The Story of Koço:
From 1928 to the Present Day

Our story

Koço Restaurant was founded in 1928 by Konstantinos Koço Korostos, a Greek from Imbros, under the name ‘Moda Park Restaurant’. In this unique location at the tip of the Moda seafront, overlooking the Sea of Marmara, a century-old tradition continues uninterrupted.

What makes Koço special is not just its history, but its living culture. Our core team, serving with the same dedication for years, continues to keep the meyhane tradition alive in every detail. Young people who once started as waiters have now become the very embodiment of the spirit of this kitchen and dining room. This loyalty and passion is reflected at every table.

One of Koço’s most unique features is the Orthodox spring dedicated to Saint Catherine, located beneath the restaurant. This sacred water source, a living testament to Istanbul’s multicultural heritage, is open for our guests to visit.

The giants of Turkish literature who made Kadıköy their home — Haldun Taner, Cemal Süreya, Fazıl Hüsnü Dağlarca and Arif Damar — used to gather at these tables. This literary and cultural legacy lives on today.

Our guests continue to visit Koço from generation to generation. Moments when a grandmother, mother and grandchild raise their glasses at the same table, sharing a tavern meal together across three generations — this is Koço’s greatest source of pride.

Offering fresh fish, a rich variety of meze and the traditional raki-and-fish culture, all set against the backdrop of the Marmara Sea, the Princes’ Islands and Fenerbahçe Point, Koço is the time-honoured destination for those seeking a meyhane in Kadıköy.