Afiah Antara (285) and Zakhro Elmurodova (285)

We know Central students absolutely love to gorge on food. After a tiring eight hours of an abundance of classworks, tests, and quizzes, many of us students flood into the corner pizza shop or head down to Chinatown for some needed ramen and boba. To inspire students to branch out on their after school palettes, we went to explore the unrecognized restaurants that could  appeal to the students of Central. 

For our first review, we received an anonymous recommendation to visit a lavish yet homely Turkish restaurant in Northeast Philly, Little Istanbul. From the perspective of a passerby, it may appear to be a bare neighborhood, but opening the door to the restaurant reveals a spacious and colorful yet clean and welcoming environment. For a broader range of opinion, we invited four Central sophomores (285): Nafissa Affah, Kayla Nasir, Aniya Flowers, and Gracie Smith. 

After settling ourselves into a corner table, we assessed the menu that consisted of various cultural Turkish meat wraps that cost about $9. For the larger dishes, the meat entrees ranged from $10 – $20. These costs may be a tad over the average student’s budget, but once seeing the amount of food served, we understood its set price. 

“What is your impression of Little Istanbul?”

Most of our guest eaters commented on the photographs of Istanbul hanging neatly upon the walls of the restaurant. Gracie described that “the lighting really [added] on to the comforting atmosphere.” 

The customer service was amazing; we were greeted warmly and the employees were honest with their recommendations and patient as we decided on what to try. When asked about the kunafeh, the cashier indicated that the cold kunafeh option was not worth our money and, for an alternative option, recommended the pistachio baklava.

We did not need to wait long before our food was quickly served on tidy trays. The aroma was flavorful and splendid. After our first bite into our wraps and entrees, there was a collective sigh of satisfaction. When asked about her lamb gyro entree, Aniya confirmed that she “ate [it] all and could not get enough.” Gracie, with the same dish, agreed that “[both] the food as well as the presentation was great” and that the meal was a “well-rounded meal.” Kayla, with the lamb gyro shawarma exclaimed, “scrumdilyumptious” to convey her satisfaction. Kayla enjoyed the sour yogurt sauce that came with the shawarma and claimed that the gyro tasted  much “juici[er] and fresh” in comparison to the gyro trucks in downtown Philly. Nafissa dined on the chicken gyro shawarma and described its texture as “lavash” and the bread as “crispy but also soft” all in one. We each ordered the “Turkish Teapot,” which left a bitter, yet refreshing sensation on our tongues. After our visit, it is clear the restaurant succeeds in its menu. 

“Would you ever come back, and bring others?”

Gracie and Aniya agreed that they would bring their moms, and Kayla said it is a great place to eat with friends because of the filling food and welcoming environment. Nafissa anticipates coming back and trying the rest of the menu. 

Verdict:  Little Istanbul is a great place to go with friends for an after school meal. With its outstanding service, ambiance, and most importantly, its food. It is an establishment we highly recommend!