15 Best Shopping in Beyoğlu, Istanbul

Everything in this homey store near Taksim Square—handbags, necklaces, key chains, baby booties, sachets, cards, natural soaps, bath sets, coasters, ornaments, and more—is handcrafted by women from across Turkey. The NGO that runs the shop, which also has a selection of vintage clothing for sale in the back, helps women in underdeveloped communities find a sustainable source of income through their handiwork. Profits support centers for women and children around the country.

One of Istanbul's most highly regarded antiques stores is filled with a fascinating collection of metalwork, original İznik and Kütahya ceramics, old maps and prints, calligraphy and miniatures, textiles, vintage jewelry, artwork, and assorted other treasures.

Globe-trotting pair Zeynep and Emre Rende have devoted their design and photography talents to creating home accessories, gifts, furniture, and images “inspired by the world, created in Istanbul.” West African fabrics adorn lamps, pillows are made by local Turkish craftspeople, and Emre’s global portraits feature in framed prints and on iPhone cases.

Styled more like a grand private mansion than a store, Alaturca has four floors that house a carefully selected—and very high-end—collection of antiques, including artwork, ceramics, metalwork, and Ottoman calligraphy. Just a small fraction of proprietor Erkal Aksoy's extensive collection of antique carpets and kilims is on display here.

Artrium has a range of antique items, including a fascinating collection of old prints and paintings, as well as some interesting ceramics, jewelry, and other handicrafts and gift items.

Ali Muhiddin Hacı Bekir founded his sweets business back in 1777 and is considered the inventor of Turkish delight. Today, the Hacı Bekir stores run by his descendants are still among the best places to buy the delicacy, which comes in a variety of different types—including such uncommon flavors as pomegranate with pistachios—and is sold fresh by the kilo or prepackaged. The original location is in Eminönü, on a backstreet just east of the Yeni Cami, and there is also a branch on İstiklal Caddesi.

One of Istanbul's best bookstores carries an impeccable selection of English-language books, especially ones dealing with the politics and history of Turkey and the Middle East.

Turkey's homegrown jeans company, Mavi (which means "blue" in Turkish), has come a long way since its founding in 1991, with stores now in dozens of countries. The flagship Istanbul store near the top of İstiklal Caddesi (there are two other, smaller, branches farther down the avenue) carries the brand's signature jeans and casual wear, as well as a collection of hip Istanbul-themed T-shirts created by different guest designers.

On a side street off İstiklal Caddesi, Mor displays the work of a brother-and-sister team who incorporate antique and ethnic elements into their bold, modern jewelry designs. The chunky pieces, mostly made using bronze and stones, are affordably priced.

This is more of an atelier and private showroom than a conventional store, but it's worth stopping in to check out designer Özlem Tuna's delightful collections of jewelry and delicate ceramic and metal tableware that put a contemporary twist on traditional Turkish designs and motifs.

One of Turkey's premier booksellers for more than two decades has an upstairs floor dedicated to English-language works and carries an impressive selection of books in all genres, with a particular emphasis on nonfiction. A second branch in Nişantaşı ( Vali Konağı Cad. 5) also carries a good selection of English-language books, along with nice stationery and small gifts.

This Beyoğlu institution, now associated with the local arts institution SALT, stocks a well-chosen selection that includes fiction and nonfiction in English, with a focus on the arts, architecture, and urban culture. Specialty magazines and journals are also available.

This well-established dealer stocks an eclectic collection of antique metal objects, tablewares, lamps, paintings, clocks, jewelry, and other interesting finds.