One of our favorite boutique hotels in Istanbul recently opened a buzzworthy new restaurant. Housed in a former Ottoman alcohol distillery on the Asian side of the Bosphorus, Sumahan on the Water (www.sumahan.com) takes its name from suma, an ingredient in Turkish raki. The hotel itself is an architectural masterpiece with sleek, contemporary elements. (Click here for our full review in a previous issue of Luxury Travel Advisor.)
Called Tapasuma, the new restaurant serves Turkish and Mediterranean cuisine with unrivaled water views. Chef Gokay Cakiroglu has a penchant for fresh, seasonal fish dishes, and gets creative with the mezzes that guests nosh at the eight-meter-long marble bar. Tip: Access to the restaurant is provided on the hotel’s beautiful boat, Sumahan I, which links the European shore with the hotel’s private dock. For more information, visit www.tapasuma.com.