What a kahvaltı includes
A traditional kahvaltı combines many small plates to share:
- cheeses: beyaz peynir (salted white cheese, close to feta), kaşar (semi-firm yellow cheese), sometimes lor or tulum;
- olives, green and black, and sliced tomatoes and cucumbers;
- eggs: fried, in an omelette, or as menemen (scrambled eggs with tomatoes and peppers) and sucuklu yumurta (eggs with spicy sucuk sausage);
- sweet things: honey, kaymak (thick cream), cherry, fig or rose jams, chocolate spread;
- savoury pastries: sigara böreği (fried cheese pastry), poğaça, simit (sesame bread ring);
- bread, often warm, and tea (çay) served in a small tulip-shaped glass, refilled as often as you like.
Serpme or plate: how to order
- Serpme kahvaltı ("scattered"): about ten small plates set on the table, to share; the generous weekend formula. The price is often per person: ask before ordering.
- The plate (kahvaltı tabağı): an individual plate with cheeses, olives, eggs and jams; simpler and cheaper.
- Single dishes: menemen, sucuklu yumurta or börek, ordered separately with a tea.
- Hotel breakfast: often a Turkish buffet, enough for a first time.
Where to have it: by district
On the Bosphorus
The villages of the European shore are the most sought-after weekend spots: breakfast in Rumelihisarı, at the foot of the fortress (see the Rumeli Hisarı fortress page), and in Bebek are the best known. Expect crowds on Sunday morning and book if you can. For the whole area, see our guide to the villages of the Bosphorus European shore.
On the Asian shore
Kuzguncuk and Çengelköy are known for their breakfast cafés in wooden houses and gardens. The setting is quieter and more local than on the European shore.
In Cihangir, Çukurcuma and Karaköy
Breakfast is a ritual in Cihangir and Çukurcuma: many cafés offer kahvaltı à la carte or as a serpme. Van Kahvaltı Evi, in Cihangir, is known for its Van-style breakfast, with cheeses from eastern Turkey and kaymak; check its opening hours before going. Karaköy, closer to the quays, has newer places.
In Sultanahmet
Around the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, restaurants mostly serve breakfasts aimed at tourists, sometimes at high prices. Prefer terraces on side streets, or have breakfast at your hotel before going out. For where to stay, see our guide to where to stay in Istanbul.
Practical tips
- When to go: on weekdays, 8 to 10 a.m. is quiet; at weekends, arrive before 9:30 or book, as popular places fill up.
- The price: always ask whether it is per person or per table, and what it includes. Tea is often charged separately; a service charge may be added to the bill. For payment and tipping customs, see our guide to money, payment and tipping in Istanbul.
- Diets: kahvaltı is naturally vegetarian, apart from sucuk; say so if you do not eat meat.
- Tea: it is ordered by the glass; signal when you want a refill.
- Simit: if you are in a hurry, a simit and a tea from a street stand make a travel breakfast.
- After breakfast: a walk by the water in Bebek or Rumelihisarı, or a visit to a nearby park such as Emirgan or Yıldız.
Summary
| Formula | Contents | For whom |
|---|---|---|
| Serpme kahvaltı | About ten small plates to share | Groups, weekends |
| Kahvaltı tabağı | Individual plate | Small appetites |
| Menemen / sucuklu yumurta | Hot egg dish | Moderate hunger |
| Simit and tea | Sesame bread and street tea | Travellers in a hurry |
Going further
For other meals, our guide to what to eat in Istanbul details the dishes to try. Neighbourhood life continues in the guide to Kadıköy and the Asian side.
