We came across this little Italian cafe tucked around the corner from a the Divan Oteli and the Hyatt Regency hotels as we walked uphill from Dolmabahce Sarayi to the Military Museum in Harbiye. We were starving, and while we would not normally seek out Italian food in Istanbul given Turkey's wonderful cuisine, we were starving and decided to give this place a try.
We arrived around 2:30 p.m., so the place was empty and we enjoyed the full friendly attention of the staff. We were served delicious olive bread to start, and ordered spaghetti with a light tomato basil sauce, risotti con funghi, and a large salad loaded with tomatoes, olives and chick peas, which were all excellent. The menu also included such Northern Italian standards as pizza quatro stagione, carpaccio, eggplant parmagiano, roasted chicken with olive oil and rosemary, and turkey with polenta.
We ate outside on the restaurant's charming little patio. The interior was also charming and rustic. Trattoria Italiana is reasonably priced and is a good bet if you are looking for a little diversion from traditional Turkish fare. Plus, it is not far from Taksim Square and the large hotels (Hilton, Hyatt, Divan, and Marmara) that are in the general vicinity.