Food & drink · 2 min read
How to order Turkish breakfast in Istanbul
Work out whether you want a breakfast spread, menemen or a quick stop for simit and tea.
Turkish breakfast can be a long shared meal or something you eat on the way to a ferry. Decide how much time you want to spend at the table before choosing a place.
Read the breakfast menu
A serpme kahvaltı is a spread brought out in several dishes. It can include cheese, olives, tomatoes, preserves, bread and eggs, with tea alongside. Ask whether the price is per person, whether tea is included and whether there is a minimum number of diners. What comes with the spread varies by venue.
Order fewer things first
For a shorter meal, look for menemen, a dish of eggs cooked with tomatoes and peppers, or ask for a small plate of breakfast items. A bakery simit and tea suit a morning when you want to get moving. If you order a spread, wait to see how much food arrives before adding hot dishes.
Plan around your next stop
Put a long breakfast on the day you have the least to fit in. A quick bakery stop works better before a reserved museum slot. If someone has an allergy or avoids dairy or eggs, ask about the ingredients in every shared dish and the bread rather than assuming the cold plates are suitable.
Sources and further reading
- Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality · Turkish breakfast and simit
- Türkiye Ministry of Culture and Tourism · Menemen and traditional egg dishes
Some linked sources are published in other languages.
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