From street snacks grabbed on-the-go to hours-long breakfasts or nights spent in meyhane (taverns), Istanbul is a city that loves to eat. New restaurants are constantly opening and old favorites remain packed despite an ongoing economic crisis in 罢眉谤办颈测别 that has sent food prices soaring.

Though they share the national passion for traditional Turkish cuisine, Istanbulites also love a good international food trend, whether it鈥檚 a craze for burgers or San Sebastian cheesecake. Over the 16 years I鈥檝e lived in the city, my own taste buds have been more excited about the dramatic increase in the number and variety of restaurants serving the cuisines of new immigrant groups, from Indonesian to Yemeni food.

Here鈥檚 just a small selection of some of the places where I like to take friends to eat (and drink) when they're visiting Istanbul.

Breakfast

Breakfast in Istanbul can be as simple as a simit, the ubiquitous sesame seed-covered bread ring sold at street carts and bakeries all around the city. On weekends, though, it鈥檚 all about a leisurely serpme kahvalt谋, a lavish breakfast spread of small bites 鈥� olives, cheeses, jams, pastries, eggs and much more 鈥� that鈥檚 meant to be lingered over and shared. Combine breakfast with Bosphorus views at the string of cafe-restaurants lining the shoreline near the Rumeli Hisar谋 fortress: my pick is an old favorite, , which now has two locations just steps from each other on Yahya Kemal Caddesi. (I鈥檓 partial to the somewhat shabbier-looking one at No 2, closer to the Bosphorus bridge.)

Closer to the city center, there鈥檚 an entire street in the Be艧ikta艧 neighborhood devoted to breakfast. While some newer spots there are more style than substance, the original is still the best for menemen (soft-cooked eggs with tomatoes and peppers) or sucuklu yumurta (pan-fried eggs with spicy beef sausage). Don鈥檛 forget the side of bal kaymak, thick cream drizzled with honey.

Go early to both places to avoid the late-morning weekend crowds.

Coffee and tea

For traditional Turkish coffee (t眉rk kahve), it鈥檚 hard to top , a 叠别测辞臒濒耻 classic where the drink 鈥� cooked over a flame in a small, long-handled metal pot called a cezve 鈥� is served up thick and rich. Established in 1967 as a tiny one-room cafe, it鈥檚 expanded into the neighboring building in recent years, but perching on the alley seats is still the best way to soak up the vibe.

You wouldn鈥檛 know it from the dozens of trendy cafes dishing out flat whites and iced lattes in the Karak枚y, Cihangir and Moda neighborhoods, but 罢眉谤办颈测别 still predominately has a tea culture, with reportedly the highest per capita consumption in the world. The in 脟engelk枚y, along the Bosphorus on the Asian side of the city, has a pretty unbeatable view for sipping your brew.

Lunch

When I鈥檓 out and about visiting art galleries and museums in the 叠别测辞臒濒耻 area, the colorful buffet counter at is my go-to for a quick bite. I love its Black Sea dishes like karalahana 莽orbas谋 (kale soup), hamsili pilav (seasoned rice with anchovies) and the custardy puff-pastry dessert laz b枚re臒i.

When the meal is the main point, though, I like to gather up some friends and head to the Fatih district west of the Laleli tram stop, where immigrant communities have enlivened the Istanbul eating scene. This is the place to go for Syrian fatteh, a comforting mix of chickpeas, pita chips and garlicky tahini yogurt sauce at , or spicy green beans and laghman hand-pulled noodles at the Uyghur restaurant .

Food markets

There鈥檚 no better way to get insight into the ingredients that make up Turkish cuisine 鈥� from colorful strands of dried eggplant husks to candy-shop-like jars of pickled produce to village-made cheese and butter 鈥� than visiting an open-air food market. It鈥檚 a great way to while away an hour or two, wandering, people-watching and sampling the wares until you find the best ones to buy. The stalls at the Kad谋k枚y Produce Market and around the Kad谋nlar Pazar谋 square in Fatih are permanent fixtures, while most parts of the city typically have their own semt pazar (neighborhood market) that sets up shop on a weekly basis. The Wednesday Market in the streets around the Fatih Mosque is among the biggest.

Dinner

No trip to Istanbul is complete without a meyhane night: a long, lively evening working your way through an array of meze, hot starters and fish, typically accompanied by rak谋, 罢眉谤办颈测别鈥檚 potent anise-based spirit, or wine. Asmal谋 Cavit in 叠别测辞臒濒耻 is a classic of the genre; reserve a table (+90 212 292 49 50) in the busier, memorabilia-filled upstairs for the full experience. Along the banks of the Golden Horn, the ramshackle-looking is another favorite choice for meze and seafood, with its own unique dishes like mung beans with pomegranate molasses or sundried tomatoes stuffed with sea bass.

For more contemporary pan-Mediterranean fare, I like in Karak枚y, with its gorgeously old-fashioned, high-ceilinged dining room and creative salads, local cheese plates, hearty pastas and tahini souffl茅 for dessert.

Dinner reservations aren鈥檛 usually an issue on weeknights; on weekends, if you haven鈥檛 booked ahead, I recommend arriving early 鈥� Istanbulites typically like to eat late. Expect a nice dinner in Istanbul to set you back at least 1000鈥�1500TL ($30鈥�45) per person, more if you鈥檙e drinking alcohol.

Bar

Though Kad谋k枚y has probably claimed Istanbul鈥檚 nightlife crown, especially for the younger crowd, I鈥檓 still loyal to my neighborhood of 叠别测辞臒濒耻. Behind Galatasaray High School, revelers spill out into the short street Hayriye Caddesi until late at night from hip, lively establishments like , where DJs spin electronic music, and , known for its creative cocktails.