Where to eat out from Ilica?

[Ilica Park]

The List So Far
Kelebek Restaurant - return transport - 0242 753 2155 Kelebek Restaurant Side
In the Kemer area of Side opposite BIM
Conny's Restairant - may provide transport - 0242 753 1392 CONNY'S Restaurant - Bar Side
In the Kemer area of Side away from the main street.
CIHAN (pronounced Chihan) return transport - 0242 763 88 18/19
On the coast road in Colakli open 24 hours Turkish food at very good prices.
BISTRO 2000 – 0242 756 00 91 Bistro 2000 Kumkoy
On the main road in Kumkoy Slightly more expensive than some but worth it. One way transport but may offer return off season as they need the business!
UMUT - 0242 753 4549 Umut Restaurant Side
In Side on the main Kumkoy to Side road near the China Court. Good Turkish food, good prices and will pick up
and drop off. Very popular with Four Seasons Residents.
ROBINSON BEACH BAR AND RESTAURANT - Gino 0539 441 0631
Regular and personal service beach bar in Kumkoy/Side with Free loungers. Serve breakfast, bar snacks ,light lunches and full evening meals, D.J and party nights, Sky Sports on giant flat screen TV




I have stayed in Side several times and have eaten in many good restaurants (also a couple of stinkers!!!).

We have an apartment in Ilica and wonder if anyone can recommend a restaurant that has good quality food and will provide transport to/from Ilica?

To kick things off I would suggest Kelebek (in Kemer - Side) who had great food at reasonable prices when were there at easter and they said they will uplift and drop off from Ilica. We had visited this restaurant in the past and were not that impressed but it is under new management and is now very good indeed.

Any other suggestions? :46:

 

[Leo]

Hi there, We have a place at the Four Seasons. We visit about half a dozen times a year, so have tried lots & lots of places. I like your thinking.... There are several of us who have places in the area, so we should be able to pull together a good list between us.

One of the best places I have been to is Conny's, in Side (not in the centre). The food and service is excellent - they cook many of the meals in front of you at the table. Not exactly the cheapest - but nowhere near the prices you pay in the harbour area. We often keep this one for special ocassions.

If you book in advance they will usually agree to transport you at least one way, and if you have more than a couple of you visiting they will often do both.

I am over again week after next (going to the F1 in Istanbul first), so will get and add their phone No.

Cheers

Leo.

 

[Els]

Oh good old Conny's! It is run by a Dutch couple, who used to have a restaurant and bar in Kumköy and now run this small hotel on the East side of Side. The food is very good but not very Turkish (more French based with lots of sauces), which can sometimes make a nice change from the same old Turkish restaurant food. Not cheap though!! They have theme evenings on Tuesdays and Thursdays and will collect and bring you back on those evenings. Other evenings they will bring you back home for free within a radius of 10km. Phone number is 0242 753 1392. They also have a website.

 

[Ilica Park]

Hi Leo and Els

Thanks for the suggestions I have tried Conny's and it was really good food - I did not know thay they provided transport so that will be another for the list.

I will try to keep the first post updated when (hopefully) the list of places grows !!!!

Thanks

 

[Leo]

Here goes with a few more .....

CIHAN (pronounced Chihan) – 0242 763 88 18/19
Situated on the coast road in Colakli this restaurant is open 24 hours a day and serves wonderful Turkish food at very good prices. It has a sister restaurant in Side which is equally popular both with tourists and locals. In the winter it has a log fire which is very warm and invited. Will pick up and drop off.

BISTRO 2000 – 0242 756 00 91
Situated on the main road in Kumkoy it's a lovely restaurant with excellent food and good service with occasional entertainment especially in high season. Slightly more expensive than some but worth it. Although their leaflet offers one way transfers to the restaurant, if you speak to them (especially out of season) they will often pick-up & return as they need the business!

UMUT - 0242 753 4549
Situated in Side on the main Kumkoy to Side road near the China Court Restaurant - this is a typically Turkish restaurant. Good food, good prices and will pick up and drop off. Very popular with Four Seasons Residents.

CHINA COURT – 0242 753 6386
If you fancy something different this is an excellent Chinese restaurant. It is not cheap but ideal for a special night out.

ROBINSON BEACH BAR AND RESTAURANT - Gino 0539 441 0631
Regular and personal service to the best beach bar in Kumkoy/Side (Gino’s words)
Free sun loungers
Breakfast,bar snacks ,light lunches and full evening meals served
D.J and party nights .
Sky Sports on giant flat screen TV

BROTHERS
Located along the Kumkoy/Side coast road – but nearer the Side end – just past Oxyd.
Owned and run by 3 Kurdish brothers, who each speak excellent English, with a bit of an odd cockney accent, but they swear they have never been to the UK. Several evenings a week they have a short show (fire eaters and the like) on one of the weekend nights they have an open-air foam party and after dinner each evening they get everyone up dancing (more 70’s 80’s & 90’s than modern techno etc). They usually offer pickup/drop off

Cheers

Leo.

