Pita Kuzguncuk

On İcadiye Street, the main street of Kuzguncuk lined with old wooden houses, a small café sits opposite the post office. Pita Kuzguncuk takes its name from the flatbread that comes hot out of its oven, and builds its breakfasts from produce sourced around Turkey. There are only a few tables inside, plus a few on the pavement in good weather.

Instead of a sprawling Turkish spread, breakfast comes on individual plates. The café is known for naming its plates after Kuzguncuk's streets, so reading the menu is a little tour of the neighbourhood.

What to order

The cheeses are the draw. Visitors mention cheeses from Kars in eastern Turkey, from Ezine near Çanakkale and from the north Aegean, served with homemade jams and honey. For something more filling, try the Rize kavurma, slow-cooked preserved beef from the Black Sea, or menemen, eggs scrambled with tomato and peppers. A pita topped with white cheese and tomato is a good addition. Plates are made for one person, so if there are two of you, order different plates and share.

Visiting tips

Kuzguncuk is on the Asian shore of the Bosphorus in Üsküdar. Take a coastal bus from Üsküdar, or walk along the shore from the Üsküdar ferry pier in a little over half an hour. The café is small, so expect a short queue on weekend mornings; weekdays are quieter. It closes fairly early in the evening, so phone ahead to check current hours. Afterwards, stroll along İcadiye Street to the Kuzguncuk community garden (Kuzguncuk Bostanı).