Benachin, fried tilapia fish, bissap, ginger beer, djembe drums, straw-woven bowls, displays of beaded bracelets and necklaces, and portraits of Black femininity are not what one would typically associate with Istanbul’s historic neighbourhoods.
This is especially true for the Beyoğlu district, known for its late 19th and early 20th-century Western-influenced and Art Nouveau architecture, charming antique stores, and outdoor cafes.
However, Kara Lounge restaurant is a place that stands out.
I first learned about Kara Lounge in 2021, a year after it opened, when I was invited there for a meeting of a Black women’s collective comprising African-American, West African, and African-Caribbean women.
This was three years after I moved to Istanbul, and I was excited to find that the culinary tastes of my native Sierra Leone and wider West African heritage were nearby, such as peanut butter stew, known as granat stew in Sierra Leone or maafe in Senegal.
Kara Lounge was founded by Khodia Mbaye, a 40-year-old Senegalese-French woman who moved to Istanbul eleven years ago.
Khodia recognised the unique opportunity to showcase African culture not only to Africans living in Turkey but to a broader international audience.
“The name ‘Kara’ was intentionally chosen,” Khodia tells The New Arab. “In Turkish, ‘kara’ means ‘black’, connecting the restaurant's identity to the neighbourhood it is located in, Karaköy, which literally means 'black village' or 'black district'. In this context, the word ‘black’ is not used negatively but rather as a proud identifier.”
Although opening a restaurant wasn't her initial vision, Khodia notes that she always wanted to create a space that brings people together.
“Africa is stereotyped as a place of poverty and despair,” Khodia explains. “However, those familiar with the continent understand that this is far from the truth. Africa is rich in culture, history, and diversity, with much more wealth than hardship in many areas. Kara Lounge aims to challenge these misconceptions and emphasise the beauty and vibrancy of African cultures through food and community.”
A space where Blackness is celebrated and loved
Kara Lounge is impossible to miss upon arrival, thanks to its striking pink logo that lights up in the evening, accompanied by an icon of a Black woman adorned in a stunning African headwrap.
Beautiful arrangements of pink flowers also cascade over the windows and exterior, leading to a porch where guests can enjoy their meals and drinks outdoors.
Opposite the restaurant, a wall displays printed images of well-known Black leaders, thinkers, and artisans, including Thomas Sankara and Angela Davis. This wall reflects Kara Lounge’s purpose: to showcase the diversity and beauty of Black cultures.
Ahead to the right, is a long-winding stairway that is reminiscent of so many like it in the city.
On both sides of the street, there are colourful boutique cafes and restaurants that remind you of the Fener or Balat neighbourhoods. These areas also have bright buildings and were home to Jewish and Greek Orthodox communities during the Ottoman Empire.
Inside, Kara Lounge has a soft, pastel-like touch, with light pink walls, mostly navy-blue cushioned seating, and various pieces of African art.
For me, the interior feels like home — a space where Blackness is celebrated and loved.
In terms of food, the restaurant serves delicious Senegalese delicacies and meals from other West African countries like Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone, as well as continental European dishes.
The last time I ate here was during Ramadan (1444 AH) in April, sharing my first iftar with a non-Muslim friend. I chose ateke and plantain, a dish from the Ivory Coast made with cassava rice, fried fish, and plantain, served with salad.
A popular dish on the menu is jollof rice, made with long-grain rice, tomatoes, chilis, onions, and spices. Another favourite is tiep, which consists of dried fish, cassava rice, assorted garden vegetables, and maafe.
A love for bissap
Personally, and I’m sure others would agree, Khodia is what I would call a ‘true sister’ of the African diaspora — a term that describes the collective of African-descended and/or Black communities in the Americas, Europe, and beyond.
One such gesture that is indicative of this is the availability of a red drink called bissap, made from hibiscus flowers, ginger, cloves, and citrus. It is also known as sobolo in Ghana, zobo in Nigeria, sorrel in the Caribbean, and Rosa de Jamaica in parts of Latin America.