 

[Els]

Ilica Park,
Just double checking, it is only restaurants which do pick-ups/drop-offs you want on this list isn't it? I have another couple of really good ones, but am not sure about transport.

 

[Ilica Park]

Hi Els

I was really looking for ones with transport both ways but it would be good to have a list of other recommended restaurants as many people will have a car hire and not know where to try.

After we have a decent list I think I might add a poll to let people vote on the restaurants they have tried.

 

[Els]

OK, we will be there in the next few weeks, so will do the rounds and give you the details after that, as I don't have all the names and numbers here. I will ask about transport as well.

 

[Ilica Park]

Thanks Els that will be useful.

Leo thanks for the list - I am looking forward to trying some different places when we are next over.

Out of the restaurants listed so far, we have tried :-

Kelebek - Very Good

Conny's - Very Good

Brothers - Dreadful
The food was poor quality and cold. The service was extremely poor and I could not recommend this to anyone. Maybe we were unlucky but apart from the Virus Cafe, this was the worst restaurant we have been to in Side.

As mentioned we have visited several times and have eaten in many restaurants (mostly in the Kemer area). Nearly all have been of a very high standard offering good quality food at reasonable prices. Others we have visted that I don't think offer transport (along with my opinions) are :-

Corner Bar - Good but not my cup of tea
Alla Turka - Very Good - Our favourite
Ugur - Very good
Koreli - Very good
Alim - Now closed but this was very good - I am sure there is a story to tell.
Mehmets - I am not sure if this is the same palce as the one that used to be in the ruins but if it is - itr is not as good as it used to be.
Britannia - Visited with my parents who wanted fish and chips - say no more.
Various cafe type places all good apart from Virus Cafe.

 

[Els]

I have two all time favourites which I will share with you, although they are not suitabable for evening as they are tucked away in the most gorgeous locations you have every seen! You can eat here when you want to combine going for a drive through some stunning countryside with a nice meal.

1. Handost Restaurant, owner Ibrahim (driving time from Ilica about 90mins. there, 2 hours back)(high season open every day, June.September,October weekends only).Take the main road in the direction of Alanya. 20 kms after Manavgat turn left on the road to Akseki. Keep on this road until a few kms before Akseki you see a turn off to the left indicated Ibradi. Continue along this road for about 10 kms until you see a sign on the right hand side of the road for Handost restaurant just before crossing the river. Just a few tables virtually in the river, fresh trout from the river, this is our favourite spot in Turkey!
To get back continue along the same road to Ibradi (buy some ice cream in the lovely corner shop, very friendly people!) and then follow the signs back to Manavgat. Sometimes a bit difficult to find, but who cares and the views are stunning!

2. Cennet Vadisi Restaurant near the Manavgat dam (driving time from Ilica 45 mins, 1 hour to get back). Family run place with cushioned platforms on which you can lounge by the lake. They do get safari groups, so try not to get there at lunchtime if you like to have the place to yourself.
Drive to Manavgat and follow the road past the waterfalls. Keep following the road until you get to the entrance to the dam area. You have to pay a small entrance fee. Cross the bridge and turn right (to see the dam itself turn left) . Follow this road and signs to Cennet Vadisi. Going back, continue along the same road, bearing right so that you drive round the lake and end up on the east side of Manavgat.

Both restaurants are indicated on Google Maps.

 

[Els]

Couple more good restaurants that provide transport to and from Ilica:

Sultan Sofrasi in Manavgat. First left immediately after the bridge (by car you have to drive to the end and turn back or come into town from the other direction in which case it is the last right before the bridge). Continue for about 100m, turn left at small park and you will see the restaurant in front of you. Walk through the restaurant to the terrace on the river. No tourists, good food, lovely cool setting under the trees with a breeze from the river, spotless toilets and best of all our favourite waiter Halim, who speaks excellent English and is into British politics. He always calls my husband Jack Straw, now how many Turkish waiters would know who that is!
Tel: 0242 746 2444 or mobile: 0544 449 2828.

Kösem Restaurant in Kemer, Side, in the side street opposite Kelebek.
Nice food, very cheap (a beer is still only 2.50 TL). Away from the traffic noise of the main road, very nice with grapevines, fountain etc. Osman Genc tel.: 0535 513 9073.

 

[Manda]

The Kosem is excellent. We often drink there & have had meals too. They do Ostrich meat which I haven't tried yet. Very nice family atmosphere.

Koreli also has Efes at 2.5tl now. They have a turkish night on a Friday which is buffet style & costs 15tl. It's very good value for money. Soup, mezzes, main course & dessert. I know they do transport but don't have their number, will try to get it. It's packed on a Friday & best to reserve a table. I live just behind it so it's one of my locals.

Ali from Alim now works at the Kelebek with Semi. I had my birthday party there & they did a great night for me.