St. Pete has a new hotspot for authentic Turkish eats. After more than two years in the works, Bosphorous Turkish Cuisine is now officially open at 1246 Central Avenue in The EDGE District. The restaurant is currently in a soft opening phase, open for dinner only ahead of a full grand opening in the coming weeks.
The massive restaurant space is completely unrecognizable for those who visited the building in its past life as a furniture store. The Bosphorous team transformed the space into a sprawling, Turkish-inspired dining room and bar spanning more than 5,000 square feet. While the digs are upscale, the menu is affordable, staying true to the restaurant’s promise of authentic and scratch-made eats.
Fresh kunefe is always on the menu
Fans of Turkish fare will find all their favorites, while those new to the cuisine will easily find dishes they love. Offerings range from standards such as stuffed cabbage, hummus, falafel, doner and kebabs to Turkish pizza, whole branzino, fried veal liver, lamb shanks and more. One of their most popular dishes is the Beyti Kebap: chargrilled lamb mixed with spices and hot peppers, wrapped in a thin pita, and topped with tomato and garlic yogurt sauces.
Bosphorous got its start in Orlando nearly 20 years ago, and St. Pete marks the family-run company’s sixth location after opening a Tampa restaurant last year. Much of Bosphorous’s popularity comes just not just from the food and drink, but from how true to the Turkish experience each visit is. The recipes aren’t the only thing that comes from across the world. Even the lights, glassware and plates are imported from Turkey.
Enjoy delicious Turkish desserts at Bosphorous
The St. Pete location even features a first for the restaurant group, with imitation pillars inspired by the ancient Basilica Cistern in Turkey. Due to the size and history of the building, several massive support beams spread throughout the bottom floor could not be moved or altered. Instead, the Bosphorous team built around them, inspired by one of their favorite places to visit on their regular trips to Turkey.
“We do a lot of things to bring the culture here, because we don’t want it to just be a food experience,” owners told I Love the Burg. “We want it to be immersive … We want you to have a unique experience along with great scratch-made food.”
Indeed, even the bar program will make you feel like you just stepped off a Turkish Airlines flight. Many of the cocktails are inspired by Turkish drinks, along with Turkish beers and wines.
Bosphorous Turkish Cuisine has limited reservations available during dinner hours for its soft opening phase, with plans for a full grand opening in mid-March. Follow them on Instagram to see the latest.