Turkish Wine Bar Review: Foxy Nişantaşı
It’s monthly wine bar review time! This month’s wine bar: Foxy Nişantaşı.
Much like my last review about Beyoğlu Şaraphanesi, I have had a contentious relationship with Foxy…but specifically with the Karaköy branch. The bar’s own staff thwarted several attempts to drink there. I remember once I went in the early evening (right after a disastrous trip to Beyoğlu Şaraphanesi no less!), and staff turned away me and two friends. A small handful of people occupied two or three of their tables but they refused to seat anyone else because “the boss might be coming”.
Whaaaat?
I cannot say that I felt too upset about that because I’d gotten a good look at their wine list and was anything but impressed. Foxy claims (or at the time claimed) to be a “natural wine” bar. I think there was one bottle on the menu that could lay claim to that nebulous category.
Side note: I hate this whole “natural” wine thing. The next person who emails me with a “I’m coming to Turkey and am only interested in natural wine and where can I drink that” I will track down and punch in the face.
Wine Bar Foxy Nişantaşı
All that caveat aside…I had heard from several people that the Nişantaşı location had a different vibe. So, when a visiting Instagram acquaintance suggested meeting there, I was up to try it.
Night and day experiences.
Whether it was that the staff really are better; the company has more experience under its belt; or they weren’t hamstrung by having to sell off the wine that remained in the previous bar’s cellar (as I suspected was the case in Karaköy)…but it really was better.
Such a cute touch
To begin, yes the staff were so much nicer and more congenial. The wine list had ever so many more options. Sure some iffy choices made their way on the list (but you have to have a few that are general crowd pleasers) but otherwise the list was well-curated and did include a number of wines that fall into that “natural” category. I also enjoyed several glasses of a wine I’ve been dying to try but haven’t been able to find anywhere (Shiluh’s Mazrona).
To top it off, the food was great! Like, really great. Mostly small plates but generously sized small plates.
Where to find Foxy Nişantaşı
Reservations recommended for evenings (particularly if you want to sit outside).
Harbiye, Mim Kemal Öke Cd. No:1 D, 34365 Şişli/İstanbul
+90 531 484 38 91
Open noon to 1am Monday – Saturday and noon to midnight Sunday