About Us

Sırça Mutfak opened in 2019 in Karaköy, on the ground floor of a workshop that had made glassware for twenty years, founded by Chef Mert Altınbaş and his wife Elif Altınbaş. We kept the brick walls, the marks of the annealing ovens and the large windows; the restaurant's name comes from the old workshop sign.

Our approach

Our menu rests on a single question: what grows best in Turkey right now, in this season? We look for the answer with 42 local producers, from fishers in Çanakkale to farmers, cheesemakers and beekeepers as far as Ardahan. The techniques come from Anatolian cooking: charring, drying, pickling, tandır and wood fire. The presentation is plain and contemporary.

Room and team

The room has 18 seats plus 10 at the counter facing the kitchen, 28 in all. Six people work in the kitchen and eight in the dining room. Every morning the chef and sous chef review the menu one last time; courses may change according to the fish or vegetables that arrive that day.

Wine list

Prepared by sommelier Ceren Arıtürk, the list holds 140 labels, all from Anatolian vines and neighbouring geographies. For pairings we offer wine by the glass, non-alcoholic fermented drinks and a tea pairing.

Our responsibilities

• A separate prep line and written checklist for allergen control
• Daily waste kept under 3 kg; trimmings fermented
• Advance payment to producers with annual purchase commitments

Visiting us

Our restaurant in Karaköy is a ten-minute walk from Tünel and Karaköy square. The room is wheelchair-accessible; a booster seat for children is available on request.