Since 1991, Asitane has been compiling authentic recipes from a number of sources; the kitchen registers from Topkapi, Dolmabahce and Edirne Palaces, books and memoirs written by visiting overseas state officials, documents in Beyazit and Millet Libraries, and a book entitled "Bir Ziyafet Defteri" detailing the circumcision ceremony in November 1539 of Beyazid and Cihangir, the two sons of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent.
With the aid of old Ottoman dictionaries, Asitane has archived more than 200 original recipes, and serves them in its summer and winter menus. Each year Asitane offers special menus such as the "Ramadan Menu", "Dishes from Mehmet the Conqueror's Reign" during the week celebrating Istanbul's conquest, "Fish and Sea Food Week" in the autumn, "Food from Istanbul Kitchens", "Aphrodisiacs from the Palace Menu", and a "1950's New Years Menu". The Ottoman style brunch on Sundays is always popular also.
Asitane is very particular about the ingredients used in preparing these special dishes. In keeping with the original recipes, the restaurant obtains its bulgur and other cereals from Urfa, pistachios, dovme nisasta and oil from Gaziantep, lamb from Tekirdag, smoked Cerkez cheese from Adapazari, hunnap from Finike, Kanlica and oyster mushrooms from Bolu and Kastamonu, geese from Eskisehir Alpu, pomegranate and grape extract from Antakya, and specially produced olive oil from Ayvalik region.
Each dish on the menu comes with its original Ottoman name.