Rick Steves Suggests This Spot For Great Food In Istanbul (And His Favorite Thing To Order)

Istanbul is one of the most interesting and unusual cities in the world. A bridge between two continents, it sits at the crux of history and culture, a pivot around which civilizations have turned for millennia. It boasts some of the best attractions in Europe, despite being half in Asia! It's a melting pot of cultural influences, helping it develop a wonderful, creative, and unique food scene. 

Whether it's gozleme and lahmacun from casual roadside stalls, sweets, grilled meats, and tea in the massive market of the Grand Bazaar, or inventive Michelin-starred delicacies in upmarket restaurants, Istanbul is never short of great places to eat. For travel journalist Rick Steves, one of the greatest places to grab a quick bite happens to be a cafeteria with a rich, fascinating history that was once one of the most famous places for hippies and beatniks to meet in the city. 

Situated in Istanbul's incredibly popular Sultanahmet district on the European side, between the Hagia Sofia and the Blue Mosque and just behind the fascinating and otherworldly Basilica Cistern, Lale Restaurant, more commonly known as the Pudding Shop, is right in the thick of things. It's easy to find and very much on the tourist trail, and Istanbul itself boasts the best-connected airport in the world and a practical and efficient public transport network, making it a breeze to get to and navigate.

In the '60s and '70s, hundreds of thousands of Europeans and Americans set off from Istanbul along the infamous 'Hippie Trail' from Europe to India and Southeast Asia, in search of enlightenment and inner peace, which often came in the form of surprisingly strong roll-up cigarettes of dubious provenance! Steves himself set off from Istanbul in 1978, a formative event in his life and career as a travel writer. He, like many others, found himself at Lale Restaurant, as it was one of the main meeting spots for travelers, looking for information, insight, and transportation.

The restaurant boasted a bulletin board which operated a little like an early, analogue version of Reddit. Here, beatniks, hippies, and shoestring travelers would leave each other messages with advice, recommendations, tips, and adverts. Thanks to this, the ambiance, and the excellent food, the restaurant's reputation grew amongst new arrivals to Istanbul, and while many couldn't remember its real name, 'the Pudding Shop' was almost always the go-to choice for anyone taking the overland route through Turkiye to India and beyond. 

Around the same time Steves first discovered the Pudding Shop, it was featured in the 1978 film "The Midnight Express," directed by Oliver Stone. It was here that Billy Hayes first made contact with the drug dealers who would eventually land him in jail. This added to the aura around the restaurant, and helped it stand the test of time as a landmark and tourist attraction in its own right.

The Pudding Shop started out as a pastry and sweet shop. Founded by two brothers in the late '50s, it specialized in Turkish delight and chocolate, gradually expanding its repertoire to feature the 'puddings' which gave it its nickname. A particular highlight for many travelers was a Turkish specialty called tavuk göğsü, a mixture of thick, yoghurt-like milk, cinnamon, and boiled and flattened chicken!

For Steves, the best thing on the menu was the rather more traditional Sütlaç, a baked rice pudding made with cream and vanilla. But there is far more to enjoy there now than just dessert. The full menu includes classic Turkish delicacies like dolma, gyros, haydari, and a range of kebabs including iskender and doner.

While fame might have changed the atmosphere a little, it's still a great place to grab a casual snack while exploring the attractions of Sultanahmet, as well as a destination in its own right for anyone interested in beatnik and hippie history.