Your Guide to the Best Breakfast in Istanbul: Experience the Joys of Turkish Breakfast

Turkish breakfast might just be the most underrated meal on the planet. Bri Mitchell draws on insight gained from over three years living in Istanbul to walk you through the best Turkish breakfasts in Istanbul!

No visit to Istanbul is complete without a proper sample of Turkish breakfast.

If you know anything about Turkish cuisine, it’s no secret that Turkish breakfast is one of the best breakfasts in the world. To people who love breakfast foods more than anything else, like me, it’s exciting to think about breaking into the Turkish breakfast scene.

Istanbul is home to countless restaurants to experience a good Turkish breakfast. Whether you’re planning to visit a breakfast spot on a guided tour of Istanbul or find one on your own, a good travel tip about Istanbul is knowing that some spots are more memorable and delectable than others in this city. Your hotel in the city like my favourite luxury property in Istanbul may even offer a complimentary breakfast, which might be delicious in its own right.

Regardless of the accommodation or locale you stay in during a trip to Istanbul, I definitely recommend going out to a memorable breakfast at least once. While it’s hard to narrow it down to just one of the best places to head to, this short list consists of the best breakfast in Istanbul, from someone who lived there for three years.

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A Little Background on Turkish Breakfast

Turkish breakfast, or “kahvaltı” (kah-VAHL'-tuh), is a weekly ritual in Turkey (and daily, for some!). Whether it’s being enjoyed at home with family, or out at a restaurant or on a patio overlooking the Bosphorus with friends, it is an experience in itself.

Like so many delicious food experiences are in Turkey, it involves getting together with your nearest and dearest, and savouring an assortment of small dishes, without a care or rush in the world.

Turkish breakfast is meant to be enjoyed slowly, over conversation. While some cuisines highlight strictly savoury or sweet dishes for their breakfasts, the highlight of a Turkish breakfast is that it is well-rounded for all palates.

Turkish breakfasts vary from place to place, but they highlight an assortment of fresh olives, cheeses, bread and pastries, dips and sauces, eggs, fresh vegetables like tomato and cucumber, cured meats, honey, clotted cream, and multiple types of jam.

How and What to Order at a Turkish Breakfast

Depending on the place you head to for the best breakfast in Istanbul, there will be different combinations of foods to try for a classic breakfast. Most establishments will offer “kahvaltı” as one menu option. The general rule of thumb is that one portion (“bir porsiyon”) is good for two people.

So, if you’re dining with a group of 6 people, 3 portions should do the trick. If your party isn’t as hungry and just wants a substantial snack, 2 portions would likely even be fine.

Turkish breakfast tends to be very filling, since it consists of many small dishes served over a period of time. The benefit of this is you can pace yourself while you eat, but the challenge is that your eyes might be larger than your stomach upon ordering. Start with the recommended portion for the size of your group, and if you need more food, you can always order more.

Breakfasts will typically include the staples like eggs, preserves, meats, cheeses and bread. My all-time favourite combination that often comes with it is “bal kaymak” (honey with clotted cream—need I say more?). While most highlights are likely included with your breakfast spread already, you may want to add a few dishes to your order.

Some of the extras that you may want to add to your order are:

