Finely ground robusta-and-arabica blend simmered three times in a long-handled cezve and poured unfiltered into small cups. Served with a glass of water and a square of lokum.
Coffee reached Istanbul in 1554 when two Syrian merchants opened the first kahvehane in Tahtakale; the city has poured Turkish coffee continuously since. UNESCO inscribed Turkish coffee culture on its Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2013, citing the preparation method, the social ritual and the cezve as defining elements.
3 editor picks for Türk kahvesi (Turkish coffee) in Istanbul, ranked by editorial score. All Istanbul signature dishes · Türk kahvesi (Turkish coffee) across every city.
Mandabatmaz ★ 4.7
beyoğlu · Asmalı Mescit Mah., Olivya Geçidi No:1A, 34430 Beyoğlu, İstanbul
Mandabatmaz in Beyoğlu's Olivya Passage, a 1967 single-room Turkish coffee bar whose foamy cup is the standard against which the rest of Istanbul is measured.
Sade Kahve ★ 4.5
sarıyer · Rumeli Hisarı Mah., Yahya Kemal Caddesi No:20, 34470 Sarıyer, İstanbul
Sade Kahve below the Rumeli Hisarı fortress walls, where Turkish coffee gets brewed slow over hot ash and an all-day kahvaltı spread spills.
Kahve Dünyası Nuruosmaniye ★ 3.8
fatih · Mollafenari Mah., Nuruosmaniye Caddesi No:79, 34110 Fatih, İstanbul
Kahve Dünyası beside the Grand Bazaar's Nuruosmaniye gate, the Turkish coffee chain's polished flagship where sand-brewed cups arrive with a square.