Agora Meyhanesi is one of Istanbul's oldest surviving meyhanes, a traditional tavern that has been serving rakı, meze, and fish in Balat since 1890. It belongs to the old multicultural life of the neighbourhood, when Greeks, Jews, and Armenians filled these streets, and it keeps that spirit alive with long tables, walls covered in old photographs, and the unhurried ritual of a proper meyhane evening.
The format is the classic one: a tray of cold meze to start, hot dishes and grilled fish to follow, and rakı poured steadily throughout while the conversation runs late. It is a warm, atmospheric place to eat the way Istanbul has long eaten, and a fine antidote to the area's daytime crowds of photographers. Book ahead at weekends.