Gözleme. This is a tasty, warm almost phyllo-style pastry dish. You can get it with a variety of fillings, like minced meat or eggplant. My all-time favourite, especially for breakfast time, is spinach and cheese (“ıspanaklı ve peynir”).
Menemen. The eggs you’re served at a classic Turkish breakfast may just be hard boiled eggs. Some places serve them with more, but this is the standard. While there is nothing wrong with a hard-boiled egg, sometimes a warm, scrambled egg is a nice addition. Menemen is a traditional turkish dish that is served in a hot pan. It’s like soft-scrambled eggs, mixed with vegetables; most commonly tomatoes.
Pişi. Anyone who has been to Turkish breakfast with me knows that bal kaymak (the clotted cream and honey) is my favourite sweet topping for breakfast in Istanbul. My absolute favourite surprise when I try a new Turkish breakfast place is when I learn that they make pişi. Pişi is a simple, deep-fried dough and is essentially a Turkish donut. They typically aren’t topped with anything, but taste sublime with some bal kaymak, or one of the many fruit preserves and jams that are served at a classic breakfast.
Sucuklu Yumurta. This classic plate is another egg dish. It’s typically served in a hot pan, consisting of sunny side up eggs and chopped Turkish “sucuk” (sue-JOOK), which is beef sausage.
Simit. This is more of a fluffy yet dense Turkish street bagel, and isn’t always offered in restaurants. It can be topped with many things, but most classically comes covered in sesame seeds. Since Turkish breakfast is comprised of so many breads, you might not feel the need to add another to the menu. But if you’re in the mood, when they are freshly baked and straight out of the oven, they are such a delight to enjoy with cheese, jam or cream and honey.

How to Pick the Best Breakfast Spot in Istanbul

Istanbul is an absolutely stellar city to visit. Chris and I lived there for three years, and we are nowhere near close getting our fill of this incredible city. I think my favourite part of finding the best breakfasts here is finding the trifecta of experiences: quality, flavour and experience.

In terms of the quality of a good breakfast, many of the places on this list make most, if not everything on their menu, from scratch. This includes homemade fruit preserves, cheeses and bread.

Focusing on the flavour of a great breakfast in the city, this is based on the types of foods that are included in the standard breakfast, coupled with the portions and amount of food.

In regards to experience, this includes everything from the aesthetic of the restaurant, the dishes, the table scapes and even the views from the restaurant. I find that since there are so many delicious breakfasts in Istanbul, the experience of a spot that has the best quality and flavour to offer is usually what seals the deal for a memorable breakfast in this city.

The Best Breakfast in Istanbul: A List

Each of these places is unique in its own way, but they are all exceptional places to enjoy breakfast in Istanbul. If you are seeking out one or multiple “best breakfasts” on your trip to Istanbul, you are going to have a variety of delectable options here.

Bear in mind that some of these places are frequented by locals more so than tourists, so your server’s knowledge of English or languages other than Turkish might be limited. Use some of the language in this article to help you, and be prepared to smile and do your best to communicate with a little bit of Turkish to your server. “Teşekkürler” (TESH-ek-ewe-LAR / thank you) goes a long way!

Chris actually put together a post on some of his favourite Turkish phrases if you want to check that out as well.

Cafe Privato

This is the cafe that Chris and I would always bring family and friends to when they visited us in Istanbul, and it remains our number one recommendation for when friends visit the city today.

The atmosphere of Cafe Privato has a turn-of-the-century European vibe, compared to the other options on this list. It feels like it could have existed in the 1920’s, when the Ottoman Empire fell to make way for a Turkish Republic. And I am all for this vintage in terms of a dining experience.

For us, it fits the bill for the best breakfast in Istanbul because it’s conveniently located for tourists. Cafe Privato is in the area of Taksim/Beyoglu, and the back tables by the window and patio have a view of the Galata Tower.

No stone is left unturned in terms of Cafe Privato’s commitment to authenticity and experience when you visit it. As you walk along the cobblestoned streets and approach it, you can see the vintage sofas and chairs out front. On a warm day, tables with mismatched chairs will spill out onto the street, covered in tiny dishes of scrumptious looking breakfast foods.

Whether you’re seated inside or out, each table has its own eclectic feel. A mix of vintage chairs and tables are strewn throughout the restaurant. Turkish coffees, cappuccinos and teas are served in mismatched vintage teacups and saucers, as are all of the small dishes brought out for kahvalti.

The first time we visited Privato, the kicker for us was that all of the fruits, jams and preserves are made from scratch in house, served on the most adorable little porcelain dishes with various flowers and designs.

