Karafırın

A modern gem near the Blue Mosque!
We stumbled upon this café one morning when looking for some breakfast. It caught our eye because it looks significantly different from the surrounding restaurants/​cafes, or maybe it was the only place that didn’t have someone outside screaming at you to come try their food.
Service was splendid, and the food was affordable. Their juices taste fresh and the food was great. We actually came back here twice more to try their different breakfast items. Definitely try the eggs with the beef (the name is slipping my memory right now) — so tasty!
They under cook the eggs, so let them know to cook the eggs a little longer. It actually took us 2 visits until they understood what we meant but all in all, I would absolutely recommend this place!

Yum. Had dinner tonight at Karafirin and am still smiling from the meal and the friendly staff. The décor is trendy yet cozy, and the baked goods at the front of the restaurant lured me in while navigating the myriad of dining choices (and aggressive buskers) on that street. I had the beef wrapped in phyllo dough, which had some tomato sauce and sat on a bed of pureed smoky eggplant. The portion was filling yet not overwhelming, and tasty hearty and fresh. I had the brewed at-​the-​table sage tea to drink, which came with a shot glass of honey and a little snack side of green apple slices, hazelnuts, apricots and figs. While drooling over the dessert case, the owner came by to explain some of the desserts and make his recommendations. I ended up getting some cookies to take away, and enjoyed the soft cake with tart cherries the most. The owner even added a mini-​brownie to my box, which was an unexpected treat, and offered me a pice of dark chocolate Turkish Delight, which was delicious. Already looking forward to my next visit!

This café is fantastic. It’s hip, relaxed, and the food is fantastic. The menemen here is so good! This little café may be my favorite eatery in Istanbul.

Very cute café that is near all the major sites (Blue Mosque/​Haggia Sofia/​Topkapi Palace/​etc). Has a very hipster vibe and is slightly expensive (~20 liras for a full breakfast, ~7 liras for a pastry). Ate here multiple times during my stay in istanbul for breakfast — they have a large selection of desserts and breakfast options. Strawberry banana mille feuille and muffins are delicious. My friend got the feta cheese and spinach pastry, which was not good and was too salty from all the cheese. Their breakfast platters are quite large and can be split between at least 3 people. Service can be kind of slow if it’s busy, but the staff are very friendly and it was overall a pretty positive experience.

Stumbled upon this place in need of coffee. They were very nice and had a delicious ice latte. The good menu looked really healthy too.

Absolutely lovely spot for coffee, a sweet snack, or an entire meal. The food and beverages are phenomenal. They have a broad array of beverages ranging from teas, coffees, iced beverages, fruit beverages, and milkshakes. The deserts are beautifully presented and taste as good as they look. The space has a great style and warmth to it. Staff is very kind and the service is great. My favorite place to grab a bite in the Sultanahmet neighborhood of Istanbul.

This was my first stop every morning in Istanbul. The people who run this shop and the Menemen are treasures!

An absolutely charming café. We stopped here on our first morning in Istanbul after sleeping through the hotel’s breakfast (oops.) We started with creamy cappuccino and nutty Turkish coffee, both served on charming little trays. Then we moved to pastries: rich sesame-​studded bread with melting cheese inside, chewy focaccia with fresh broiled tomatoes, small sandwiches with fresh cheese and vegetables, and an incredible strata of flaky pastry and an eggy cheese sauce. Everything was beautifully presented and served by attentive staff at our table, even though we had ordered at a counter upon entering.
We took our time with breakfast and then paid the check at our table before reluctantly moving on. The interior is bright, clean and cheery, with beautiful fruit tarts on display as well as soaps and linens for sale. Prices were very reasonable. I can’t think of a better way to start a day in Turkey!