Olive Anatolian Restaurant: The Story of a Terrace in Sirkeci

Olive Anatolian is a terrace restaurant in Sirkeci, on the Historical Peninsula of Istanbul. The address is Ebusuud Caddesi No:12 — 50 metres from the Gülhane tram stop and a five-minute walk from Hagia Sophia and Sultanahmet Square. The restaurant occupies the terrace floor of Yaşmak Sultan Hotel.

Why the location decides things

Sitting high on the ridge of the Historical Peninsula sets the view. From the terrace you see Galata Tower and the Golden Horn to the northwest, the mouth of the Bosphorus to the northeast, and Gülhane Park and Hagia Sophia to the southwest. Because the view wraps around the terrace, there is no table without one — and consequently no surcharge for a table with a view.

The roof and sides of the terrace open and close, and there are heaters. In summer it works as an open terrace, in winter as an enclosed heated room; the view does not change between the two.

The kitchen

The menu is built on Anatolian and Ottoman cooking. The à la carte list runs to ten sections and sixty-five dishes: cold and hot starters, pastry, salads, meat, fish and chicken, desserts.

Dishes from the Ottoman line stand out on the menu — Mahmudiye with honey, Sultan Kebab and the Ottoman pastry plate among them. The desserts include house-made baklava, baked rice pudding and künefe.

Dietary needs are met separately rather than by substitution. The vegan menu is an independent list: six sections, twenty-three dishes. On the à la carte menu, twenty-nine dishes are marked vegetarian (V) and eleven gluten-free (G). Fresh gluten-free bread is baked daily.

The bar

There is a separate bar area on the terrace. The drinks list holds eighteen sections and seventy-seven items. Of the forty-four wine labels, forty-three come from Turkey, with native grapes — Kalecik Karası, Öküzgözü, Narince, Boğazkere — making up the weight of the list. Four cocktails are our own: Istanbul Nights, Galata Tower, Bosphorus Cocktail and Power of Spice.

Workshops

Two workshops run, both every day. The cooking workshop is 14:00 to 16:00 at 60 euros per person; recipes from Turkish and Ottoman cooking are prepared with the chef and eaten at the table afterwards. Photographs and an Olive apron are included.

The cocktail workshop starts at 16:00, lasts an hour and costs 25 euros per person. Since one follows the other, both can be taken on the same day.

Capacity and events

Group dining is hosted for up to 120 guests, with buffet and set menu options. Weddings, engagements, birthdays and company dinners are held on the terrace.

The three meeting rooms at Yaşmak Sultan Hotel are run by the same team: the Topkapı and Basilica rooms hold 30 in a U-shape and 50 theatre-style, rising to 44 and 80 when combined. The Yaşmak room holds 12 in a U-shape and 30 theatre-style. All have audio-visual equipment and wireless internet.

Practical information

The restaurant is open every day from 12:00 to 00:00; the kitchen takes its last order at 22:30 and bar service continues until closing. Breakfast is served only to guests of Yaşmak Sultan Hotel.

Cash, credit cards and foreign currency (dollars, euros, pounds) are accepted; meal cards are not. There is no dress code. The team speaks Turkish, English and Russian.

A lift runs directly up to the restaurant and the terrace is reachable by wheelchair. Wireless internet is free. Smoking is allowed in a designated section of the terrace; shisha is not served. Pets cannot be accommodated. High chairs and a children’s menu are available.

Reservations are made through the form on the site or by WhatsApp, and are confirmed by a return message.

For more detailed questions see the Frequently Asked Questions, and for the menus, the à la carte, Vegan and Drinks pages.