Designed by one of the most important architects of the period Dr. Rebii Gorbon in the 1940’s after winning the competition by the Ministry of Economy and Istanbul Port Management, Karaköy Passenger Terminal hosted Liman Istanbul on its upper floor. With a view embodying all the elements that complement the character of the Bosphorus, it has become an important establishment of Karaköy and Istanbul which would be remembered throughout the history with its delicious menu, flawless service, elegant presentation, and the strong bond it built with its guests. 

In 1953, Liman Istanbul's management was transferred to Maritime Bank and Silvian Fontana, who had also worked as Atatürk’s chef, was appointed as the head chef of the restaurant. For the following 15 years, Fontana has developed and established a modern, westernized restaurant service for the first time in Turkey. Just as the port it resided in connected the city and the country with the rest of the world economically, Liman Istanbul succesfully introduced the Turkish cuisine and hospitality to the world with a Western sense of presentation and architecture. With starched, white linen tablecloths, silver cutlery and porcelain plates, it has created the standards of elegance of that time, and this standard has continued to stay true for generations. What is visualized when the Liman name comes up, is almost the same for everyone...

With the power of its location, as the economic center of its time, Liman Istanbul became the preferred destination for business lunches and important meetings. Business dinners were followed by joyful post-dinner conversations which lasted all night long and consequently, Liman gained an important place in the nightlife of that period as a frequent destination for so many artists and celebrities such as the famous painter İbrahim Çallı, and writer Yahya Kemal Beyatlı. In 2021, this historical heritage is revived at Galataport İstanbul as Liman İstanbul, under D.ream Group with an enormous attention to detail and a respectful approach to its roots. The Liman İstanbul menu combines the traditional Turkish cuisine with modern touches to create a unique gastronomic experience that marries the old with the new and carries one of the finest reflections of our historical culture to our day.