Cezayir Sokak or French Street is a descending staircase of pleasure. Live music plays in every restaurant and cafe, while the purple couch seating creates an ambiance that’s delightful.
Intro
Cezayir Sokak actually means Algerian Street and what makes this even more confusing is that there is a Franzis Sokak (Turkish translation of French Street) on the Aside side.
Visitors can easily see the French influence on this lovely narrow lane though with its beautifully restored terraced buildings, boutiques, galleries, and patisseries. At the wine houses, cafes and restaurants, French cuisine and wine are commonplace.
Map
A lot of the action on French Street is located on its staircase which starts at Hayrire Caddesi and leads downwards towards Bostanbassi Caddesi.
On our interactive map below, we’ve listed all the places to note. On top, we’ve also included map markers for the nearby: attractions, nightlife, restaurants, cafes, and accommodation.
French Street in Beyoglu is Algeria Street (Cezayir Sokak)
Address: Cezayir Sokak, Galatasaray, Beyoglu, Istanbul
Nightlife
The nightlife on French Street mainly consists of restaurant/bars with couch-type seating and live music playing throughout. These lively places stay open late and the party goes late into the night.
La Fee
La Fee is a hookah bar/pub that features outdoor seating on a terrace with a side garden and live Turkish music every night. The indoor seating has small bar-style tables, where you can have drinks like red wine, white wine or mojitos while a live band plays. The vibe and music style in La Fee is 70’s, 80’s and 90’s Turkish pop.
Beco’s Restaurant & Bar
Beco’s is a restaurant and bar, serving Turkish, French and International lunch and dinner cuisine. There’s live music such as timbre of the guitar, dancing outdoor seating on a terrace, with multi-level seating indoors. The ambiance is French-inspired, with flowers, vibrantly colored cushions, and somber lighting.
Chez Vouz
A wine bar serving Turkish breakfast, lunch and dinner cuisine. Here you will find a wide variety of Turkish and International wines. The atmosphere is a French-inspired vibrant style, with a relaxing and friendly ambiance. The inside seating is vibrantly decorated with cozy tables surrounded by colorful lighting while the terrace includes a long couch with plush velvet cushions.
Point Virgule
It’s hard to miss the purple couches outside Point Virgule and there’s more inside along with some plaid ones too. There’s some colorful art inside, as well as, live music playing that is a perfect fit for this street.
Cafes
Aside from the restaurant/bars there’s are few places to enjoy a non-alcoholic beverage such as The Breakfast Tea House and Cafe La Vie. There are also some smaller restaurants with more simple food like The Magic House and Beco’s.
Restaurants
The restaurant prices on French Street can be a little costly due to its popularity. You can, however, enjoy finer cuisine nearby at places like Cezayir and Avlu Ocakbasi in a similar price range.
For night dwellers, Tomtom Kebap is a favorite and taste just as good during the day.
Cezayir
Cezayir is a 3-floor restaurant that serves Mediterranean, Turkish and European locally inspired cuisine. It features a bar with high-vaulted ceilings, evergreen plants, and a fireplace used to heat the garden area during the winter. The menu is known for being locally inspired and has many vegetarian options.
Avlu Ocakbasi
Avlu is a new generation styled tavern, featuring indoor and outdoor seating with two gardens and a courtyard. The outdoor seating has a romantic ambiance, with a garden setting. They’re known for serving uniquely prepared appetizers and meals, such as herb roasting, pistachio kebab, and bacon hummus.
Tomtom Kebap
Tomtom is a family-owned kebab restaurant featuring Turkish style lunch and dinner cuisine, as well as carryout. The outdoor seating has a family-friendly environment, while the indoor area allows you to watch your food as it’s cooked over an open charcoal grill.
Nearby Cafes
The coffee & tea cafe’s on French Street don’t have the same artsy ambiance or drink selection, as those nearby. If you’re visiting during the day, it makes sense to walk around and see if there’s something else you like.
Muse Coffee & Botanical
A unique cafe, retail shop, and botanical shop rolled into one setting with a tranquil ambiance. Indoor seating features a large communal table, benches by the windows surrounded by books and magazines and live plants from the ceiling to the floor. Outdoor seating is provided on the downstairs balcony and doubles as a workspace.
Nearby Landmarks
A French architectural presence is noticeable all around with nearby landmarks being the French Palace, French Court, and the Former French Orphanage. Even the French Consulate is nearby on Isikital Avenue.