Fashionably late… I was surprised that I did not write about my favorite köfteci before. So I dig my photo archive for some matching photos it felt stupid, after all I took my every food obsessed friend there, or told about the place and send them there… Şemsa, Katie, Cem, even Allegra McEvedy while filming for Good Food channel, last week.
I am talking about Meşhur Filibe Köftecisi at Sirkeci. The small old building stands for over than 100 years, run by the fourth generation of owners – yet I have to say I never saw them there, so it is fair to say that this place is run by three beautiful gentlemen who works there. İbrahim and Mehmet Bey makes sure that everything is in order, helps Ziver Usta prepare meatballs and piyaz, where Ziver Usta is behind the grill for about 35 years now. They have both new and old customers, one repeat customer once told me that he has been eating there for more than 40 years when we shared a table… Amazing!
I love the ground floor and always sit at the table nearest to Ziver Usta, that is my spot. I love chatting with him. The köfte is like balls of heaven, juicy, tender and delicious. The place is warm, cosy, unpretentious… And please if you are going there the first time do not ask for pepper sauce or anything, they do not have it cause this köfte needs no masking!
Address: Ankara Caddesi, No: 112, Sirkeci. Closed on Sundays.