Halfway there you’ll run into a place right across from the Atik Ali Paşa Camii (Atik Ali Paşa Mosque) in Çemberlitaş, one of the seven hills of İstanbul. This place was established based on a unique idea, one never seen in İstanbul. Careful though, they only serve pasta, so don’t come here looking for köfte or kebap.The restaurant is simply magnificent and draws in anyone who walks by. It serves 15 types of pasta, filled with spinach, cheese, chicken and eggplant, among others. But don’t let the large selection intimidate you or leave you worried about what to try first. Sure you can go with spinach-filled pasta, or maybe chicken-filled, but trying out the three-in-one option, where you are served a plate of three kinds of pasta, will allow you to try out more so you can zero in on your favorite quicker.
This restaurant is nicely decorated. And just as the pasta here comes with many different sauces, Makarna Sarayı also incorporates a variety of styles from various periods in history. Makarna Sarayı has three floors, with each floor sporting a different theme. If you eat on the ground floor, you may feel as if you are in the Yerebatan Sarnıcı (the Basilica Cistern) because the ground floor is decorated in Byzantine style. The second floor is something completely different. It’s more cozy with sofas and decor featuring engraved cedar. The third floor hosts a performance by a whirling dervish every day at 7 p.m. except Wednesdays and Sundays. To complement this, Sufi music plays in the background.
We spoke with the owner during our visit and asked why he chose to decorate a pasta restaurant so well. Mustafa Remzi Demir, 52, smiled and said: “I have been working in the food industry for 33 years. Pasta is my sole area of interest. The Makarna Sarayı building was firstly established by my uncle in 1937. I later redecorated the building according to my own tastes.”
Makarna Sarayı has added a new face to the historic peninsula. Pasta is the best option for people who are tired of İskender kebap, lahmacun (a very thin, flat-style pizza), köfte or gözleme (savory flat, phyllo-style pastry).
Furthermore, people who think pasta should not be eaten at a restaurant will be pleasantly surprised to hear that Makarna Sarayı has a steady stream of customers. The establishment has worked hard to change this perception in people’s minds, and its efforts are starting to pay off. Eating pasta here has become part of a routine day for many shopkeepers and university students. And as its popularity rises, so does the number of tourists who visit.
Mr. Demir says many people love pasta because of its full flavor. Makarna Sarayı always offers the freshest of pasta to its customers and is proud of its superb service. What were some of our favorites, you ask? Pasta filled with cheese, spinach, eggplant, mushrooms, minced meat, tomatoes, sausage, basil and yogurt as well as baked pasta; don’t miss any of them. Mr. Demir is the only one who knows the secret behind the pasta sauces and the plate of pasta filled with spinach. Having opened last month, Makarna Sarayı is ready to serve one and all its delicious pasta plates in a wonderful setting. Let’s hope for the best.
