Çeşmidil, Beylerbeyi
A café-restaurant right on the water by the Beylerbeyi pier, with a terrace facing the 15 July Martyrs (Bosphorus) Bridge. Good for long Bosphorus breakfasts.
Step onto the terrace and the bridge fills the view. Çeşmidil is a café-restaurant at the start of Beylerbeyi's pier street, right on the water on the Asian shore of the Bosphorus. The 15 July Martyrs Bridge, still widely called the Bosphorus Bridge, is almost directly opposite, and on clear days you can follow the European shore from Ortaköy to Arnavutköy. Beylerbeyi Palace and Beylerbeyi Mosque are a few minutes' walk away.
It works as a café by day and a fish-and-meze restaurant in the evening. In the morning, it is a place for an unhurried breakfast by the water.
What to order
Breakfast is a generous Turkish spread served on many small plates: cheeses, olives, jams, honey with kaymak (clotted cream), sliced tomato and cucumber, eggs and warm bread. Reviewers mention how much food arrives, even for two. For something hot, ask for fried eggs or menemen, eggs scrambled with tomato and peppers. Tea comes by the pot. If breakfast runs into lunch, there is fish and meze on the menu too.
Visiting tips
From Üsküdar, take a coastal bus and get off at the Beylerbeyi pier stop. On weekend mornings, book ahead for a front-row terrace table. Service can slow down at busy times, so choose a morning when you are not in a hurry. Phone the restaurant for current hours and bookings. Afterwards, the gardens of Beylerbeyi Palace make a good next stop.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Çeşmidil?
On the waterfront at the start of the pier street in Beylerbeyi, Üsküdar, a few minutes' walk from Beylerbeyi Palace.
Can you see the Bosphorus Bridge from Çeşmidil?
Yes. The terrace faces the 15 July Martyrs (Bosphorus) Bridge and the European shore.
Do I need a reservation for breakfast?
It is recommended on weekend mornings, especially for a terrace table by the water.