Elde Börek in Beşiktaş takes the standard fare of an esnaf lokantası to a whole new level – but sticks with the classic steam table. “We try to take traditional dishes and add a twist,” says owner Aybil Karamizrak, who cooks alongside her mom each day. Seasonal offerings include okra with sour cherries in summer or beets with mint in fall. The charming dining room with its wrap-around windows is a pleasant change from the usual fluorescents and sparse tables at other esnaf places.

Born as a dairy shop in 1935, this little diner in faraway Beykoz now lures Istanbullu from all over for its made-from-scratch fare. The haşlama, a salubrious meat, potato and carrot stew boasts lamb that melts in your mouth. The mercimek çorbası, a creamy lentil soup, is a fantastic version of the Turkish classic. We’re also big fans of the freshly cut fries. The four brothers who run this esnaf lokantası are known for their friendliness, and Kök Kardesler is the soul of the neighborhood.

Follow the workers to this serious little eating sanctuary on a Kumkapı side street. Like at all esnaf lokantası, they want their food fast, fresh, cheap, and like their moms’ recipes. The husband-and-wife team at Doyuran serve 4-5 daily specials, like homemade Turkish dumplings (mantı) and chickpeas over rice. Musaka (baked eggplant) is brightened by tomato and the ispanak yemeği (stewed spinach and rice) is wonderfully fresh. To try as many dishes as possible, ask for small portions, or “az.”

Meaning “wishbone” in Turkish, we wish we could eat at Lades in Beyoğlu every day. Most of the customers are regulars who know what the daily specials are. Savor succulent döner kebabs on Mondays and Thursdays. Tuesdays is arnavut ciğeri, lightly fried lamb’s liver ramped up with red peppers. Smothered okra, roast chicken, talaş kebabı (beef stew-stuffed puff pastry) and our favorite tandir kebab – fragrant, roast lamb – are available daily. Except Sunday, when this beloved lokanta is closed.

Taste food from the Black Sea without leaving Istanbul. The filling, down-home fare reminds us of the American South, but in Beyoğlu. Chickpeas in glowing red gravy, meaty stuffed chard leaves, even large hunks of cornbread. We love the kuru fasulye, creamy white beans cooked in a rich, buttery red sauce, and a smoky, rib-sticking kale, beans and hominy stew. On any given day, Chef Hızır Bey has more than a dozen items bubbling at the steam table. Proud of his shrine to the Black Sea.

This Beyoğlu spot puts the “home” back into home cooking, and it’s bursting at the seams at lunchtime. You’ll often share your table with strangers, and “mom” is a burly, mustachioed fellow in constant motion. His imam bayıldı is one of the best fried stuffed eggplants we’ve had. The fried “Albanian” liver with red pepper flakes smacks with Szechuan heat. And his superb sütlaç (rice pudding) is delicious, comforting, and – like everything else here – just like what a Turkish mom makes.

Named for Turkey’s entry into the Western Bloc, this crowded spot in Karaköy is a glutinous celebration. The wood-paneled dining room is usually filled to capacity with men in ties and tables overflowing with plates, spent hand wipes and crusts of bread. Order with your eyes at the steam table. We like the hamsili pilav – a baked, anchovy-topped rice cake – and hünkar beğendi, tender roasted lamb over a creamy eggplant purée. Like all good esnaf lokantası, they have a high-quality döner too.