Istanbul Cafe is planned for The Shoppes at Buckland Hills.
Istanbul Cafe is planned for 194 Buckland Hills Drive in Manchester, near Hungry Pot Korean BBQ & Hot Pot, in a space that previously held Bertucci's and Toro Azteca.
A Sign at the Mall
Patch reported a sign for Istanbul Cafe at the mall.
The Connecticut Scoop described Istanbul Cafe as coming to the mall.
A Mediterranean Restaurant
Istanbul Cafe was planned as a Mediterranean restaurant.
Kitchen employees arrive around 8:30 a.m. to prepare food, and the restaurant opens at 11:30 a.m., Armstrong said. CT Insider did not publish a closing time.
There is no reservation system. Armstrong said the dining room can take walk-ins. She also said the restaurant plans to introduce catering within the next month or so, and that the dining space could accommodate bigger events later.
Fine Dining, With a Walk-In Door
Armstrong moved from New York City to Connecticut specifically to help run Istanbul Cafe. The restaurant aims to combine an upscale dining experience with a welcoming neighborhood atmosphere.
"It's gonna feel like fine dining, but it's also gonna be casual," Armstrong said.
Holiday traffic is already on the calendar. Istanbul Cafe plans to open as early as the mall on Black Friday to accommodate holiday shoppers. In 2026, that Friday falls on Nov. 27.
A Fuller Food Court
La Street Kitchen, a Latin American restaurant, has opened in the food court.
A much larger project is still on paper. Ali Dream Land and Apex Adventure Park are planned for The Shoppes at Buckland Hills, sharing an approximately 80,000-square-foot, two-story space formerly occupied by Bob's Stores and Dick's Sporting Goods. Plans for that development include bumper cars, go-karts, slides, trampolines, obstacle courses, and an arcade.
For now, the confirmed change on the first floor is a stone-oven kitchen that starts prep before 9 a.m. and takes walk-ins from 11:30, with catering still a plan rather than a posted service.
