Wine Bar Review: Solera
I started my wine bar reviews with the most recent wine bar I’d visited, Carafe Istanbul. Now, we go back to the beginning with Istanbul’s best and, in my opinion, only true wine bar. Solera.
Tucked into a narrow storefront on Yeni Çarşı, Solera’s small sign and deeply recessed space is are easy to miss if you’re not looking for them. This wine bar offers an intimate and cozy setting with squat tables, cushy low stools, and a retro playlist. The food menu is limited but eclectic, offering Turkish mezes, pizza, pasta and steak. But you didn’t come here for a meal, you came to drink your way through their extensive wine list, through which the friendly, wine-loving staff are happy to guide you.
Owner Süleyman Er approaches wine differently than many restaurant owners. For him, wine isn’t a business, it’s his life. Süleyman doesn’t just own Solera, he also has his own vineyards in Tekirdağ. Twenty years ago while working in the restaurant business he fell in love with wine. After studying to become a sommelier he traveled extensively learning about wine around the world. In 2011, he founded Solera, and in 2013, planted his vineyards. His grapes have appeared in wines from Gürbüz Winery and, most recently, Arda.
Like its owner, Solera also wears multiple hats. More than just a wine bar, it is also a shop where you can buy any of the wines in stock for a 20 percent discount. Here you’ll find wines not often seen elsewhere in the city, and that is Süleyman’s goal. He chooses wines with an eye to small, boutique wineries, and his selection represents both unique grapes and the varied terroirs from across Turkey.
With some 50 wines available by the glass from more than 15 producers, there’s something for every taste at Solera. Perhaps I’m a touched biased as Solera is my “local.” I have lived on the same street as the bar for probably five of my eight-plus years in Istanbul. It’s my favorite place to grab a steak; my hangout with certain friends; and my home away when I get tired of my apartment.
But really. Solera is awesome.
Solera
Yeni Çarşı Cad. No. 44, Galatasaray, Beyoğlu
Telephone: +90 212 252 27 19
Hours: 12:00 – 02:00