After breakfast here, plan to take a tour of the Galata Tower, or wander more around Pera and Istiklal. The Çiçek Pasajı and Pazaar (“flower passage and bazaar”) is a stunning atrium to walk through, just off the beaten path of Istiklal.

If you’re looking for an incredible central hotel right in the heart of the city, which is steps away from Cafe Privato, the Marmara Pera Hotel is an excellent hotel, with stunning views of the city and a rooftop restaurant and bar. The Pera Palace Hotel is also a wonderful luxury option, and is an historical hotel that was built in the late 1800’s.

Çeşme Bazlama Kahvaltı Nişantaşı

This restaurant is a little newer on the scene in Istanbul compared to the other staples on this list. While Privato is an experience for the vintage aesthetic lovers, Çeşme Bazlama is an event for the social media lover of the 21st century, although it’s also much more than that.

The location in Istanbul has a modern twist, but it comes from humble beginnings. The original location of this boutique chain is in the town of Çeşme, along the Aegean Sea. It was opened many years ago, and now the daughter of the original owners has brought the brand to Istanbul.

As soon as you walk up to Çeşme Bazlama, it feels like you’ve been transported to the eastern sea coast of Turkey. The turquoise blues and bright bouganvilla stretch across the welcome sign, transporting you to a small seaside town. The word “turquoise” actually comes from Turkey, because of the bright colour of the seas surrounding the country.

Turquoise checkered tablecloths and light white-washed wood cover the whole restaurant, and each dish of homemade jams and other fresh fruits, vegetables and pastries is brought out on handmade turquoise pottery.

They also bring traditional Turkish tea to your table, in the signature large, two-stacked kettles called “çaydanlık”. Turkish tea is consumed far more than Turkish coffee in the country, so it’s nice to understand how its brewed at your table. The bottom part of the kettle is for the boiling water, while the upper one is for the tea brew.

After enjoying breakfast at their location in bougie Nişantaşı, consider walking around and window shopping, or head downhill in the direction of the water to cocktails with a view at Vogue Restaurant and Bar. I’d highly recommend taking this tour around Dolmabahçe Palace if you are in the area, too.

If you’re looking for an amazing place to stay in Nişantaşı, I’d highly recommend the Park Hyatt Istanbul Maçka Palas or The Stay Nişantaşı. Both hotels are centrally located to all of the best shops and restaurants in Nişantaşı, and they are walking distance to beautiful Maçka Park.

Nezih Kebap Yuvalama

We came across this breakfast spot within our first year of living in Turkey. It’s located in a gorgeous location on the Bosphorus, much further away from the tourist centre of town. It’s in the Bebek/Sarıyer neighbourhood of Istanbul, right next to the Ottoman fortress of Rumeli Hisar. You’ll likely want to take a taxi (be sure to download the BiTaksi app) to get to this area effectively.

Nezih caters almost exclusively to people who live in Istanbul, so be prepared to try your hand at a little Turkish. You can try to call ahead to reserve a table, or just show up to see if they can accommodate. If they are full there’s no fear, because Kale (made famous by Anthony Bourdain’s visit to Istanbul) is right beside it, as is Sade, which are both great options for breakfast.

The spread at Nezih for breakfast is one to behold. The portion of their breakfast isn’t for the faint of heart, so you’ll definitely want to come hungry. Every dish is mesmerizing, and their pişi is especially fresh.

Try to get a spot on the front balcony if you are visiting in the warmer months (really, any time between March and October is fair game). Depending on the time of year, you’ll see plenty of ships and yachts passing through the strait, and if you’re visiting in May-June or August-September, you may even see dolphins! Dolphins are some of the oldest residents of Istanbul, and migrate through the Bosphorus to and from the Sea of Marmara with the seasons.

