A Safranbolu Night at Hacı Abdullah Restaurant, a 138-Year-Old Heritage Site of Türkiye.

Hacı Abdullah Restaurant, one of Istanbul's oldest gastronomic landmarks, continues to preserve the cultural heritage it carries with its 138-year history dating back to 1887, showcasing flavors from various cities in Anatolia. Considered a living representative of the culinary culture spanning from the Ottoman era to the Republic, Hacı Abdullah brought together the cuisine of Safranbolu with the gastronomic world at a special event.

One of the important representatives of Turkish cuisine Haci Abdullah RestaurantIt attracts attention with its two important gastronomic events held every month. In the first of these events, traditional flavors that are on the verge of being forgotten are prepared and presented to chefs, gourmets, and members of the press. In the second event, local dishes from different regions of Anatolia are prepared and served to a limited number of guests, contributing to the promotion of these cultural values ​​not only in their own regions but also on a national scale.

The event, hosted by Hacı Abdullah Restaurant – which since 1887 has positioned itself not only as a place serving food but also as a memory point documenting, preserving, and reinterpreting Turkish culinary culture – brought together prominent figures from the business, gastronomy, culture, and local government worlds at the same table.

The private event was attended by Düzce Mayor and former Minister Faruk Özlü, Istanbul Provincial Trade Director İsmail Menteşe, Karabük businessman Cemal Gökçöl, Bolu Hanzade Restaurant owner Mustafa Ak, Istanbul Karabük Association President Sabriye Duysak, Chef Recep İncecik, Kabuk Koop President Melahat Bayram, TGRT food writer Talip Bayram, Tuncay and Esra Tapan from Favori Lezzetler, Safranbolu Coffee Museum founder Semih Yıldırım, “World Flavors” program presenter Yağmur Zeynep Toprak, and Hacı Abdullah partners Fahri Akcan and brand manager Mesut Solak.

During the evening, traditional recipes from Safranbolu cuisine were prepared, remaining true to their original forms without deviating from modern gastronomic approaches. The selection, ranging from Göçe soup to Peruhi, from meat-based keşkek to zerde, drew attention to Anatolia's slowly disappearing culinary memory.

Turgut Gülen, Partner and General Manager of Hacı Abdullah RestaurantIn his assessment during the evening, he emphasized that Turkish cuisine is nourished not only by recipes but also by the continuity of cultural transmission, and said the following: “We are not just an old restaurant; we are now a repository of Turkish culinary history. We are a valuable institution that has survived to this day through the Ahi tradition. This places a serious responsibility on us. Every month, we undertake different projects to develop and promote Turkish cuisine. Tonight, we tasted and evaluated Safranbolu dishes with a limited number of guests. Furthermore, we will soon begin work on a book chronicling our 138-year history. We will continue to work with the responsibility of fulfilling our historical duty to elevate Turkish cuisine, which we believe to be one of the most important cuisines in the world, to its rightful place.”

Brand Manager of Hacı Abdullah Restaurant Mesut Solak They particularly emphasized the importance of younger generations reconnecting with traditional cuisine. “This is a heritage site. We are working to keep this heritage alive and introduce it not only to those who already know about it, but especially to the younger generation. The tasting nights we organize are of great importance in this respect. We want to explain and let people who have never been to Hacı Abdullah before, or who say, 'I don't prefer eating home-cooked meals outside,' taste our culture.” 

With its 138-year history, Hacı Abdullah Restaurant continues to be a living memory of traditional Turkish cuisine, and through the events it organizes, it continues to keep the gastronomic culture alive and pass it on to new generations.