• 5
• Half way to heaven

If you're fit. young and healthy, slog it up the steepest hill in Istanbul, and half-way up, on the left, you'll find Oya's Community Kitchen. There'll be a cat or two outside, so you can't miss it. Oya is very kind and forgiving; I was knackered by the time I got there, but she didn't turn a hair. Even though the gradient tested my heart medicine to the limit, it was worth it. A delicious vegan version of a Turkish dona, with hibiscus tea to cool me down; delicious pizza, and carrot cake and banana-sweetened cookies to take away- what more could you want? Oya even made up some sunflower milk for me to try. Istanbul's street food appears to be mainly vegan, with corn on the cob, pretzels and chestnuts available at every public square, but if you want to treat yourself, AND be treated well, get down to the Community Kitchen- and I do mean down; go up to Taksim Square, and then go DOWN the hill and save yourself a coronary!