Istanbul Guide

I've been to Istanbul four time in the past six months working on the Soho House out there and these are my tips:

Eat

Yeni Lokanta, Kumbaracı Yokuşu No:66 Beyoğlu (reserve)

Munferit, Yeni Çarşı Caddesi 19, Taksim, Beyoğlu (reserve)

Unter Good spot in Karakoy. Get Menemen for breakfast and also turns into bar/area at night  

Gaspar Müeyyetzade Mahallesi, Necatibey Caddesi, Arapoğlan Sokak No.6, Karaköy

And the Soho House Istanbul is stunning - and there are lots of parts including the ground floor garden open to non members.

See and Do

Haiga Sofia 
One of the only building that may trump Rome's Pantheon in the awe stakes. You dont have to join long queue that's for groups - there are machines just to left when you enter to buy a ticket fast!

The Cistern - go early when not too crowded, right near Hagia Sofia and amazing. Wet, fishy, ancient.

Archaeological museum Particularly for the garden - which is a good coffee spot and has some amazing things outside.

Kadikoy

Get a boat from Karakoy to the Asian side to Kadikoy and wander around antique shops and randomness etc nice chill vibe. Get meze lunch at Ciya 

Kili Cali Pasa Hamami

Got to be the best hamman in the city. Women in the am. Men afternoon and pm. Worth it for the building alone let alone the serious scrub.

From London

I'm always asked about my recommendations for other cities. So I thought I'd do the same for home.

Galleries
- Maureen Paley, 21 Herald Street, London E2
- SPACE Studios, 129—131 Mare St, London E8
- Seventeen Gallery (basement shows at the back). 17 Kingsland Rd, London E2
- Camden Arts Centre, Arkwright Rd, London NW3
- Stuart Shave Modern Art, 23/25 Eastcastle St, London W1

Food, Coffee
- Dean Street Townhouse, 69 Dean St, London W1 (art, amaretto sours)
- Polpo, 41 Beak St, London W1
- Bar Bruno, 101 Wardour St, London W1
- St John (the bar area), 26 St John St, London EC1
- The Wolseley, 160 Piccadilly, London W1
- Flat White, 17 Berwick St, London W1
- Daquise, 20 Thurloe Street London SW7 (in afternoons for apple strudel and a taste of 60s poland),

Drink
- The French House, 49 Dean St, London W1
- The Royal Oak, 73 Columbia Rd, London E2
- The Holly Bush, 22 Holly Mount, London NW3
- Cecconi's, 5a Burlington Gardens, London W1 (prosecco on tap at the bar)

Shop
- Compton News, 48 Old Compton Street, London W1
- Fopp for 3 quid DVDs and CDs, 1 Earlham Street, London WC2
- Music and Video Exchange shops (esp the Book one 14 Pembridge Road, and Soul and Dance, 42 Notting Hill Gate).
- Fenwicks, 63 New Bond St, London W1
- The Top Shop concession in Selfridges; The B Store on Saville row for shoes; Fred Perry on Newburgh St; APC on Dover St etc