Try to coordinate breakfast in the area on a day when Rumeli Hisar is open. After breakfast, it’s definitely worth going in and walking up to the height of the fortress for incredible views of the Bosphorus. If you’re looking for a longer walk, you can head south along the Bosphorus, passing through stunning waterside villages like Arnavutkoy, Bebek and Ortakoy.

While there aren’t many hotels in this special corner of Istanbul, there are a few luxury hotels that provide excellent access to the Bosphorus and water views. The Mandarin Bosphorus Hotel is a show stopping destination in itself. It sits right on the water, and whether you plan to stay here or not, it’s an excellent stop for a cay on a day spent walking up the Bosphorus. Our favourite luxury hotel in Istanbul, Raffles Istanbul, also has incredible views of the city from all angles, and is a short taxi ride away from Bebek.

Van Kahvaltı Evi

While the first three options on this list are more on the tourist-friendly and “Instagrammable” side, these next options are still stellar in value and delivery, with less of the frills.

Van Kahvaltı Evi has two locations in Istanbul, one in the hip, artistic neighbourhood of Cihangir (“JEE-han-gear”, close to Taksim), and the other in the ritzy and relaxed neighbourhood of Nişantaşı (“Nee-shahn-ta-shuh”). Both neighbourhoods are well worth checking out, but depending on the areas you’re exploring during your time in Istanbul, there’s no short end of the stick to choose here.

This breakfast spot is delicious, reliable, refined and laidback. This was the brand that we’d often head to with friends on a typical weekend, when we were looking for the quality and experience of a solid breakfast. Not to say the first three options on this list aren’t solid—they are—but sometimes when you’re amongst friends in the place you live, you’re looking for a casual place to brunch on a weekend, as opposed to a spot with all the fanfare.

It’s still a popular restaurant, so depending on the size of your group, you may want to call in advance. But you’ll definitely be met with a relaxing atmosphere and delicious food when you head here.

If you’re at the location in Cihangir, consider walking down the hill towards the views of the Golden Horn from Karaköy down by the water, the Kılıç Ali Paşa Hamam and local shopping streets, or Istanbul Modern Museum. If you visit the Nişantaşı location, walk around to do some window shopping in the neighbourhood, and maybe head to a cocktail bar like Efendi.

Yiğit Sofram Gözleme ve Kahvaltı

This is another great local staple, around the corner from Van Kahvaltı Evi in Cihangir. This breakfast, along with Van Kahvaltı’s are the most affordable options on this list, and so, so delicious.

This cosy restaurant has an indoor-outdoor feeling to it, and it feels like you’re in an extension of someone’s living room. Their portions are reasonable, their food is delightfully fresh and locally sourced, and you’ll leave feeling happy and satiated. It is a real treat.

After visiting Yiğit Sofram, consider heading to some of the suggestions mentioned above from Cihangir. This neighbourhood itself is also an excellent place to explore—take some of the winding roads and staircases (if you’re heading uphill, prepare for a workout!). Don’t forget to stop by Roma Bostanı for scenic lookouts out to the Golden Horn, the Bosphorus Strait and the Sea of Marmara, and stop at the Rainbow Steps down towards Tophane on your way out of the area.

Now That You’re An Expert on The Best Breakfast in Istanbul…

If you’re in town for several days and are able to visit a few of these places, congratulations! I’m a big proponent of trying to visit as many places as possible to assess your love of Turkish breakfast when you visit the country.

There are few things that bring me joy more than sitting around with friends or family with good shared food. Like with a lot of Turkish cuisine, meals where you get to share, sample and take in the flavours together really cement your experience visiting Turkey.

Don’t forget that there are some incredible tours that you can take on a trip to Istanbul. If you’re interested in all of the best private tours to take in the city, like a Fener/Balat walking tour, a private yacht tour of the Bosphorus, or other incredible options, you can find my full article here.

With a full belly to go off and take in the magic of this incredible city, I hope this guide will bring you all the joys Turkish breakfast has brought to me, and more.