as 650 TL a month! Like I said, they don’t manage this place for profits 🙂 Place is really popular between Erasmus students and it becomes an international chatter place!By the way they even have honeymoon suites (for a higher price obviously).
So if you are planning a visit to this area, you can combine many sightseeing with a good café as a break location! I will include some of the nearby worth to visit places soon in the blog 😉
Tel: +90 532 276 5060
Email: info@anemascafe.com
Address: Ayvansaray Mh. Ahmet Rufai Sk,
No:4 34200 Fatih İstanbul Turkey
