If anything defines Turkish culture as much as its mosques and bazaars, it is the Turkish breakfast. Serpme kahvaltı (literally a "spread-out breakfast") is a morning feast that turns the first meal of the day into a social occasion that can last for hours.
What does a Turkish breakfast include?
A proper serpme kahvaltı is made up of dozens of small dishes, all served at the same time:
The essentials
- A selection of cheeses: beyaz peynir (white cheese, similar to feta), kaşar (a semi-hard yellow cheese) and tulum peyniri (cheese cured in a skin sack). Every region has its own varieties.
- Olives: black and green, from different regions. Those from the Aegean and from Gemlik, near Bursa, are the most highly prized.
- Tomatoes and cucumbers: fresh and sliced, the foundation of every Turkish breakfast.
- Honey and kaymak: pure honey with kaymak (thick clotted cream, traditionally made from water-buffalo milk) is one of the great pleasures of the Turkish table. The kaymak from Afyon is the most famous.
- Homemade jams: cherry, strawberry, fig, rose petal, peach… every family and every restaurant has its own recipes.
- Eggs: boiled, scrambled or as menemen (eggs scrambled with tomato, peppers and spices). Menemen is the star of the hot dishes.
- Simit: the iconic crunchy sesame bread ring that street vendors sell from their carts all over Türkiye.
- Sucuk: spiced Turkish sausage, served fried or cooked with eggs (sucuklu yumurta). Once you have tried it, it is hard to stop.
- Fresh bread: all kinds of bread straight from the oven, from köy ekmeği (village bread) to pide.
- Çay: Turkish tea served in tulip-shaped glasses. It keeps coming throughout the meal and is the soul of the ritual.
Where to have the best Turkish breakfast in Istanbul
- Van Kahvaltı Evi (Cihangir): specialises in the breakfast of Van, in eastern Türkiye, with otlu peynir (herb cheese) and mountain honey. Booking at weekends is essential.
- Çakmak Kahvaltı Salonu (Beşiktaş): a classic neighbourhood breakfast spot, generous and good value, and very popular with locals.
- Rumeli Kafe (Rumelihisarı): breakfast beside Rumeli Fortress with views over the Bosphorus, the perfect mix of food and scenery.
- The village restaurants of Cumalıkızık (Bursa): if your trip to Bursa leaves time for this UNESCO-listed Ottoman village just outside the city, its breakfasts are legendary.
Cafés change their hours and occasionally close, so check before you set off.
Tips for enjoying a Turkish breakfast
- Arrive hungry: a serpme kahvaltı can last two to three hours and keep you going until dinner.
- Weekends are when Turks sit down to breakfast with friends and family, so that is when the atmosphere is liveliest.
- Take your time: the çay never stops coming, and the real point of the ritual is the conversation.
- Try honey and kaymak on warm bread: it is probably the best single bite in Türkiye.