Bissap is part of a tradition of red drinks that play a significant role in commemorating liberation in the US, especially during Juneteenth.
As author Adrian Miller suggests, hibiscus tea and kola nut tea were the underpinnings of what is known as red drink, as records show it was consumed on plantations during and after chattel slavery in the US.
Judith Carney, a professor at UCLA, also found that enslaved people taken from West Africa carried hibiscus seeds to the Caribbean, where the plant thrived. As displaced Africans adapted to unfamiliar settings, they altered their red drink recipes, drawing on local flora and traditions, adding spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, bay leaves, sugar, and occasionally spirits like rum.
Sense of belonging
In addition to being a space that celebrates the beauty and vibrancy of African cultures, the restaurant is also a hub for cultural exchange, community engagement, and empowerment for the Black diaspora in Istanbul, providing training and opportunities for Black women.
For example, Armida Bakyana, a 20-year-old international relations student in Istanbul with family roots in Burkina Faso, is interning at the restaurant as an events coordinator and is currently organising a quiz night to commemorate Black History Month this October, among other activities.
“Because I study politics and history, I want to promote and inform people about Black histories. At the same time, I want to educate those who may not know so much about our struggles and liberations” Armida explains. “Many know about Malcolm X and Nelson Mandela, but a lot do not know about who inspired them.”
For other Black women, Kara Lounge has also been a space for them to connect with their roots and find a sense of belonging in a city far from home.
For my part, I have connected with three of my subcultures here.
First, I purchased my first pair of Bhoylé earrings — gold-plated pieces that symbolise my Fulani background. Second, I enjoyed performances by djembe drummers and a female djeli (griot) from the Guinean Mandinka people, who share my heritage as descendants of the Mali Empire. Lastly, I have experienced moments of community with other Black women, whether through making jewellery together or engaging in dance sessions.
Raycene Nevils Karakeci, a writer, editor, translator, university lecturer, and community organiser from Detroit, but now living in Istanbul, also shared her story of connection: “I always thought of my Blackness as a uniquely American experience and didn’t see myself as part of the diaspora until I met the community here.
"As a community organiser serving expat women, I use my free time to bring people together, particularly Black women, because that was a missing part of my Istanbul experience, shaped by how people perceived me as a Black woman.
"Outside of Ethiopian food, I never had any other African food as an African-American. Yet the food profiles felt familiar. I kept coming back because these were foods that reminded me of home. I needed to see a community that moves, speaks, looks, and tastes like me. I love that we have this space at the centre of our community now.”
Mosaic of African heritage across Istanbul
Kara Lounge is one of many African food establishments that have been on the rise in Istanbul in recent years, consistent with the growing number of Black communities that have made their home in the city.
According to a report from Anadolu Agency, as of 2017, around 1.5 million Africans live in Turkey, with at least a quarter residing in Istanbul.
African communities have become more prominent in areas like Şişli, Başakşehir, and Aksaray in the Fatih district, also known as 'Little Africa.' Here, Zulu Restaurant and Cafe serves delicacies from West and Southern Africa.
Nearby, one can find numerous Somali internet cafes and restaurants, such as Fahiye Somali Cafe & Restaurant and Waaberi Restaurant.
Again, in the Beyoğlu district, near the famous Taksim area, the Habesha Restaurant offers delicious Ethiopian cuisine, with popular dishes like injera — a sour, fermented pancake-like flatbread served with various sauces and stews.
Outside of central Istanbul, the Nigerian community has introduced restaurants like Suya Bistro, known for its smoky, spiced beef skewers served with onions, tomatoes, and lime juice.
While the list goes on, this mosaic of African heritage in the city serves as a reminder that even in a place as ancient as Istanbul, new and exciting food stories are being created every day.
Adama Juldeh Munu is an award-winning journalist who's worked with TRT World, Al-Jazeera, the Huffington Post, Middle East Eye and Black Ballad. She writes about race, Black heritage and issues connecting Islam and the African diaspora
Follow her on X: @adamajmunu