Pizza East

Excellent wood-​fired gourmet pizza. The lamb pizza was delicious. The spicy pizza was good, but the spice tended to overpower the meat (beef). Carafe of white wine, two pizzas, two appetizers and two beers came to TRY180. Three of us were sharing. One pizza is enough for a dinner for two. Still hungry? Dessert looked good, although we didn’t need it. Menu also has a range of non-​pizza entrees which looked enticing. If you’re outside, try to get a table at the front of the café rather than along the side. Much cosier and with more ambience.

I’m still processing what happened to me at Pizza East and have no idea if the place is to blame. Let me first start my review by stating that the pizza was above and beyond, extremely delicious and well worth the price tag. Artichoke on pizza was something I didn’t realize how much I missed. Very nice, very nice.
Now I ordered white wine, in a karafe. I didn’t see the bottle and probably drank 2 – 3 glasses. According to the menu, the brand I ordered was Sultaniye. It could have been bad wine, it could have been a bad combo, but I left Pizza East feeling insanely dizzy and sick. Shortly after, my mouth dried up. When I woke up the next morning, I was partially blind (since recovered). Needless to say, it was not a normal experience. Though I won’t be going back, I don’t think it’s an overall bad place. Just be careful when ordering drinks there and perhaps ask to see the bottle before you decide on one. Maybe avoid the white wine altogether. The two other ladies I was with had red and were totally fine.

WOW! This pizza is out of this world. Located in the lobby of the old W Hotel in Besiktas in Akaretler, the brick oven pizza rivals those that I’ve had back home in the U.S. The crust is substantial and the toppings are interesting. We had the lamb sausage and goat cheese. The balance of spicy and cool were a fun taste combo. We also had the small avocado salad — also great! The décor looks like an old italian osteria. The wait staff were relaxed and we felt taken care of. I want to try ALL of their pizzas here. For drinks they have a full bar, wine, and domestic and imported bottled beer.

We went to PIzza East on a brisk but lovley Tuesday Night. Not knowing much about their menu or location (had heard of their other lcoations) the night was up in the air. From the onset, their english speaking staff hosted what was to be one of the best pizza experiences I have had yet in Istanbul. Our waitress was pleasant and the food came quick.
We started with two appetiziers for the group of four, which was enough for light fare. We had the squash frutti which was awesome and calamari which was out of this world. Though both lightly fried, they went down easy. Then came the main course!
The pizza was amazing on the whole. The homemade and fresh crust was perfectly cooked, crsipy on the outside and soft on the inside. All four of our pizzas were great. The lamb sausage was refreshing and very filling, but not to heavy! The spicy suasage with asapargus (which is not easy to get here in Istanbul) had a kick but did not knock you off your seat. The prefect combo!
We ended our meal by all sharing the panna cotta. Light and refreshing with our tea and coffee. Overall it was a great meal with great company, I couldn’t think of a better way to bridge the middle of a hectic work week!

I would consider myself a bit of a pizza connoisseur, and this place didn’t disappoint. My gf is from Chicago so I obviously have some love for deep dish, but when the crust is as good as it was here, I’m happy to switch it up from time to time. The prices for drinks are overpriced (40 for a cocktail?) but what alcoholic beverage isn’t in this city? With the food on point i was very satisfied though. The lamb meatball pizza was hands down the best. Calamari appetizer was also very delicious!
In the end. Go here, spend the extra tl as it blows every other place out of the water in Istanbul. Yes, even Don P’s if you have seen my old reviews. Lol. (Only place that compares to here is Wolfgang Pucks joint, but thats a whole experience in itself) Enjoy and try your damnedest to finish the whole pie!

They serve an excellent craft pizza. I had one with lamb meatballs — delicious. I drizzled it with a bit of the chili oil they brought to the table which added a nice little punch. The barley roasted cauliflower salad was a perfect addition to the meal. I capped my meal off with the very good cherry cobbler topped with vanilla ice cream. I highly recommend giving Pizza East a try. It is an unexpectedly sophisticated pizza restaurant. The servers spoke great English.

I have been wanting to try Pizza East for a while and we finally went in yesterday afternoon. I love neopolitan pizza and the photos looked very promising.
It is in the trendy Akaretler neighborhood, so don’t be shocked that the menu is priced accordingly. We got lucky and happened to arrive in time for the lunch special (weekdays until 4pm), which is an excellent deal! For 30TL there is a «you pick two» menu — choosing from a small menu of personal pizzas, salads, and pastas. I got the mushroom pizza and a beet salad, and my husband got a margherita pizza with the avocado salad. The flavors were on point. The crust was delicious but more dense and chewy than I prefer. For dessert, we had a scoop of mascarpone gelato which is amaaazing.
I would rate this place an overall 3.5 stars. The service is mixed. One female waitress was very helpful and friendly but the male waiters are duds. The food is above average for Istanbul. Gelato is amazing. Drink prices are stupid high (9TL for a large bottled water, 14TL for lemonades/​iced teas, and cocktails at 40TL), as are the regular menu prices. Music is a little strange (classic soft pop) and too loud. Ambiance and décor is cozy modern.
I suggest going for the lunch special if you want to experience a decent price and trendy lunch spot in Besiktas. If you don’t mind being gouged and want to see and be seen, go for dinner.