"Sunnyvale's Meyhouse Restaurant captures this melting-pot heritage by recreating the traditional "meyhane" or wine house taverns, offering an authentic taste of Turkey's cultural crossroads. "The first meyhane opened during the Byzantines," co-owner Koray Altinsoy told San José Spotlight. "People go there to eat and drink and have very deep conversations together with music. We are trying to mirror this here, in the heart of Silicon Valley.""
"Altinsoy and his partner, Omer Artun, were both successful in the tech world and began cooking as a hobby, intent on recreating recipes they learned from their mothers and grandmothers. Together, they started doing pop-up events every other month, starting in 2017, with tickets selling out in a matter of hours. "Food is kind of a religion for us," Altinsoy said. "That's the reason why we wanted to serve 100% authentic Turkish food. People enjoyed it and started pushing us to open a restaurant.""
Turkish cuisine blends influences from the Silk Road, Sephardic Jews, Muslims, Greeks and Slavs into a rich culinary tapestry. Meyhouse Restaurant in Sunnyvale recreates traditional meyhane wine-house taverns to provide an authentic communal dining and music experience. Co-owners Koray Altinsoy and Omer Artun transitioned from tech careers to hosting pop-up events in 2017 before opening a 50-seat restaurant in 2019 and expanding in 2023 with a Palo Alto location. The owners prepare many items entirely in-house, including pastrami, sausages, yogurts, sauces, breads and baklava, emphasizing authenticity and immediate customer feedback.
Read at San Jose Spotlight
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