Best meal of the day: Breakfast!
Most of the Turkish folks give the same answer when best meal of the day is asked. You get all varieties of cheese, charcuterie, “kaymak & honey”, jams, bread, “simit” and even small meze’s in the breakfast – and the whole is capable of giving you a full stomach for a full day. For me, this version is best prepared at home, sharing with your family / friends without the hassle of outside.
If you’re coming to Istanbul for a visit, you should add having a REALLY traditional breakfast experience to your to-do list; because it’s one of a kind. However in this list, I’ll talk about “the new breakfast scene”; which is popular among youngsters & adventurous taste seekers.
We can even call it a 3rd wave breakfast meal. Here are the places I keep going back when I want a feast in my taste buds.
MSA’s Restaurant
MSA is one of the most credited culinary academy in Turkey. Nearly a year ago, they opened up a restaurant in Sakip Sabanci Museum, where their students and instructors are running both the kitchen & service. The restaurant is like a test academy for students, but certainly, food is not part of the test.
If you’re lucky, you can stumble upon live Jazz sessions for brunch, follow news from here.
Petra Coffee HQ
The day after Petra Coffee launched Petra Kitchen in its headquarter (in Gayrettepe), they were the talk of the town. Its apparent that the menu is very well designed; all dishes resemble a top-notch quality & taste. It’s nowhere below vs European benchmarks; like Little Collins in Amsterdam, Friends of Ours in London or Hardware Société in Paris.
Needless to say, you should try their coffee as well. Etiyopya Hunkte is my favorite. Buy it here to brew at home.
Naan Bakeshop
Naan is a small & artisan bakery in Moda; where bread is the king. Its freshly made everyday in the shop; smell of it is not easy to miss. I recommend to visit Naan for breakfast for the perfect combination of eggs & delicious bread. Avocado Bagel, Eggs Benedict, French Toast are my favorites!
Apartıman
For Apartıman, sourcing good & fresh ingredients are extremely important, and this passion has been reflected to their menu. Dairy products sourced from Kırklareli (a city close to Bulgaria border), and Apartıman makes its own cheese, ice-cream, yogurt using those fresh ingredients. I love their menu as a whole, stop here for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
Aheste Pera
Charming, cosy restaurant in the historical Pera district. The location & atmosphere of the place makes you feel like you’ve just discovered a hidden corner in Istanbul. Their menu is a mix of Turkish cuisine & Middle Eastern cuisine. Do try their “Breakfast Salad”, “Chard Cilbir” (as in my photo), “Spicy Sujuk Bruschetta”. Reserve online from here.
Map of all there spots are below.
Enjoy & Bon appétit!
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