Cooking kokoreç.

There’s a place in the Kadıköy Çarşısı that’s always open late. Whether you’d like to pair it with a beer or stop by after you’ve hit the bars, it’s the perfect food pairing for a night of drinking.

Mercan’s specialities: kokoreç, midye tava and midye dolma – Istanbul’s go-to late night eats.

Adding pickled spicy peppers to a kokoreç sandwich is optional for extra spice.

Kokoreç, lamb intestine sandwich
Cooked on a skewer and grilled horizontally, lamb intestines are then chopped finely and mixed with tomatoes and spices like oregano, salt, cumin, chili flakes and more depending on how spicy you want it.

Midye Tava, Fried mussels
Deep fried mussels served on a stick with tartar sauce.

Midye Dolma, Stuffed mussels with rice

Cooked mussels filled with spicy rice with hints of cinnamon and pepper, and served with lemon. Always served in their shell, so you can use one shell to scoop the other into your mouth.

Mercan Kokoreç
Caferağa Mahallesi, Yasa Caddesi, No 15, Kadıköy/İstanbul