İsmail Kebapçısı

It’s a bit of a trek to find this little place, tucked away on the top of the hill and through some little side streets, but if you’re on the search for some of the best lahmacun that you’ll find in Istanbul, make a trip up here. You’ll get a little taste of the local life while you’re at it, and you’ll see a ton of people walking out with to-​go boxes and delivery guys on the motorcycles heading around town with this pizza.
The lahmacun here is super thin, crispy and has the perfect amount of toppings. Nothing soggy here — and they give you several dips to go along with it — a spicy paste, a yogurt sauce, a tomato cucumber salad, and beans.
The pide was also really great — it’s not the traditional boat-​shaped pide, but instead it’s folded over so that there’s a thin layer of bread on the top and bottom, and the filling is evenly distributed in the middle. The bread is perfectly baked and toasty.
It’s an expensive meal — with the lahmacun at 4 Turkish lira, this is great to stop for a snack or as a first lunch (as we did). We ordered 2 lahmacun, one pide, a salad, some water for 5 people, and we spent ~40 Turkish lira total (including tip)
If you’re in the area and have time to explore around, check this place out! It’s a bit confusing because the sign on the top says «Halil Usta — Kebap & Lahmacun Pide Salonu», so take a look at my pics for the outside signage so that you don’t miss it.