Çiya Sofrası

Çiya Sofrası grew out of a small kebab-and-lahmacun shop that Musa Dağdeviren opened in Kadıköy's market district in 1987. The Sofra location followed in 1998 on Güneşlibahçe Sokak, standing alongside the original Çiya Kebap and Çiya Kebap II a few steps away on the same street. The kitchen describes its focus as southeastern Anatolian and eastern Mediterranean cooking, drawing on Azerbaijani, Georgian, Arab, Armenian, Ottoman and Syriac culinary traditions from a region stretching from Anatolia to Mesopotamia. A daily-changing lineup of herb dishes, olive-oil preparations, soups, rice dishes and seasonal kebabs adds up to roughly a hundred kebab recipes on the menu, well beyond the forty or so commonly known varieties. Sabri Koz's book Çiya Sofrasından Küçük Yemek Sözlüğü documents the kitchen's research-driven approach to regional cooking. Within walking distance of Kadıköy's fish market, the address has become a regular stop for both locals and visitors looking to explore Turkey's regional cuisine.