From Lonely Planet Guide, Istanbul:"In Pera's heydey, there was no more glamorous spot to be seen than Patisserie Lebon...The place to enjoy gateaux and gossip, it was favoured by the city's European elite, who dressed to kill when they popped in for afternoon tea...
Part of the patiserie's attraction was its gorgeous art-nouveau interior. Four large tiled wall panels had been designed around the theme of the four seasons by Alexandre Vallaury, the architect of the Pera Palas Oteli, and were vreated in France. Unfortunately, only two (Autumn and Spring) survived the trip from France - they have adorned the walls ever since. With chandeliers, fragile china, gleaming wooden furniture and decorative tiled floor, the place was as stylish as its clientele.
In 1940 the Lebon was taken over by Avedis Cakır, who renamed it Patisserie Markiz. It continued to trade until the 1960s, when Pera's decline and a lack of customers led to its closure. The building was boarded up and left as it had been. In 1977 it was added to the country's register of historial buildings, following lobbying by local artists and writers.
In late 2003 the patisserie reopened, and the frontage onto
İstiklal Cad has been magnificently restored and is once again serving delicious gateaux and tea to İstanbul's elite" (and tourists like me!).
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