Theodora Pub

If you walk in from the street, Theodora Pub simply looks like an English-style pub with its sleek private booths and tidy bar stools and shelves filled with polished bottles of imported beers and spirits. But there's much more to Theodora than meets the eye. The bar is nicely laid out in green leather and dark wood with lots of space to relax in and have a beer with friends. There's none of that cramped tables and chairs rubbing-backs-with-strangers game going on in here!

A tiny café in the front corner serves snacks, cakes and pastries with tea and coffee during the day. Moving through the bar, you'll find a cosy little semi-secluded restaurant at the back, which is due to open by the time we go to press. Down the stairs, past the impressive knightless shining armour, a spacious dance hall downstairs offers patrons Latin dance lessons with the gregarious and lithe Erman Ezgin, who will literally sweep you off your feet with his smooth steps and strong arms, on Wednesday evenings. Live music and performances are due to be scheduled in the near future. Theodora's is destined to become a popular nightspot to keep your eyes open for. Back upstairs, all the way to the top, there are two terrace bars. One quiet little balcony-type bar at the entrance of the St. Sophia Hotel overlooking Alemdar Caddesi and Sultanahmet Square and the other one at the side of the hotel. It's this stone-lined terrace nestled next to the old city wall that the IB staff were wined, dined and twirled until the wee hours one Friday night in September. Trim and starched waiters were eagerly anticipating our orders and the food was superb! The Chicken with Bacon was a hit with our pork fans, the Chinese Beef was applauded, the Mexican Chicken was delicious and the Penne Arrabbiata was simply to die for!

Menu prices are very reasonable; a sumptuous, filling dinner for two without drinks will set you back around $30-35. Beer during happy hour (3pm-7pm) costs 1,250,000TL and is 1,750,000TL at other hours. A glass of wine costs 2,000,000TL. If you haven't been to Sultanahmet for a while, now you have a good excuse!